Upgrading VMware V5.0.5 without losing data?

[DingDingo]

I dislike upgrading for this every reason.... It all started because Warcraft needed a newer OS on the mac (cheaper to cancel subscription..).

I made the foolish mistake of upgrading to Mac OS X EI Captain now VMware 5.0.5 doesn't work. My business software is all windows based.

How can I upgrade to a version of VMware that will work on the new operating system, and what version is it, link to download etc?

Thanks heaps.

Timemachine is an option

[wila · Accepted solution]

Hi,

The steps basically are:

- Optionally commit snapshots that are open

- Shut down your current VMs (don't suspend)

- uninstall VMware Fusion 5

- Optionally backup the important VMs to external media

- download + install Fusion 8 (the latest version)

Download link is here:

Try VMware Fusion or Fusion Pro. Run Windows on a Mac without rebooting.

That's a 30 day evaluation, but it is the normal download. You just need a license to activate Fusion after 30 days.

As for "risk of loosing VMs"

That risk is very low, never heard it happen because of simply upgrading.

However it is always a good idea to backup your virtual machines to an external disk.

Do not depend on Time Machine for that as it doesn't create reliable backups for virtual machine packages.

edit: On booting up your VM, Fusion will ask to upgrade your virtual hardware. That's usually a good idea, but beware that if you want to take the VM to an older version of Fusion that you will have to downgrade the virtual hardware again before uninstalling Fusion 8.

Also note that it will upgrade to the latest version of VMware Tools on first boot of your VM.

--

Wil

[DingDingo]

Thanks very much. You were very helpful. I had an issue years ago with VMware and I recall the chap from VMware saying install over the top.

When you said it was "simply upgrading", I recalled what the VMware tech said.

All I did was follow your link, download>install the app>Select 30 day trial and up it came! Exactly how I shut it down last.

I was having nightmares as my tax is due in a few days and I have been putting it off.

Thanks so much for your help and valued time in replying.

Cheers

[wila]

You're welcome.

Brr.. tax ... exactly what I will be working on for the next few hours (also been putting it off)

--

Wil

[ColoradoMarmot]

Just a note - time machine is not remotely reliable for backing up a virtual machine.  It's actually best to disable it from doing so (exclude the virtual machines folder), and then backup the VM manually while it's shut down.

[DingDingo]

Thanks very much for that tip about VMware and Time Machine. As a rule I do close down VMware (when doing a full manual back up) but I'll take extra precautions now too

Thanks again

[vmxmr]

wila‌ is right about Time Machine and VMware Fusion virtual machines - they don't back up correctly. Here is what I do:

* Exclude my Virtual Machines folder from Time Machine. The Virtual Machines folder  is where I keep my virtual machine files.

* I have a separate folder called "Virtual Machines Backups" that is NOT excluded from Time Machine. Time Machine will see changes there and back them up.

* When I want to backup a virtual machine, I do the following:

1. Shut down the virtual machine.

2. In the Finder, go to your Virtual Machines folder. (You can right-click (CTRL-click) the virtual machine in VMware Fusion's Virtual Machine Library window, then choose "Show in Finder.")

3. Right-click (or CTRL-click) the virtual machine file in Finder. Choose Compress "<filename>" from the contextual menu. Your computer will create a compressed ZIP file from your virtual machine. Do not run the virtual machine until the compression is done. It may take a long time if your virtual machine is very large, but the .zip version of your virtual machine will use half the disk space.

4. Move the .zip file from your Virtual Machines folder to your Virtual Machine Backups folder.

5. The next time Time Machine runs, it will see the .zip file in your Virtual Machine Backups folder and back it up.

WARNINGS:

* Virtual machines and their backups use a lot of disk space. Be sure that you have enough room on your drive for the .zip file backups, etc.

* The same is true of your Time Machine backups. Even though .zip files use far less space compared with the virtual machine files themselves, the .zip files can be very large, too.

I hope this helps!