VMware has two tools to help you set configuration parameters for a VM. You use these tools to create or modify a configuration file. Remember that each unique configuration file defines a unique VM.

The VM configuration wizard steps you through a complete configuration. You are presented with several panels, each describing a possible device or characteristic. In most cases, an appropriate default setting is shown. You can either accept that setting or change it. The wizard is perhaps the easiest way to define a new VM.

The VM configuration editor is simply a menu from which you can choose which features to configure. The VM configuration editor is useful for reviewing or modifying the definition of a VM.

The VM configuration wizard allows you to set the most important configuration parameters, but not all of them. That is, while you can define a VM using the VM configuration wizard, some parameters can only be altered using the VM configuration editor. With the VM configuration editor you can modify almost all parameters for a VM.

Both tools automatically attempt to detect existing devices used by the physical machine that could potentially be used or defined by the VM. These values appear in the dialog panels for you to accept or modify. In general these are good values to use.

The remainder of this chapter describes using the VM configuration wizard and VM configuration editor. The following steps are the first steps for using either of these tools.

To configure a virtual machine:

1. Create a directory for the VM. Move to it.

If you will create multiple virtual machines, it is helpful to create a unique directory for each VM. Then you can save the configuration file for the VM in the directory, and if you launch VMware from that directory, all files automatically generated by VMware are written in that directory.

mkdir <VM-directory-1>

cd <VM-directory-1>

2. If not already running X Windows, launch X Windows.

startx

3. Launch the VMware application.

Enter the following command from a terminal window:

vmware

TheVMware application application launches and opens a window for a new virtual machine. Then a popup window appears.

4. Select the configuration tool you wish to use.

For the remainder of instructions, now turn to either "Using the VM Configuration Wizard" or "Using the VM Configuration Editor" .