This is pretty former delineate a fast ane on only non heavily used. You tin run your Virtual Machines inwards VMware KVM trend amongst VMware Workstation 10.x or higher. This has been available to VMWare Workstation users since 2014 only I sincerely don’t know how many people truly uses it or fifty-fifty know virtually it. KVM (Keyboard Video Mouse) trend allows you lot to switch betwixt active virtual machines using hotkeys. You tin configure the hotkeys to anything you lot prefer. I truly bumped into this spell browsing the VMWare Workstation Folder inwards my Windows 10. I saw this vmware-kvm.exe file together with couldn’t recollect what’s it for. So Google’d it together with constitute that this is pretty useful together with decided to summarize all of it inwards an article.
There’s few benefits that I tin intend of:
- VMs tin travel run inwards full-screen without launching the Workstation 10 interface (so no toolbars)
- VM’s tin manage their ability acre via CLI (command line of piece of employment interface).
- Seamlessly switch betwixt the host operating systems together with invitee yesteryear using the defined hotkey.
Note: The VMware KVM trend is alone available for Windows version of Workstation 10.x.
I’ve outlined the steps taken below wih screenshots followed yesteryear a curt video on how to I setup VMware KVM trend amongst VMware Workstation amongst desktop shortcuts on my Windows 10 Computer.
Update VMWare KVM Preferences
The firstly stride inwards configuring VMware KVM trend is setting the hotkeys together with preferences. Open upwards a ascendence prompt together with modify to the directory where Workstation is installed. Launch the VMware KVM executable amongst the --preferences later the command.
Upon launching vmware-kvm.exe --preferences ascendence you lot volition run across a small-scale GUI window that allows you lot to modify the default hot keys inwards add-on to other features for launching together with exiting the virtual machine.
I made a few changes inwards the preferences. I changed Cycle Hot Key to Ctrl+Alt+Insert together with Run on Monitor to 2 (my instant monitor). You mightiness desire to pay attending to the Cycle Hot Key settings or laid it to something you lot tin remember. Click OK to boot the bucket the utility together with relieve you lot KVM preferences.
Create shortcut for the VMX file
The instant stride is to execute the vmware-kvm.exe ascendence amongst a pointer to the selected VM to run Workstation inwards KVM mode. You volition run the command: vmware-kvm.exe [OPTIONS] virtual-machine-vmx-file.vmx where:virtual-machine-vmx-file.vmx is the path to the .vmx file of the virtual machine. To run multiple VMs together with switch betwixt them amongst the configured hot primal the vmware-kvm.exe ascendence must travel issued in ane trial for each VM you lot desire to start or halt inwards KVM mode.
Now you lot quest to practise a shortcut for vmware-kvm.exe together with signal it to the location of your .VMX file or the VM you lot desire run inwards KVM mode.
The location of your vmware-kvm.exe together with VMs may travel dissimilar depending if you lot changed the default installation locations when installing VMware Workstation 10.x.
Create a desktop shortcut for the vmware-kvm.exe executable from within File Explorer yesteryear correct clicking on the executable together with selecting Send To Desktop (create shortcut). Screenshot below.
Edit the shortcut properties together with inwards the Target Field movement into the path to the .VMX file of the selected VM. Make certain the path to the VM is later the quotes together with is also within its ain quotes. Click Apply together with OK to boot the bucket the desktop shortcut properties. An illustration below:
"C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VMware Workstation\vmware-kvm.exe" "C:\Users\blackmore\Documents\Virtual Machines\Kali-2017.2-x64\Kali-Linux-2017.2-vm-amd64.vmx"
where
Location of VMWare-KVM.exe: "C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VMware Workstation\vmware-kvm.exe" and
Location of my VM's VMX File: "C:\Users\blackmore\Documents\Virtual Machines\Kali-2017.2-x64\Kali-Linux-2017.2-vm-amd64.vmx"
Run VM’s inwards VMWare KVM mode
Now double-click on the shortcut to run Kali Linux 2017.2 x64 inwards KVM mode. To wheel through the running VMs together with electrical current host OS desktop concealment role the configured hotkey which inwards my instance is the Ctrl+Alt+Insert key. To run to a greater extent than VMs inwards KVM trend practise additional shortcuts for the vmware-kvm.exe executable together with signal to the VM you lot would similar to run.
Video guide
Below is a curt video that discusses together with demonstrates using VMware KVM Mode amongst VMware Workstation 10.x. VMware Tools must travel installed on the invitee operating system. I constitute this video later writing all that! heh!
References
