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I'm trying to virtualize my current physical machine in order to keep a "live backup" so that I can refer to it at any time in order to check the settings of any app or even just to keep old apps that I barely use and so I might not install again in a new setup.

So I downloaded VCenter Converter and created a .vmx using the default settings, except removing the D: (data) drive as I don't need all of that in the VM.

The Host (and future guest) is Windows 10 64 bits with 8Gb of RAM, a 128 GB SSD. The Virtual machine is stored in a HDD.

To run it I use VMWare player 15.5.6 build-16341506. I've used this player previously to run a Windows 10 installed directly on the guest, not virtualized, and it worked properly. Not the greatest experience but it worked quite well.

Now the problem: I start the virtual machine, Windows boots and detects changes, restarts, it doesn't seem to snappy, finally boots to desktop I try to install VMWare tools but it's too slow, in the end it takes minutes to perform any action, the screen is usually black. Sometimes I can send Ctrl+Alt+Del and then Windows shows the screen allowing me to shutdown the machine.

In that time, the physical HDD seems to be working at 100%, but with very slow speed. If I try to open anything on that disk, the app (explorer for example) hangs for a while.

Any clue about what can I do in order to be able to get a usable virtual machine? I just want something that reacts properly to user input and doesn't drive me to despair.

Thank you for reading so far.

Edit 1: I've restarted again after editing the machine to half CPU and RAM, now the VM booted correctly on first run. Then I installed VMWare tools and after restart windows only shows a black screen. Now there's no hangs, I can see the resource monitor in the Host that everything is fine but the Guest only shows a black screen and sending Ctrl+Alt+Del I can make it shutdown, there doesn't seem to be any performance problems.

So I have to figure out that black screen after restart with VMWare tools...

Edit 2: Now that I wasn't worrying about performance I've found that this is a common issue. https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/2034627
I'll close the question after checking that it works

AlfonsoML
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1 Answers1

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Use VMware Converter to create a true virtual machine on conversion. A VMDK file.

This will sit on your host computer and give you decent performance on a Host machine with a hard drive, good performance on a host with an SSD drive.

The key is to virtualize to a VMDK file (Machine image) and put your old hard drive aside.

For any file that is a truly a VMDK file on the host, go to the VMDK file via VMware (that is, run the machine) and inside the guest, defragment the guest operating system. Then from the VMware Menu, see if you can Compact the disk. You may need Workstation for this.

You will not get good performance (normally) working via a Virtualizer to an external hard drive.

Finally, to see if the problem is converted machine or host, make a new virtual machine as a test on the drive where VMware resides and test that for performance.

I have numerous VM's with VMware and they work just fine.

John
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  • Yes, VCenter converter creates the vmdk and vmx files and I just launch the vmx, I don't understand what do you mean. – AlfonsoML Sep 21 '20 at 21:44
  • Your question said your VMX (Configuration File) launches the system that was on the old hard drive. Make sure VMX is pointing to the VMDK file on your host machine. It does not appear to be. If you are using a true host based VMDK file, go to the OS and defrag the VMDK file. – John Sep 21 '20 at 21:47
  • I said that the vmdk is stored on a HDD, not a SSD. – AlfonsoML Sep 21 '20 at 21:53
  • The guest machine should be on the same drive as VMware Player / Workstation is running. – John Sep 21 '20 at 21:55
  • What you might try to prove (a) it is your converted machine or (b) it is the host machine would be to make a new true Virtual Machine and see how that runs. – John Sep 21 '20 at 22:35