Installing a Virtual Machine (vmdk) on VMware Workstation
Creating a Workstation virtual machine using existing VMDK virtual disks
The base of this article is very common questions that are what is a virtual machine? why do we use it? how to use it? do we need new hardware resources such as a new laptop, pc or other computer systems to use it? and so on. To answer these questions this article will be divided into multiple sub-sections.
What is a virtual machine?
Virtual machines, often known as VMs, enable an organization to run an operating system in a desktop app window that behaves like an entirely separate computer. Virtual machines (VMs) can be used to fulfil varied processing power needs, run software that requires a separate operating system, or test applications in a safe, sandboxed environment.
Why do we use a virtual machine?
There are multiple reasons to consider utilizing virtual machines, including the fact that VMs save overhead by allowing multiple systems to operate from the same dashboard at the same time. VMs can also be utilized to offer speedy disaster recovery and automatic backups, providing a safety net for your data. The scalability of virtual environments might be critical for large and developing enterprises to accept the growing pains of a continually expanding IT system.
Do we need new hardware resources such as a new laptop, pc or other computer systems to use it?
The answer to this question is apparent, and it is no. There is no need for any additional separate hardware to use a VM because its objective was to reduce hardware expenses by utilizing current resources.
What is VMware?
VMware enables enterprises to operate different applications and operating systems on a single server, improving resource management. VMware allows everything running on that virtual machine to operate in its own window by producing a virtual machine that functions almost like a real computer.
How to install a virtual machine in VMware?
Now that the fundamental concepts of the subjects have been well described, let us move on to the principal goal of the article. In the next part, I’ll show you how to utilise any VMDK file to build a virtual machine in VMware.
what is VMDK?
A virtual disc that holds the contents of a VMware virtual machine hard drive; it can be accessed as a physical hard disc using VMware software; it is commonly labelled “[vmname].vmdk;” it may be set to a fixed size or customised to increase over time using VMware’s Virtual Disk Manager.
Steps:
- First of all download any VM that you want to install such as the one shown in the image below
2. Open VMware (workstation) by double clicking on the application
3. After the application is loaded, navigate to the: File>New>Virtual Machine
4. It will open a wizard with two radio buttons, select the Custom (advanced), click Next
5. Select the hardware compatibility you require and click Next
6. In the Guest Operating System Installation selection screen, select I will install the Operating System later and click Next
7. Select the guest operating system that is installed, including the version, and click Next
8. Provide a file name and choose the location where you want to save the virtual machine and click Next
9. If necessary, adjust the number of processors and number of cores per processor required by the virtual machine and then click Next.
10. Adjust the amount of memory to be allocated to your virtual machine and click Next
11. Select the desired networking type for your virtual machine and click Next.
12. Select LSI Logic (Recommended) and click Next
13. Select SCSI (Recommended) Disk Type and click Next
14. Select Use an Existing Virtual Disk and click Next
15. On the next screen, browse to the VMDK file and click open, then, Next
16. In the next window, click on the Keep Existing Format button
17. Your VM has been successfully installed
18. Click on Power on this virtual machine to turn on the VM
I hope this post was useful to you in your job, and I hope to hear from you again soon. At Cytomate, I am a cybersecurity researcher that mostly works with Python, data analysis, deception, and malware analysis. Please follow me on LinkedIn and Medium to learn more about me. Special thanks to VMware for comprehensive information on virtual machines and relevant topics.
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