No VM on the mac side-Ok on the windows side

[britgal1]

I have installed everything and I have a "windows on the mac" icon on my windows xp desktop. It links to my documents file as it is supposed to.

Problem: i have no virtual machine on the mac side and no VM.vmx files in my docs file on the mac side. What am I missing?

[RDPetruska]

Let's start over.

First off, it's hard to understand EXACTLY what your question is.

It appears you have Fusion 1.1.3 installed on a Leopard 10.5.3 Mac.

Now, you say you have a Windows XP virtual machine. HOW did you create it? Is it a normal virtual machine, or a BootCamp converted one?

Have you read the Fusion user manual? How about the FAQ document listed in the announcement at the top section of this forum?

[britgal1]

I created it using the Boot Camp assistant. Since it does give me

windows xp in its own window, something worked out right.

I just can't figure out where those files are and how I get a virtual

machine into my home docs file.

I have read a tiny fusion manual but it doesn't tell you much.I just

followed the installation instructions. If there was something useful

in the faq document I did not see it.

Kathy

[WoodyZ]

I created it using the Boot Camp assistant.

A Virtual Machine created of the Boot Camp partition is not a normal file based Virtual Machine and is located in a different location then normal file based Fusion Virtual Machines and must stay in the location it's created as it is just meta data that enables Fusion to run the Boot Camp partition install of Windows as a Virtual Machine. If you have only created a Boot Camp partition Virtual Machine then this explains the lack of a Virtual Machine folder in the Documents folder in your Home folder.

It also would have been more helpful if you had provided that info in the very beginning or after being asked to read and provide the information requested in that document.

Have a look at: for the location of Virtual Machine files.

[jegbook]

Can I throw in one thing here?

Britgal, can you tell us what you are trying to accomplish? There has been talk about various procedures and looking for files, but we haven't talked about goals at all. If you could describe in plain English without trying to be technical, I think that would help. e.g.- My virtual machine of XP is running, and from my Mac I want to access the "My Documents" folder in the virtual machine of XP.

From your original post, it sounded like you wanted to access folders in the virtual machine from your Mac. It also sounded like you may have successfully accessed folders on your Mac from within your virtual machine (XP) via Fusion's Shared folders ability.

I think if you could start over and avoid technical terms and explain your goals in a regular declarative statement, I think that would help those who are trying to help understand where we are trying to get to.

Good luck!

[WoodyZ]

If she is trying to access files in the the Virtual Machine from the Host then that has already been answered!

The target resource has to be properly shared from within the Guest OS and then access from the Host via Finder > Go > Connect to Server or an equivalent different route.

Not only that the directions and information on this is in both OSes help files!

[jegbook]

Woody,

If indeed that is what she is trying go accomplish, I agree the path for accomplishing that has been laid out.

However, I might argue that it would just be easier for her to put the documents on the Mac from within the VM instead of trying to share a resource from the VM and reconnect to it from the Mac.

Also, if she is trying to access the files and the XP instance is not running, then she would want to look in the Boot Camp paritition for the files. Might explain the desire to look for the .vmx file, which would be equivalent to the hard drive of the OS. In this case, the Boot Camp partition.

I look forward to seeing your goals, Kathy!

[WoodyZ]

However, I might argue that it would just be easier for her to put the documents on the Mac from within the VM instead of trying to share a resource from the VM and reconnect to it from the Mac.

In a case where one does not know how to do otherwise I wouldn't disagree with that.

Also, if she is trying to access the files and the XP instance is not running, then she would want to look in the Boot Camp paritition for the files. Might explain the desire to look for the .vmx file, which would be equivalent to the hard drive of the OS. In this case, the Boot Camp partition.

The .vmx file is a configuration file and has nothing to do with accessing a share from the Host to the Guest and if the Boot Camp partitionVirtual Machine is not running one can just go directly into the Boot Camp partition from the Host Desktop and copy any document without having to have the Boot Camp partition Virtual Machine running.

[britgal1]

Thank you so much for that answer. This is not easy.

Should I then just use it as it is? Why then do I need a docs on the

mac icon on my windows desktop?

I just bought fusion so I could run some software that is relevant to

my field without buying a windows computer. I don't really see why

I would ever need to transfer files to or from the mac side. Mac

versions of this software are not likely to ever be created.

This software badly needs a decent users manual that says the following:

You can use it for: do this

BUT if you use it for: do this etc etc.

I just keep following these instructions oblivious as to whether this

is necessary or advisable for me.

Kathy

[britgal1]

I simply want access to windows so I can use windows only software

that will never have mac versions created. I'm assuming all these

instructions are necessary to the running of the windows software but

I honestly don't see why. Maybe the answer is just simply don't

worry about exchanging and transferring things. Just use the

software. What I have done so far may just be all that I need to

do. What a concept!

[jegbook]

I think, indeed, you have answered your own question!

Unless you need to transfer information between one computer and another, I would leave well enough alone and just be happy to be running Windows on your Mac. Do what you need to do in Windows and don't look back.

(I would only offer one additional comment. Given your plans for usage of Win XP, having XP available for native booting via Boot Camp is likely unnecessary. Booting into Windows means that when you turn on your computer it says "Windows XP" and you have no Mac OS at all. It is likely you are using a lot more hard drive space for Windows than you need to. Do you know how big you made the Windows parition? If at some point in the future you find yourself low on hard drive space, you could convert your Boot Camp installation of Windows to a file based virtual machinethe .vmwarexxxx file that was spoke ofand use Boot Camp assistant to remove the second partition and free up hard drive space.)

As for the Fusion documentation, I don't know that I've ever read any of it, so I can't comment on it's successfulness.

What in the documentation made you believe you needed to take extra steps? Can you quote page numbers? Maybe your comments might be helpful to VMWare for future releases of their documentation.

Best of luck with your Mac and Fusion.

[WoodyZ]

Thank you so much for that answer. This is not easy.

Should I then just use it as it is? Why then do I need a docs on the

mac icon on my windows desktop?

I just bought fusion so I could run some software that is relevant to

my field without buying a windows computer. I don't really see why

I would ever need to transfer files to or from the mac side. Mac

versions of this software are not likely to ever be created.

This software badly needs a decent users manual that says the following:

You can use it for: do this

BUT if you use it for: do this etc etc.

I just keep following these instructions oblivious as to whether this

is necessary or advisable for me.

Kathy

Look, you're the one that asked the question(s) and we have just tried our best to answer them and I was not trying to insult you before even if you choose to take it that way!

If all you want to do is run Windows then just do it!!! When Fusion loads click the Boot Camp partition entry on the Virtual Machine Library window and click Run and be done with it!!!

[britgal1]

It just is irritating that you cannot install fusion with a full

understanding of what it can do for you. If down the road, god

forbid, I ever wanted to transfer back and forth, I'd be screwed. I

should have just stayed with boot camp and signed into only one at a

time. Not the end of the world.

What made me think I had to do all this stuff were the tutorials for

fusion. Especially the file sharing one parts 8 and 9.

The windows partition is small so i don't think I will ever need the

space.

Thanks.

[britgal1]

Your cheerfulness helped a lot.....:>) ?

Any other questions i have i will figure out myself one way or

another.

[jegbook]

I find that a healthy dose of cheerfulness with IT help can go a long way. I think what most IT folks miss is that not only are we trying to fix computers, but we are also providing customer service, to humans. Customer service is a big component, I think.

Best of luck with it all.

[britgal1]

Thanks John,

I think I just got the best answer a few minutes ago and it was from

the sales department. She said it is not necessary to use boot camp

and she suspects that redoing it without bc will produce better

results. Sometimes it is easy to ignore the OBVIOUS.

Just install it as it is and your virtual machine will be in you home

docs file.,

good idea. :>)