How can I automatically restart a vm player on a windows host after power outage?

[cohenof123]

It is a windows (XP) machine with a VMware player. When the machine restarts the VM won't start automatically. any ideas as to how to do that?

Thanks

Ophir

[jgl1975]

Hello!

Why don't you use VMware Server instead of VMware Player ?

Server has the ability to run VMs as services.

The VMs can then be configured to start with the host and you just need to setup the bios of your host to start the host when the power is restored.

By the way, VMware Server is free ;-).

[cohenof123]

unfortunately vmplayer is currently my only option...

[jgl1975]

Can you explain why ?

[cohenof123]

Sure - Its on a customer setup. i might be able to ask them to install VMs but i would rather find a solution to the vm player

[Ninho]

Did you try using "srvany" or similar (shell-programs used to turn a regular program into a Windows "service") ?

Not sure if it will work with Player as the target, but I think I've seen it suggested anyway; a trial wouldn't cost much !

Please report back on the results, does it work and does it achieve what you wanted ?

--

Ninho

[jgl1975]

Even if you manage to start VMware Player, it won't mean that your vm will start as well !

These are two separate things !

[Ninho]

Even if you manage to start VMware Player, it won't mean that your vm will start as well !

These are two separate things !

@jgl1975 : sure ! I meant for the OP to have 'srvany' launch VMplayer w/ his .vmx filename as a parameter (does Player accept a .vmx on its command line ? I don't remember. As I said, I haven't tried my own suggestion at all)

Anyway, in the OP's scenario both guest and host OSes being crashed in power outage, it is dubious everything will go well after auto restarting.

If one is to run a server, whether physical or virtual, better get some kind of uninterruptible supply ...

Regards

Ninho

[cohenof123]

we've decided to go with the VMserver solution

thanks for your help!