Creating a virtual machine from an existing virtual disk in VMware Fusion

Products

• VMware Desktop Hypervisor

Issue/Introduction

This article provides steps to create a virtual machine from an existing virtual disk in VMware Fusion.

Symptoms:

When creating a virtual machine from an existing virtual disk in VMware Fusion, you see this error:

 

virtual_machine_path.vmx is not a valid virtual machine configuration file

Environment

VMware Fusion 10.x
VMware Fusion 11.x
VMware Fusion 7.x
VMware Fusion Pro 8.x
VMware Fusion 4.x
VMware Fusion 2.x
VMware Fusion 8.x
VMware Fusion Pro 10.x
VMware Fusion 6.x
VMware Fusion 3.x
VMware Fusion Pro 11.x
VMware Fusion 5.x

Resolution

You can create a virtual machine from an existing virtual disk. This is similar to taking a hard drive from one computer and putting it in another computer to boot from.

You may want do this after consolidating snapshots into a new virtual disk, or as a troubleshooting measure to rule out problems with an existing virtual machine's configuration.

To create a new virtual machine from an existing virtual disk:
 

1. Open VMware Fusion.
2. Power off any virtual machine that is running from the disk you intend to use.
3. Click File > New.
4. For Fusion 10.x, 8.x, 7.x and 6.x:
    
   1. Click More options... > Create a custom virtual machine > Continue.
   2. Select the operating system that is configured on the virtual disk which you are planning to run in the virtual machine and click Continue.
       
   For Fusion 5.x and earlier:
    
   • Select Continue without disk.
5. Select Use an existing virtual disk.
6. For Fusion 10.x, 8.x, 7.x and 6.x, click Choose virtual disk.
7. Navigate to and select the virtual disk you want to use. To determine the virtual disk for your current virtual machine:
    
   1. Open VMware Fusion.
   2. Click Virtual Machine > Settings.
   3. Click Hard Disk.
   4. The current virtual disk is listed next to File Name.
      
      Note: If this file name is too long to fit into the field, you must obtain the name from the virtual machine's configuration file.
       
      1. To determine the disk being used via the configuration (.vmx) file, open the .vmx file using a text editor.
         
         For more information, see Editing the .vmx file for your VMware Fusion virtual machine (1014782).
          
      2. Search for either scsi0:0.fileName = "virtual_machine_name.vmdk" or ide0:0.fileName= "virtual_machine_name.vmdk".
      3. The name of the current disk is listed between the quotes.
8. For Fusion 3.x and later, select one of these options, then click Choose > Continue:
    
   • Make a separate copy of the virtual disk
     This option makes a new copy of the virtual hard disk, removing any chance of conflict between the new virtual machine and any current virtual machine using this virtual disk. This can consume a large amount of disk space on your hard drive.
      
   • Share this virtual disk with the virtual machine that created it
     No significant extra space will be taken on your hard drive, but this option might cause a conflict if the virtual disk is still being used by another virtual machine. The virtual disk will stay in the folder / virtual machine bundle where it is currently located.
      
   • Take this disk away from the virtual machine currently using it
     No significant extra space will be taken on your hard drive, but this option might cause a conflict if the virtual disk is still being used by another virtual machine. The virtual disk will move to the virtual machine bundle of the new virtual machine.
9. For Fusion 2.x, click Continue > Finish.
10. Select the Operating System and Version, then click Continue.
11. Click Finish. This might take some time, particularly if a disk is being copied.

After the process completes, the new virtual machine is listed in your Virtual Machine Library.

Additional Information

When you have created the new virtual machine and have verified that it works, you can delete the old virtual machine. For more information, see Deleting a virtual machine in Fusion (1003420).

For more information on locating the virtual machine bundle file, see Locating the virtual machine bundle in VMware Fusion (1007599).

For more information on determining which virtual disk may be the one you want, see Contents of the virtual machine bundle in Fusion (1021016).
Deleting a virtual machine in Fusion
Locating the virtual machine bundle in VMware Fusion
Editing the .vmx file for your VMware Fusion virtual machine
Contents of the virtual machine bundle in Fusion