You can convert a standard virtual machine to a shared virtual machine or create a shared virtual machine by creating a clone of a standard virtual machine. Workstation stores shared virtual machines in the shared virtual machines directory.
Prerequisites
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Verify that the virtual machine is not encrypted.
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Verify that the virtual machine is not configured to use a physical disk.
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Power off the virtual machine.
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Procedure
1 | Select the virtual machine and select , or drag the virtual machine to the Shared VMs item. |
2 | Type a name for the shared virtual machine. |
3 | Select how to create the shared virtual machine.
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Move the virtual machine
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Convert the standard virtual machine to a shared virtual machine. Workstation moves the virtual machine files to the shared virtual machines directory. If you decide to prevent remote access to virtual machine at a later time, you can change the virtual machine back to a standard virtual machine.
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Make a full clone of the virtual machine
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Create a shared virtual machine by cloning the virtual machine. Workstation creates the clone in the shared virtual machines directory. The clone is a complete and independent copy of the virtual machine and additional disk space is required to store it.
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4 | Click Finish to share the virtual machine and click Close to exit the wizard.
A clone can take several minutes to create, depending on the size of the virtual disk that is being duplicated.
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If you converted a standard virtual machine to a shared virtual machine, the virtual machine appears under the Shared VMs item in the library. If you cloned a standard virtual machine, the clone appears under the Shared VMs item and the original virtual machine remains under My Computer.
What to do next
If the virtual machine uses a static IP address, change it after cloning a standard virtual machine to a shared virtual machine.