VMware Player folder options

[whs]

When you install an OS under VMware Player, you can select how the virtual disk is being stored - single file or multiple files.



The recommendation is somehow to go with multiple files. However, there seems to be a price to pay.

I have two quasi identical VMware Player installations of Linux Mint. The single file folder is 6.4GB and the multiple file folder is 12.2GB - nearly twice as large.

The multiple file installation is supposed to be easier when you move the VMware Player folder around. I move those folders all the time and have not noticed any negative impact. I have also not noticed any other operational differences.

 

[Brink]

Hello Wolfgang,

My preference is a single file. Just seems like it would be less chance of an issue.

You could set the virtual machine max size to be smaller when creating it to help save on space, and if needed, expand it in the future.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/268741-vmware-player-expand-virtual-machine-hard-disk.html

 

[whs]

Thanks Shawn. Size was not really an issue in my case, but I thought it was noteworthy to mention the apparent differences. Plus I don't like this big collection of vmdk files in the folder.