vmware too quick to allow f2 boot menu selection (boot VM from USB)

[jimbo45]

Hi there
on my HOST I've got an SSD which is great --system incredibly fast now -- but it causes a problem when I want to boot a vm with VMware workstation from a USB device.

(VMware virtual bios doesn't directly allow boot from USB but if you set the mapping in the vm settings for that vm as a disk drive then you can select the boot disk in the virtual bios).

To get into the virtual Bios you need to press F2 when the virtual machine is powered on -- but the time the F2 prompt is displayed is far to short even with my finger on F2 as soon as I power on the VM.

Any way to slow this down -- or do it like HYPER-V with an option to "Use device at NEXT Boot".

I don't want to create an ISO and boot from that --it should be possible for a poor user to have enough time to press F2.

Cheers
jimbo

 

[windude99]

Hi there
on my HOST I've got an SSD which is great --system incredibly fast now -- but it causes a problem when I want to boot a vm with VMware workstation from a USB device.

(VMware virtual bios doesn't directly allow boot from USB but if you set the mapping in the vm settings for that vm as a disk drive then you can select the boot disk in the virtual bios).

To get into the virtual Bios you need to press F2 when the virtual machine is powered on -- but the time the F2 prompt is displayed is far to short even with my finger on F2 as soon as I power on the VM.

Any way to slow this down -- or do it like HYPER-V with an option to "Use device at NEXT Boot".

I don't want to create an ISO and boot from that --it should be possible for a poor user to have enough time to press F2.

Cheers
jimbo

Yea, I hate that. The way I get into the bios is as soon as I start the VM , start clicking your mouse cursor to capture it into the VM and at the same time, be pressing the f2 key rapidly. It has worked for me. Hopefully this helped

 

[pparks1]

Set the delay in the .vmx file for the virtual machine;

bios.bootdelay = "5000"

This is 5000 ms, or 5 seconds. Set to taste. Now you will get a delay when you start the VM.

 

[jimbo45]

Hi there
finally found an easier way without having to fiddle around with the vm settings for that vm.

On the main vm toolbar after opening the VM and BEFORE powering it on

choose VM==>POWER==>POWER ON TO BIOS.

That works for the NEXT ONE boot which is actually what I want.

Amazing I couldn't find this before. I'm sure it didn't exist in earlier releases of VMware workstation.

Cheers
jimbo

 

[pparks1]

Yeah, they used to have a VM option within the settings for going to BIOS on the next boot. They must have moved it because so many people had trouble finding it. So, now those of us who knew where the setting used to be, cannot find it in the power menu.

I've recently purchased vmware workstation 8.02 and I didn't know the option was there either.