VMWare workstation Version 7

So is anyone using this yet? I see it supports Aero. $99 for an upgrade from my v6. I think I have to have this!

Curious if it can boot from a USB drive yet. May have to download the trial and install on a clean machine.

OG

I'm using V6.
It boots up from a USB, i'm curious as to what you meant by asking if V7 it boots from a USB.

Prior to Workstation v7, the virtual chipset has been based on the Intel 440BX. Unfortunately, that chipset does not support USB as a bootable device since bootable USB came well after the 440BX. When you enter the BIOS you cannot select USB as a boot option.

Now, there are workarounds where you can essentially trick the system into recognizing the USB drive as a physical drive. But that opens a can of worms I don't want to get into. I need to use a USB flash drive, not a hard drive connected via USB.

I need to prepare screenshots and video clips demonstrating using a bootable USB flash drive. Faking out the system into recognizing my flash drive as a physical hard drive defeats the purpose of what I need to document.

I have downloaded v7 but haven't installed it yet. Not sure if it is still based on the 440BX or if they upgraded the chipset.

Also, booting this way this does work on other VMWare products, but has been a limitation of Workstation.

OG

OG

Why can you boot from a usb hard drive but not a flash drive?

How does the vm know the difference?

You can, and it doesn't know or care. But....you have to trick the system into recognizing a USB drive (flash or other) as a physical drive instead of as a removeable USB drive.

I am trying to document, with screenshots and/or video tutorials, the procedure for setting up a PC to boot from USB. VMWare has a nice movie capture feature that works great for what I need but when I enter the "virtual" BIOS, there is no option for selecting USB as a boot device.

I'm just trying to find out if v7 has improved this procedure.

OG

Ok Thanks

I try to know everthing i can about vm ware as it has been a great tool for me.

Best thing since sliced bread IMHO.