VMware_Workstation_Player

VMware Workstation Player

VMware Workstation Player

Virtualization software package

VMware Workstation Player, formerly VMware Player, was a virtualization software package for x64 computers running Microsoft Windows or Linux, supplied free of charge by VMware, Inc.[3] VMware Player could run existing virtual appliances and create its own virtual machines (which require that an operating system be installed to be functional). It used the same virtualization core as VMware Workstation, a similar program with more features, which was not free of charge until 2024.[4] VMware Player was available for personal non-commercial use,[5] or for distribution or other use by written agreement.[6] VMware, Inc. does not formally support Player, but there is an active community website for discussing and resolving issues,[7] as well as a knowledge base.[8]

Quick Facts Developer(s), Initial release ...

The free VMware Player was distinct from VMware Workstation until Player v7, Workstation v11. In 2015 the two packages were combined as VMware Workstation 12, with a free for non-commercial use Player version which, on purchase of a license code, either became the higher-specification VMware Workstation Pro,[9][10] or allowed commercial use of Player.

VMware Workstation Player was discontinued in May 2024 as a result of VMware Workstation Pro becoming free for personal use. The final release will still be supported until its EOL date.[4]

Features

VMware claimed in 2011 that the Player offered better graphics, faster performance, and tighter integration for running Windows XP under Windows Vista or Windows 7 than Microsoft's Windows XP Mode running on Windows Virtual PC, which is free of charge for all purposes.[3]

Versions earlier than 3 of VMware Player were unable to create virtual machines (VMs), which had to be created by an application with the capability, or created manually by statements stored in a text file with extension ".vmx"; later versions can create VMs. The features of Workstation not available in Player are "developer-centric features such as Teams, multiple Snapshots and Clones, and Virtual Rights Management features for end-point security",[11] and support by VMware. Player allows a complete virtual machine to be copied at any time by copying a directory; while not a fully featured snapshot facility, this allows a copy of a machine in a particular state to be stored, and reverted to later if desired. By default, changes (including proxy settings, passwords, bookmarks, installed software and malware) made in a VM were saved when it was shut down, but the .vmx configuration file could easily be edited to autorevert on shutdown, so that all changes are discarded.[12]

VMware Player was also supplied with the VMware Workstation distribution, for use in installations where not all client users are licensed to use the full VMware Workstation. In an environment where some machines without VMware Workstation licences run VMware Player, a virtual machine created by Workstation could be distributed to computers running Player without paying for additional Workstation licenses if not used commercially.[13]

Version history

More information Major Version, Release Date ...

Resources

Screenshot showing Android 2.3.7 running on VMware Player 6.0

Many ready-made virtual machines (VMs) which run on VMware Player, Workstation, and other virtualization software are available[33][34][35][36] for specific purposes, either for purchase or free of charge. For example, a free Linux-based “browser appliance” with the Firefox browser installed[37] was available that can be used for safe Web browsing; if infected or damaged, it could be discarded and replaced by a clean copy. VMs could be configured to reset after each use without the need to recreate from the original file. Suppliers of operating systems with commercial licences usually required installations to be licensed; VMs with such operating systems installed could not be distributed without restriction. Ready-to-use VMs with Microsoft or Apple operating systems installed, in particular, were not distributed, except for evaluation versions.

VMware Player supported free-of-charge VMware Tools, which added significant functionality. Versions of Player for different platforms had their own Tools, not necessarily compatible with other versions. Sometimes Tools were updated belatedly; for example, Player 4.0.2 was released on 24 January 2012, but the corresponding version of Tools was not available for some time after that, restricting functionality of updated Player installations.[7]

Virtual machines created by one VMware software product could be used by any other. It was often possible to use VMs created by one manufacturer's virtual machine software with software from another manufacturer, either directly or via a conversion procedure. VMs that ran on Microsoft Virtual Server and Virtual PC could be converted for use by VMware software by the VMware vCenter Converter. This software could also create a virtual machine from a physical PC.[38]

See also

References

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    "VMware Workstation 17.5.2 Player Release Notes". 14 May 2024.
  2. [2]
    "FAQs". VMware Player home page. VMware. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
  3. [3]
    "VMware Player – The Easiest Way to Run a Virtual Machine". 1 July 2011. Archived from the original on 2011-07-01. Archived version; the page as of 2016 is about VMware Workstation Player
  4. [4]
    Roy, Michael (13 May 2024). "VMware Workstation Pro: Now Available Free for Personal Use". VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) Blog. Retrieved 14 May 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. [5]
    "VMware Workstation Player FAQs: Create and run virtual machines". VMWare.
  6. [6]
    "VMware Player 4.0 EULA". VMware. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
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    "VMware Player 4.0.2 Tools - Bad Support | VMware Communities". Communities.vmware.com. February 2012. Retrieved 2016-08-27.
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    "Knowledge Base". Kb.vmware.com. Retrieved 2016-08-27.
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    "free". My.vmware.com. Retrieved 2016-08-27.
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    visaac. "VMware Workstation 15.5.1 Player Release Notes". docs.vmware.com. Retrieved 2020-08-29.
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    visaac. "VMware Workstation 15.5.7 Player Release Notes". docs.vmware.com. Retrieved 2020-11-19.
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    visaac. "VMware Workstation 16 Player Release Notes". docs.vmware.com. Retrieved 2020-09-18.
  33. [33]
    "Virtual Appliances | Solution Exchange". Vmware.com. Retrieved 2016-08-27.
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    "VM Planet Homepage". Vmplanet.net. Archived from the original on 2016-08-28. Retrieved 2016-08-27.
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    "Bagvapp - Virtual Appliances - webdesign - Free Graphics - Wallpaper". Archived from the original on 2009-02-04. Retrieved 2009-01-27.
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    "Welcome to Thoughtpolice VMware images!". Archived from the original on 2008-08-28. Retrieved 2008-09-01.
  37. [37]
    "Virtual Appliances | Solution Exchange". Solutionexchange.vmware.com. Retrieved 2016-08-27.
  38. [38]
    "VMware vCenter Converter Standalone Documentation". Vmware.com. Retrieved 2016-08-27.
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