The VirtualMachineN section of the configuration file contains a list of the Windows‐based virtual machines that will be utilized in the conversion process.

Create a VirtualMachineX section for each virtual machine that you want to include, and specify their parameters. X is 1, and subsequent virtual machine sections are numbered sequentially.

[VirtualMachineN] parameters are mandatory.

VmxPath

Specify the configuration path of the virtual machine.

For ESX Server or vCenter Server, you can identify the virtual machine configuration file path using the vSphere Client, as follows:

  1. Right‐click the virtual machine and select Edit Settings.
  2. Click the Options tab, and copy the string from the Virtual Machine Configuration File field.
  3. Use this string as the virtual machine configuration file path.

For Workstation, specify the entire file path on the host on which the VMX configuration file resides. For example, C:\MyVMs\Windows XP\Windows XP.vmx. Do not place the path in quotation marks, even if the path contains a space.

UserName

A valid user name for the virtual machine guest operating system. The user must have administrator privileges for the virtual machine guest operating system.

You can use UPN format when you specify a user name. For example, [email protected].

Password or PasswordBase64

A valid password for the virtual machine guest operating system. You have the following options when you specify passwords:

  • You can enter clear text.
  • You can specify a base64 encoded password for the PasswordBase64 parameter.

    Specifying an encoded password does not increase security strength. You need to protect the actual INI file.

All passwords are handled in the same way.

If the Password setting is not used, the password for the guest is assumed to be blank. Most Windows virtual machines do not support automation with empty passwords, so you should specify a guest password.

PasswordPrompt

Specifies that the user be prompted to enter a password.

If you do not want to store the virtual machine password in the configuration file, specify the value as true. When set to true, a prompt always appears, even if a password is specified in the configuration file.

Passwords in an ESX server-based environment

This is an example for an ESX server‐based environment. A password has been specified and, as PasswordPrompt is set to false, the user will not be prompted to enter a password.

[VirtualMachine1]
VmxPath=[Storage] WinXP_Converter/WinXP_Converter.vmx
UserName=administrator
Password=secret
PasswordPrompt=false

Passwords in a VMware Workstation-based virtual machine

This is an example for a VMware Workstation‐based virtual machine. On virtual machine 1, PasswordPrompt has been set to true. The user will be prompted for a password even though a password has been specified in the configuration.

[VirtualMachine1]
VmxPath=C:\MyVMs\Windows XP\Windows XP.vmx
UserName=administrator
Password=secret
PasswordPrompt=true
[VirtualMachine2]
VmxPath=C:\MyVMs\Windows 7\Windows 7.vmx
[email protected]
Password=
PasswordPrompt=true
Note: Do not place the path in quotation marks, even if the path contains a space.