Can't start OS from a CD-ROM

[arie01]

Hello,

I'm using VMWare Workstation version 5.0 and I recently created a VMWare installation of Windows XP Pro and once everything was completed with all the customizations, I burnt it onto a DVD+RW disk in hopes that I can run it directly from the DVD drive. Every time I try to start the OS I get "Could not open virtual machine: G:\Windows XP Professional.vmx. Failed to lock the file". Does anyone know why or if there is a way to fix this?

I have the same installation on the hard drive still and when I start the one on the hard drive, it works with no problems.

I'm running an AMD computer on nVidia hardware, if that helps.

Thank you,

 

[RichardMoran]

Arie01,

I don't use the VMWare Workstation edition, but from the message I would guess that it will not work as it is trying to lock a file on the DVD, and as the DVD is read-only, it is unable to write the lock to it. It would work on your C drive as it is able to write to the drive and therefore lock the required file.

I would have thought that your best bet would be to use a large capacity flash key, if you can afford it. I've run a virtual XP machine off of a memory key with no problem. (Not under VM Workstation though, although I imagine it should still work)

Alternatively, depending on what you needed the virtual XP machine for, you could try Googling 'Mojopac', and seeing what that can do.

Rik

 

[Arisap]

I assume your VM has a virtual disk. A virtual disk is just like a real disk to the OS; it needs to be written to. If the media holding your virtual disk is read-only, how is hte guest OS supposed to write to it? Additionally, when a VM starts, it creates a .lck file and there is a log file. All of which require a writable media.