Vmware server comes with the nifty vmware-cmd utility. It allows an administrator to perform various operations on a virtual machine from Linux command line / shell prompt such as:
=> Stop / Start VM
=> Get VM status
=> Setup variables
=> Powerdown VM and much more
Task: Lists the virtual machines on the local server
You can list all servers and config file, enter:
# vmware-cmd -l
Output:
/nas/vms/Ubuntu/Ubuntu.vmx /nas/vms/FreeBSD/FreeBSD.vmx /nas/vms/OpenBSD/OpenBSD.vmx /nas/vms/Debian4/Debian4.vmx /nas/vms/CentOS5/CentOS5.vmx
Turn on VM / Power up VPS
Just pas start option to vmware-cmd,
# vmware-cmd /nas/vms/FreeBSD/FreeBSD.vmx start
To stop VM/VPS, enter:
# vmware-cmd /nas/vms/FreeBSD/FreeBSD.vmx stop
To reset VM/VPS, enter:
# vmware-cmd /nas/vms/FreeBSD/FreeBSD.vmx reset
To suspend VM/VPS, enter:
# vmware-cmd /nas/vms/FreeBSD/FreeBSD.vmx suspend
Find out if OpenBSD VM is on or off:
# vmware-cmd /disk2.vmware/vms/OpenBSD/OpenBSD.vmx getstate
Output:
getstate() = off
vmware-cmd offers other options, please consult VMWARE documentation for more information.
12 comment
One minor problem with your 1st command to list the VMs. The command should be vmware-cmd -l
Sir Geek,
Thanks for the heads up… post has been updated
I have installed VMWare Server 1.0.4 on RHEL5.1 64 bit version. When I try to power on a virtual machine the OS panics. I am not a linux expert so I have no idea as to how to deal with this issue. I do not have physical access to the server and remotely I was able to take a screenshot of the panic screen. The last line read “Kernel Panic – not syncing: Fatal exception”.
Your help would be highly appreciated.
Hmm. After a reboot vmware seems not to be running. I can’t connect or start any virtual machines.
What daemons need to be enabled with chkconfig? What modules need to load?
Try
/etc/init.d/vmware startDid you upgraded kernel? If so you need to reconfigure vmware
vmware-config.pl -dThank you!
A friends server went down due to power failure and this info helped me solve the problem.
Where can i get a complete list of such commands?
oh and by the way, you still need to change the -1 to -l (L) because had he not have seen the error we would not have been able to use the info here. Also, please let people know that the information after # vmware-cmd /this/blah/blah is the path and will be different for all users
Cheers and thanks again
Jay
vmware-cmd -?
Hi,
I’m running VMWare on a Fedora Server, and I would like to start/stop the virtual machines withouth VNC-ing to the server, from a terminal window. The thing is that I can’t find vmware-cmd anywhere. Where can I find that?
batch file startup
for /f “delims=” %%i IN (‘dir/s/b c:rootwars*.vmx’) do (
“C:Program FilesVMwareVMware Servervmware-cmd” -v “%%i” start
)
Hi Vivek,
Thanks. This information helped me.
HI!
how can I restart a machine on vmware remotely?
I mean I have a few vpss on Vmware in my server, now I’d like to restart it remotely from my pc.
thanks:x
gud one.. any dumbo can understand.. keep sharing the knowlege & god bless.
Anand MB
Bengaluru