Creating a Shared Folder for Installed OS in VMware for Windows

In this article, we will discuss the process of creating a shared folder for the installed operating system in VMware on the Windows platform. This functionality is important for users who need to share files between the host and the virtual machine running on VMware. While the steps may vary slightly from other operating systems, we will focus on providing instructions specifically for Windows users.

Examples:

1. First, make sure that VMware Tools is installed on the virtual machine. VMware Tools is a suite of utilities that enhances the performance and functionality of the virtual machine. It includes drivers and other software components that enable features like folder sharing.

2. Once VMware Tools is installed, power on the virtual machine and log in to the guest operating system.

3. In the VMware menu, go to "VM" and select "Settings" to open the Virtual Machine Settings window.

4. In the Virtual Machine Settings window, click on the "Options" tab and select "Shared Folders."

5. Click on the "Add" button to add a new shared folder.

6. In the Add Shared Folder wizard, select "Host Path" and browse to the folder on the host machine that you want to share with the virtual machine.

7. Choose a name for the shared folder that will be visible within the virtual machine.

8. Select the desired options for the shared folder, such as read-only or read-write access.

9. Click "Finish" to complete the setup of the shared folder.

10. Within the guest operating system, you can now access the shared folder by navigating to the network location "\vmware-host\Shared Folders\SharedFolderName," where "SharedFolderName" is the name you assigned in step 7.

11. You can copy, paste, and modify files within the shared folder, and the changes will be reflected on both the host and the virtual machine.

If the topic of creating a shared folder for installed OS in VMware is not applicable to the Windows environment, it is important to note that Windows users can still achieve similar functionality using alternative methods. One alternative is to use network file sharing protocols such as SMB (Server Message Block) or NFS (Network File System) to share files between the host and the virtual machine. These protocols can be configured on both the host and the guest operating systems to enable file sharing over the network. Additionally, cloud storage services or virtualization platforms with built-in file sharing capabilities can also be utilized as alternatives in the Windows environment.