Create and run virtual machines to safely test software and systems in an isolated environment
Create and run virtual machines to safely test software and systems in an isolated environment
VMware Player download. Always available from trusted servers.
- Free & fast downloader (more info)
- Always available
- Tested virus-free
Popular programs in Software utilities
What is VMware Player
VMware Player is used to play virtual machines running a wide range of operating systems and work environments. Virtual machines let you work in a sandbox, running an operating system and software without affecting any of the files on your computer. VMware Player is free for personal, non-commercial use, and it can play virtual machines that someone has created in other VMware products.
VMware Player cannot make a new virtual machine. You would need something like VM Player Plus or VMware Work Station to make your own virtual machine.
Why do people use VMware Player? Common reasons include:
- Test driving a new OS before buying it
- Running a beta of an operating system or software like Office without impacting the primary operating system on a computer
- Running Windows XP compatible applications in a safe sandbox environment
- Running multiple operating systems and work environments from one PC
- Testing and analyzing malware in a secure sandbox
- Running Java in a secure environment
- Emulating older operating systems like DOS, Amiga, and Mac OS 9
- Running a server for local application like a wiki, CMS, or a MUD
Installation of VMware Player is simple. Just follow the instructions on the screen. Once installation is finished, you should see a second network adapter in your system tray. This second adapter allows the OS running in a virtual machine to connect to the network and internet.
When you open the software, you can start any of your virtual machines. Once started, your sound card, monitor, mouse, and keyboard should switch control to the virtual machine. You can switch control of the keyboard between the VM and your normal operating system with a configurable keystroke.
Make sure you shut down your virtual machine from within VMware Player when you are finished working with it. Do not just shut down your computer and assume that will take care of your VM too. Failure to shut down your VM can cause corruption with the files and cause the machine to stop working completely.
One drawback of VMware Player is that it cannot store snapshots when you make changes to your VM. With Fusion or Work Station, users can make snapshots before major changes like updating software or adding new programs. Snapshots make it possible to roll back to an earlier version if something causes the VM to stop working. VMware Player lacks this feature, so your only option is to save the original files from your VM in a separate folder in case you ever need to start from scratch.
If you do not have a virtual machine, there are many online sources for legally downloading one. This is especially true for many distributions of Linux as well as DOS, Amiga, and Free BSD. Windows VMs require you to use an installation image that Microsoft freely offers for download. However, you must have an activation key to keep these VMs running legally. Otherwise, they time out after a couple of months.
Pros
- Free player for virtual machines
- Lets users try new operating systems
- Provides stable performance
- Makes a secure sandbox for running JAVA and other insecure applications
Cons
- Can't save snapshots
- Cannot create virtual machines