Map and disconnect Virtual Disk in VMware Workstation

While we have discussed steps to perform shared folders or copying data between a virtual machine and the host system. In this article, we will discuss how to “Map and disconnect virtual disk in VMware Workstation”. This means that you can map a virtual disk directly to the host system. This approach allows you to integrate the virtual disk into the host file system as a separate mapped drive. Please see How to fix Client Certificate Mapping Authentication error, and How to create a Mapped Drive via GPO Preferences.

Note: Mapping a virtual disk to a host system is not supported in the standalone version of Workstation Player. Virtual disk mapping is supported in the Workstation Player version included with Workstation Pro.

By using a mapped drive, you can access the virtual disk without needing to enter the virtual machine. This streamlines data management and enhances accessibility.

When you map a virtual disk and its associated volume to a drive on the host system. You can connect to the virtual disk without opening a virtual machine.

Also, see How to fix this network connection does not exist, “Map a Network Drive: How to mount a Network Drive“, and How to disconnect a Remote Desktop User.

How to Map Virtual Disk

Note: If you mount a virtual disk that has a snapshot and then write to the disk. You can irreparably damage a snapshot or linked clone created from the virtual machine.

Power off all virtual machines that uses the virtual disk. Else, the volumes will not be available during virtual disk mapping.

Click on files and select the “Map Virtual Disks” as shown below.

On the “Map or Disconnect Virtual Disks” wizard, click on Map as shown below.

Browser to the Virtual disk and ensure that the “Open file in read-only mode” is selected.

This setting prevents you from accidentally writing data to a virtual disk that might be the parent of a snapshot or linked clone. Writing to such a disk might make the snapshot or linked clone unusable.

Select the Volume and also your desired drive letter.

On a Windows host, if you do not want the drive to open in Windows Explorer after it is mapped. Deselect the Open drive in Windows Explorer after mapping check box as shown below.

Click on close and this will complete the virtual disk mapping process.

The drive will now appear on the host system. You can read from or write to files on the mapped virtual disk on the host system.

To use a virtual disk from a virtual machine after it has been mapped or mounted on the host system. You must disconnect it from the host system.

Below are the Mapped drive contents

Also, see How to troubleshoot Active Directory Replication issues, how to determine Active Directory Site Name, and How to uninstall installed Windows Update.

Disconnect a Virtual Disk from the Host System

To disconnect the Virtual Disk form the Windows hosts PC. Select the, you must use VMware Workstation to disconnect the drive from the host system. .

You can now power on any virtual machine that uses this disk. When you run into the following issues “File or directory is corrupt and unreadable”. Please select a different VMDK file.

The VMDK (Virtual Machine Disk) is the primary format for VMware virtual disks. VMDK files can be used to store the entire contents of a VM’s hard drive. They can also be split into multiple files for easier management.

I hope you found how to map and disconnect virtual disk in VMware Workstation very useful. Please feel free to leave a comment below.