Tip On Increasing Graphics RAM In A VMWare VM

Just a little hard to find bit of info on increasing the graphics size memory for the virtual SVGA graphics adapter on a Virtual Machine running under vmware products.

The default is only 16 MB (VRAM) which probably isn't enough to get Aero going on a Windows 7 Virtual machine. You need WKS 7 / vmware workstation 3.0 for 3D support in any case.

Solution

Edit the .vmx file with notepad (Open with notepad) and insert this line

svga.vramSize = "sizeInBytes"

I think 64MB is needed for AERO -- mine works with 64MB - but you could try 32.

Vm runs with FULL AERO -- no prob at all.

here's what I added to my .vmx file for a Windows 7 Professional X-64 Virtual machine - look at the last line.

pciBridge7.pciSlotNumber = "24"

scsi0.pciSlotNumber = "160"

usb.pciSlotNumber = "32"

ethernet0.pciSlotNumber = "33"

sound.pciSlotNumber = "34"

ehci.pciSlotNumber = "35"

vmci0.pciSlotNumber = "36"

scsi0.sasWWID = "50 05 05 66 67 3e f6 b0"

vmotion.checkpointFBSize = "134217728"

usb:0.present = "TRUE"

usb:1.present = "TRUE"

ethernet0.generatedAddressOffset = "0"

vmci0.id = "780936453"

usb:1.deviceType = "hub"

usb:0.deviceType = "mouse"

ide1:0.autodetect = "FALSE"

ide1:0.allowGuestConnectionControl = "FALSE"

tools.upgrade.policy = "manual"

scsi0:1.present = "TRUE"

scsi0:1.fileName = "Windows 7_pro x64-0.vmdk"

scsi0:1.redo = ""

floppy0.present = "FALSE"

ide1:0.startConnected = "TRUE"
svga.vramSize = "64000000"

Give it say 64 MB. Don't forget its size in BYTES you have to set -- if you do it wrong then the VM won't power on so backup the .vmx file before messing around with it.