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Virtual machine hardware versions (1003746)
Symptoms
A virtual machine does not power on.
Some virtual machine operations are greyed out and unavailable.
You experience unexpected behavior in a guest operating system.
Purpose
This article guides you through the process of determining if your virtual machine's hardware version is the most up to date for the VMware product that you are using. The article also explains why a virtual machine created with one product may not power on from another product.
If you are experiencing a problem related to a virtual machine's hardware version, following this article resolves the problem.
This table lists VMware products and their virtual hardware version:
Virtual Hardware Version
Products
9
ESXi 5.1 Fusion 5.x Workstation 9.x Player 5.x
8
ESXi 5.x Fusion 4.x Workstation 8.x Player 4.x
7
ESXi/ESX 4.x Fusion 3.x Fusion 2.x Workstation 7.x Workstation 6.5.x Player 3.x Server 2.x
6
Workstation 6.0.x
4
ACE 2.x ESX 3.x Fusion 1.x Player 2.x
3 and 4
ACE 1.x Lab Manager 2.x Player 1.x Server 1.x Workstation 5.x Workstation 4.x
3
ESX 2.x GSX Server 3.x
Consider this information about virtual hardware versions when dealing with related problems:
A VMware product cannot power on a virtual machine with a virtual hardware version that is higher than what it supports.
Note: If a virtual machine is created on a VMware product that supports a given virtual hardware version and is then migrated to a VMware product that does not support this level of virtual hardware, it does not power on. Consult the chart above. For any given VMware product and version, it is not be able to power on a virtual machine created by a VMware product and version located higher up in the chart.
A VMware product can power on a virtual machine with a virtual hardware version that is lower than what it supports, but functionality may be lost. Lost functionality results in menu items related to virtual machine operations being grayed out and unavailable.
A virtual machine's hardware version can be downgraded only by Workstation 6.x or later, Converter 3.x or later, and Fusion 2.x or later.
Any VMware product in the chart above, with the exception of VMware Player, is able to upgrade the version of a virtual machine's hardware to the highest version that it supports.
To upgrade the virtual hardware:
Note: If this is a Lab Manager virtual machine it must be undeployed, have its virtual hardware version upgraded from its configuration, then be redeployed.
Power on the virtual machine.
Install VMware Tools.
Power off the virtual machine.
Change the hardware setting:
In Workstation 8, go to VM >Manage > Change Hardware Compatibility.
In ESX, Server, Lab Manager, or GSX, depending on the version in use, right-click the entry for the virtual machine, then select:
Upgrade or Change Version
Upgrade Virtual Machine
Upgrade Virtual Hardware
Additional Information
Reactivation of Windows operating system is not needed after upgrade of hardware version. If you are prompted to update the VMware tools on the virtual machine, please update it for better performance.
06/02/2011 - Added that the newest version of Tools must be installed before upgrading virtual hardware
09/17/2011 - Added information about virtual hardware version 8
10/05/2012 - Added information on hardware version 9
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