How To Change The Computer Name In VMware Workstation

Introduction

Welcome to this guide on how to change the computer name in VMware Workstation. If you are using VMware Workstation for virtualization on your computer, you may find the need to update the computer name to better identify your virtual machine. Changing the computer name can help you differentiate between multiple virtual machines and make managing them more organized.

VMware Workstation is a powerful virtualization software that allows you to run multiple operating systems simultaneously on a single physical computer. Each virtual machine created in VMware Workstation has its own unique computer name, which helps in identifying and managing the virtual machines efficiently.

Whether you are setting up a new virtual machine or need to modify the computer name of an existing one, VMware Workstation provides an easy process to make these changes. In this guide, we will walk you through the step-by-step process of changing the computer name in VMware Workstation.

Before we begin, it is important to note that changing the computer name in VMware Workstation will not affect the actual hostname of the guest operating system running inside the virtual machine. The procedure we are about to follow only modifies the display name within the VMware Workstation interface.

Now that we have a basic understanding of what changing the computer name entails, let’s proceed to the prerequisites section to ensure you have everything you need to follow along with this guide.

Prerequisites

Before you begin the process of changing the computer name in VMware Workstation, make sure you have the following prerequisites:

• A computer or laptop with VMware Workstation installed: In order to change the computer name, you need to have VMware Workstation installed on your system. If you don’t have it already, you can download and install the latest version of VMware Workstation from the official website.
• A virtual machine created in VMware Workstation: You must have at least one virtual machine set up and running in VMware Workstation. If you don’t have a virtual machine yet, you can create a new one by following the instructions provided in the VMware Workstation documentation.
• Administrator access: To make changes to the computer name, you will need administrative privileges on your computer. Ensure that you are logged in as an administrator or have the necessary credentials to make system-level changes.
• Familiarity with VMware Workstation interface: It is helpful to have a basic understanding of the VMware Workstation interface and its various settings. This will make it easier for you to navigate and locate the options required to change the computer name.

Once you have checked off all the prerequisites mentioned above, you are ready to proceed to the next section, where we will guide you through the step-by-step process of changing the computer name in VMware Workstation.

Step 1: Shut down the virtual machine

The first step in changing the computer name in VMware Workstation is to shut down the virtual machine. It is important to ensure that the virtual machine is not running while making changes to its computer name.

To shut down the virtual machine, follow these steps:

1. Select the virtual machine you want to work with from the list of virtual machines displayed in the VMware Workstation interface.
2. Click on the “Power” option in the toolbar at the top of the VMware Workstation window.
3. In the dropdown menu that appears, click on “Power Off” to shut down the virtual machine.

Wait for the virtual machine to completely power off before proceeding to the next step. It is essential to ensure that the virtual machine is not in a suspended or powered-on state, as it may cause issues when attempting to change the computer name.

Once the virtual machine has been successfully shut down, you are ready to move on to the next step, where we will open the Virtual Machine Settings to access the computer name configuration.

Step 2: Open the Virtual Machine Settings

After shutting down the virtual machine, the next step is to open the Virtual Machine Settings in VMware Workstation. This is where you can access and modify various configuration options, including the computer name.

To open the Virtual Machine Settings, follow these steps:

1. Select the virtual machine on which you want to change the computer name from the list of virtual machines in the VMware Workstation interface.
2. Click on the “Edit virtual machine settings” option. This can be found either in the toolbar at the top of the VMware Workstation window or by right-clicking on the virtual machine and selecting “Settings” from the context menu.

This will open the Virtual Machine Settings window, which provides access to the configuration options for the selected virtual machine.

Now that you have opened the Virtual Machine Settings, you are ready to proceed to the next step, where we will change the computer name of the virtual machine.

Step 3: Change the computer name

Once you have opened the Virtual Machine Settings in VMware Workstation, you can proceed to change the computer name of the virtual machine. Here are the steps to follow:

1. In the Virtual Machine Settings window, navigate to the “Options” tab.
2. Under the “General” section, you will find a field labeled “Name”. This is where you can modify the computer name of the virtual machine.
3. Click on the current computer name and type in the new desired computer name.
4. Make sure that the new computer name does not contain any special characters or spaces, as this may cause compatibility issues.

Changing the computer name provides an opportunity to give your virtual machine a more descriptive or meaningful name, making it easier to identify among a list of virtual machines.

Once you have entered the new computer name, double-check the spelling and formatting to ensure accuracy. This step is crucial to avoid any potential issues that may arise from an incorrect computer name entry.

Now that you have successfully updated the computer name, it’s time to save the changes and start the virtual machine with the newly modified name. We will cover this in the next step.

Step 4: Save the changes and start the virtual machine

After you have changed the computer name in VMware Workstation, the next step is to save the changes and start the virtual machine with the updated computer name. Here’s how:

1. In the Virtual Machine Settings window, click on the “OK” button to save the changes you made to the computer name.
2. Once you have saved the changes, you will be back in the main VMware Workstation interface.
3. Select the virtual machine you modified from the list of virtual machines.
4. Click on the “Power” option in the toolbar at the top of the VMware Workstation window.
5. In the dropdown menu, click on “Power On” to start the virtual machine with the updated computer name.

The virtual machine will now boot up and display the new computer name you assigned. This change will only be reflected within VMware Workstation and will not affect the hostname or network settings of the guest operating system running inside the virtual machine.

Once the virtual machine has started successfully, you can verify that the computer name has been updated by checking the label displayed in the VMware Workstation interface.

Congratulations! You have successfully changed the computer name in VMware Workstation and started the virtual machine with the updated name.

Now you can easily identify and manage your virtual machines with the new computer name. Feel free to repeat these steps for any other virtual machines you want to rename in VMware Workstation.

Conclusion

Changing the computer name in VMware Workstation is a simple and straightforward process that allows you to personalize and differentiate your virtual machines. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can easily modify the computer name to improve organization and ease of use.

We began by introducing the concept of changing the computer name in VMware Workstation and highlighted its benefits in managing multiple virtual machines. We then discussed the prerequisites, ensuring that you have the necessary software installed and administrative access to make the required changes.

Next, we walked you through each step of the process, starting with shutting down the virtual machine to ensure the changes can be made safely. We then guided you on accessing the Virtual Machine Settings, where you could modify the computer name. After updating the computer name to your desired value, we emphasized the importance of double-checking the details before proceeding.

Finally, we saved the changes and started the virtual machine with the updated computer name, ensuring the modifications took effect. By completing these steps, you successfully changed the computer name in VMware Workstation and can now easily identify and manage your virtual machines with the new names.

Remember, changing the computer name in VMware Workstation only affects the display name within the VMware Workstation interface and does not impact the actual hostname or network settings of the guest operating system.

We hope this guide has been helpful in assisting you with changing the computer name in VMware Workstation. Enjoy organizing and managing your virtual machines with personalized names!