Getting Started With VMware: Toshiba Laptop SpecificTips

Getting Started With VMware: Toshiba Laptop SpecificTips
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Getting Started with VMware on Your Toshiba Laptop

VMware gives you the option of using multiple operating systems on your personal or workstation computers. In fact, an internal network running a server version of VMware can offer that capability to multiple users. Getting started with VMware on a Toshiba laptop has pointed out a number of challenges unique to this brand. Here are some tips to try if you should run into some of the more commonly reported problems.

Getting Started with VMware: Toshiba Laptop

Before you download the software, there are a couple of points to consider; it is usually Workstation which allows multiple Windows versions to function or VMware Fusion which puts a Mac system on the PC. If you are using one of the server versions you’ll want to make sure you are not running XP. VMware also has a hardware compatibility list which is quite specific which eliminates many laptop applications including Toshiba.

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If you are planning on using VMware to be able to run Windows and Linux systems, you will want to verify the compatibility of the Linux system you are using to the VMware workstation build. Some of the latest distros may not be supported. Toshiba laptops have been reported to have registry entries that make the addition of additional Windows platforms problematic.

Specific Tips

Some Toshiba laptop users have reported that media buttons and other soft keys became non functional when running VMware. If this is your experience, you may try the following tips:

Uninstall and reinstall Toshiba Added Values Package, restarting after each step. Verify that AutoRun is enabled. VMware disables it when it is installed; After installation of VMware workstation 6.x or 7 - the default setting is “Disable Autorun on the host”. (You can find it in: Edit -> Preferences -> Devices). Clear the hook and reboot. After restart, the buttons should work.

Some users report a “BSOD BAD_POOL_CALLER” error after installing VMware. This is caused by Toshiba device drivers being set to automatically start. This can be addressed by resetting the services’ start value to ‘4’. This can be accomplished if the laptop is booted in the safe mode.

If your Toshiba laptop has a 3g modem built in, users report it freezes when VMware is installed on the machine. It has been reported that updated drivers and disabling the DHCP setting have resolved the problem.

Most of the issues involving difficulties running and starting VMWare on Toshiba laptops appear to arise from proprietary devices and routines installed on the laptops. Most, like the media button issue are fairly easy to correct, others may require more advanced technical help to resolve. Thousands of users have successfully installed and are using VMware on their Toshiba laptops, the key to success lies in doing your homework in reviewing documentation for both the hardware and the software.