Easyinstall is a new feature that was added with Workstation 7.
The "create new VM wizard" asks for a CD or ISO-file and scans its content.
If the wizard detects a known OS it automatically creates a Floppy-image and creates a silent-installation answer file.
This image uses the fixed name "autoinst.flp"
It is configured with this parameters:
floppy0.fileName = "autoinst.flp"
floppy0.clientDevice = "FALSE"
easyInstall.keepFloppy = "TRUE"
Easyinstall has a few issues that should be mentioned.
- it may fail to detect the wanted version of Windows 7
- it may produce Ubuntu-VMs with defunct keyboard
- it may produce unexpected localisation result if used with non-US languages
Easyinstall also presets the nvram-file (the virtual BIOS) to use the CD-device for first boot.
On second boot of the VM it disconnects the CD used during install and changes to the appropriate
vmware-tools-iso file.
On a Windows guest Easyinstall uses a runOnce registry entry which will launch a silent installation of the VMware-tools on second boot.
After the first boot the parameter
floppy0.fileName = "autoinst.flp"
will be removed and the floppy0 is configured like
floppy0.autodetect = "TRUE"
floppy0.fileType = "device"
floppy0.fileName = ""
floppy0.clientDevice = "FALSE"
WARNING:
sometimes Easyinstall does not cleanup after the installation.
If a guest starts the installation again on second or third boot check if the "autoinst.flp" sill exists.
If yes - rename it or delete it to prevent the installation from starting all over again