VMware Workstation by VMware

What is VMware Workstation?

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Overview

How do I clean VMware Workstation?

VMware Workstation may store excess, temporary data on your computer that can take up valuable space. It may also store private data such as passwords or browsing history in the registry or on the file system. The easiest way to erase this data is by downloading AppCleaner, it is 100% free and about 1MB in size. A portable version is also available.

Clean VMware Workstation
with AppCleaner

If you want to clean VMware Workstation manually, you can follow the steps outlined below. There are twelve locations in the file system where VMware Workstation stores data that can be cleaned.

Files

To clean your file system from files stored by VMware Workstation and to gain free disk space, examine the following file system locations. First of all, open a command prompt window:

• Hit the Windows key , usually located in the lower left of your keyboard between the Ctrl and Alt keys.
• Windows XP/Vista/7: Click Run...
• Type cmd
• Hit Enter

Now list all the files stored by VMware Workstation that can be cleaned:

1. Type dir /s %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\VMware\hostd\*.log
   • Windows XP: Type dir /s %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Application Data\VMware\hostd\*.log
2. Type dir /s %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\VMware\hostd\*.gz
   • Windows XP: Type dir /s %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Application Data\VMware\hostd\*.gz
3. Type dir %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\VMware\Installer
   • Windows XP: Type dir %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Application Data\VMware\Installer
4. Type dir /s %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\VMware\VMware vCenter Converter Standalone\*.log
   • Windows XP: Type dir /s %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Application Data\VMware\VMware vCenter Converter Standalone\*.log
5. Type dir /s %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\VMware\VMware vCenter Converter Standalone\*.gz
   • Windows XP: Type dir /s %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Application Data\VMware\VMware vCenter Converter Standalone\*.gz
6. Type dir /s %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\VMware\VMware vCenter Converter Standalone\*.zip
   • Windows XP: Type dir /s %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Application Data\VMware\VMware vCenter Converter Standalone\*.zip
7. Type dir /s %USERPROFILE%\Documents\My Virtual Machines\*.log
   • Windows XP: Type dir /s %USERPROFILE%\My Documents\My Virtual Machines\*.log
8. Type dir %LOCALAPPDATA%\VMware\VMware vCenter Converter Standalone Client\Logs\*.log
   • Windows XP: Type dir %USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Application Data\VMware\VMware vCenter Converter Standalone Client\Logs\*.log
9. Type dir %LOCALAPPDATA%\VMware\VMware vCenter Converter Standalone Client\Logs\*.gz
   • Windows XP: Type dir %USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Application Data\VMware\VMware vCenter Converter Standalone Client\Logs\*.gz
10. Type dir /s %ProgramFiles%\VMware\VMware vCenter Converter Standalone\*.rtf
    • On 64-Bit also: Type dir /s %ProgramFiles(x86)%\VMware\VMware vCenter Converter Standalone\*.rtf
11. Type dir /s %ProgramFiles%\VMware\VMware vCenter Converter Standalone\*.zip
    • On 64-Bit also: Type dir /s %ProgramFiles(x86)%\VMware\VMware vCenter Converter Standalone\*.zip
12. Type dir %ProgramFiles%\VMware\VMware VIX\*.txt
    • On 64-Bit also: Type dir %ProgramFiles(x86)%\VMware\VMware VIX\*.txt
13. Type dir %ProgramFiles%\VMware\VMware VIX\*.rtf
    • On 64-Bit also: Type dir %ProgramFiles(x86)%\VMware\VMware VIX\*.rtf
14. Type dir %LOCALAPPDATA%\VirtualStore\Program Files*
    • Windows XP: Type dir %USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Application Data\VirtualStore\Program Files*
15. For all the folders that were listed in the previous step:
    Type dir /s {folder}\VMware\VMware vCenter Converter Standalone\*.rtf where {folder} is one of the folders listed in the previous step.
16. Type dir %LOCALAPPDATA%\VirtualStore\Program Files*
    • Windows XP: Type dir %USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Application Data\VirtualStore\Program Files*
17. For all the folders that were listed in the previous step:
    Type dir /s {folder}\VMware\VMware vCenter Converter Standalone\*.zip where {folder} is one of the folders listed in the previous step.
18. Type dir %LOCALAPPDATA%\VirtualStore\Program Files*
    • Windows XP: Type dir %USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Application Data\VirtualStore\Program Files*
19. For all the folders that were listed in the previous step:
    Type dir {folder}\VMware\VMware VIX\*.txt where {folder} is one of the folders listed in the previous step.
20. Type dir %LOCALAPPDATA%\VirtualStore\Program Files*
    • Windows XP: Type dir %USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Application Data\VirtualStore\Program Files*
21. For all the folders that were listed in the previous step:
    Type dir {folder}\VMware\VMware VIX\*.rtf where {folder} is one of the folders listed in the previous step.
22. Type dir /s %LOCALAPPDATA%\VirtualStore\ProgramData\VMware\hostd\*.log
    • Windows XP: Type dir /s %USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Application Data\VirtualStore\ProgramData\VMware\hostd\*.log
23. Type dir /s %LOCALAPPDATA%\VirtualStore\ProgramData\VMware\hostd\*.gz
    • Windows XP: Type dir /s %USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Application Data\VirtualStore\ProgramData\VMware\hostd\*.gz
24. Type dir %LOCALAPPDATA%\VirtualStore\ProgramData\VMware\Installer
    • Windows XP: Type dir %USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Application Data\VirtualStore\ProgramData\VMware\Installer
25. Type dir /s %LOCALAPPDATA%\VirtualStore\ProgramData\VMware\VMware vCenter Converter Standalone\*.log
    • Windows XP: Type dir /s %USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Application Data\VirtualStore\ProgramData\VMware\VMware vCenter Converter Standalone\*.log
26. Type dir /s %LOCALAPPDATA%\VirtualStore\ProgramData\VMware\VMware vCenter Converter Standalone\*.gz
    • Windows XP: Type dir /s %USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Application Data\VirtualStore\ProgramData\VMware\VMware vCenter Converter Standalone\*.gz
27. Type dir /s %LOCALAPPDATA%\VirtualStore\ProgramData\VMware\VMware vCenter Converter Standalone\*.zip
    • Windows XP: Type dir /s %USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Application Data\VirtualStore\ProgramData\VMware\VMware vCenter Converter Standalone\*.zip

Among the files listed in the previous steps, there can be two files which are essential to VMware Workstation and must not be deleted. To identify them:

1. Type dir /s %ProgramFiles%\VMware\VMware vCenter Converter Standalone\Help\*.txt
   • On 64-Bit also: Type dir /s %ProgramFiles(x86)%\VMware\VMware vCenter Converter Standalone\Help\*.txt
2. Type dir %ProgramFiles%\VMware\VMware VIX\vixwrapper-config.txt
   • On 64-Bit also: Type dir %ProgramFiles(x86)%\VMware\VMware VIX\vixwrapper-config.txt
3. Type dir %ProgramFiles%\VMware\VMware Workstation\vixwrapper-product-config.txt
   • On 64-Bit also: Type dir %ProgramFiles(x86)%\VMware\VMware Workstation\vixwrapper-product-config.txt

Once you have identified the files stored by VMware Workstation that you want to clean, delete them using the del command or Windows Explorer.

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