The restricted user interface affects only the specific virtual machines for which the setting has been made. The following changes are made when you enable the restricted user interface:
It is also possible to launch VMware Workstation, then open a restricted-interface virtual machine from the virtual machine list or the File menu.
The changes needed to enable the restricted user interface must be made by a user with sufficient privileges to edit the virtual machine's configuration file and set file permissions as described below.
Take the following steps to enable the restricted user interface.
gui.restricted = "true"
You can combine a restricted user interface with a snapshot to ensure that users' virtual machines always start in the same state. Typically, users running a virtual machine with a restricted user interface can power it on and off only, and the virtual machine boots when powered on. When the virtual machine has a snapshot set and is configured to return to that snapshot when powered off, the user can only start and power off the virtual machine. The virtual machine always starts from the snapshot.
Since you can restrict the user interface only on Windows hosts, this combination works only with virtual machines running on Windows hosts.
To set up a virtual machine with restricted user interface and a snapshot as described above, take the following steps.
The user runs this virtual machine by double-clicking the shortcut to the configuration file. The virtual machine starts at the snapshot, with the user interface restricted - with no toolbar and no access to the Power menu or the Virtual Machine Control Panel.
When the user is finished working with this virtual machine, he or she can click the X in the upper right corner of the Workstation window to close it. The virtual machine powers off, and the next time it is resumed, it returns to the snapshot.
To remove the restriction on the interface, take the following steps.
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