As with physical computers, you need to shut down your guest operating system before you power off your virtual machine. In a Windows guest operating system, take these steps.
File > Exit
If you are using a different guest operating system, the procedure is similar. Follow the usual steps to shut down the guest operating system inside your virtual machine, then turn off the virtual machine with the Power Off button and exit VMware Workstation.
Note: On a Windows host, if you inadvertently attempt to exit VMware Workstation while the guest operating system is still running, a dialog box appears. It gives you the option of suspending the virtual machine before exiting.
© 1998-2003 VMware, Inc. All rights reserved.