Note: For more complete information about using snapshots, including how legacy virtual machines (those created with prior versions of Workstation) interact with the snapshot function, see the VMware Workstation User's Manual.
With VMware Workstation, you can take a snapshot of your virtual machine and preserve its state - including the data on its virtual disks - at a particular moment in time. You can continue working with the virtual machine and, if desired, return to the snapshot state at any time.
This is useful if you wish to undo changes you made to the virtual machine. You can take a snapshot of a virtual machine at any time and revert to that snapshot at any time, whether the virtual machine is powered on, powered off, or suspended.
Note: If you are using a legacy virtual machine - a virtual machine created under Workstation 3 and not upgraded to use the new virtual hardware - you must power off the virtual machine before taking a snapshot.
When you revert to a snapshot, you discard all changes made to the virtual machine since you took the snapshot.
Use the Snapshot and Revert buttons on the Workstation toolbar to take a snapshot and revert to it later.
You can take a new snapshot at any time. When you do so, you replace the previous snapshot. You can have only one active snapshot at a time.
The snapshot captures the entire state of the virtual machine at the time you take the snapshot. This includes:
When you revert to the snapshot, you return all these items to the state they were in at the time you took the snapshot.
You can specify what you want Workstation to do with the snapshot any time the virtual machine is powered off. Changing Snapshot Options.
When you change settings in the Virtual Machine Control Panel, you may want to update the snapshot so these new settings are in effect when you revert to the snapshot. The most convenient way to do so is to select Update the snapshot after changing settings at the bottom of the Virtual Machine Control Panel.
While this option is selected, each time you click OK in the Virtual Machine Control Panel, Workstation updates the snapshot of the virtual machine. To avoid updating the snapshot, click Cancel or deselect Update the snapshot after changing settings before you click OK.
You can remove the snapshot any time the virtual machine is powered off. Removing the snapshot does not destroy any data in the virtual machine. You keep all changes made since you took the snapshot, then permanently accumulate additional changes as you run the virtual machine. You cannot revert to a previous state because the snapshot no longer exists.
To remove the snapshot, shut down and power off the virtual machine. Then, on the Workstation menu, choose Snapshot > Remove Snapshot.
The repeatable resume feature in earlier versions of Workstation allowed you to resume a suspended virtual machine repeatedly in the same state. You can use the snapshot to accomplish the same thing. Run the virtual machine, be sure it is in the state you want it, then suspend it. Take a snapshot. Go to Edit > Virtual Machine Settings > Options > Snapshot. Under When powering off select Revert to the snapshot.
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