This powershell script helps to run VMWare virtual machine without GUI

VMWare NoGUI Headless .md

VMWare No GUI Headless

This powershell script helps to run VMWare virtual machine without GUI

Works and tested with VMWare Workstation 16 Player

VMWareHeadless.ps1

$vmRunCommand = "`"C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VMware Player\vmrun.exe`""
$ubuntuVmxPath = "`"C:\Users\<username>\Documents\Virtual Machines\ubuntu\ubuntu.vmx`""


 [string[]]$choices = "&Start", "Safe S&uspend", "&Hard Suspend","Safe Hal&t", "Har&d Halt", "&Cancel"
 $result = $host.ui.PromptForChoice("What to do?", "What you want to do with the VM?", $choices, 5)
 switch($result){
    0{
        $startVmCommand = $vmRunCommand
        $startVmCommand += " start "
        $startVmCommand += $ubuntuVmxPath
        $startVmCommand += " nogui"

        Write-Host $startVmCommand
        cmd.exe /c $startVmCommand

        $getIpCommand = $vmRunCommand
        $getIpCommand += " getGuestIPAddress "
        $getIpCommand += $ubuntuVmxPath
        $getIpCommand += " -wait"

        Write-Host $getIpCommand
        $ubuIp = cmd.exe /c $getIpCommand

        $startRdpCommmand = "mstsc /v "
        $startRdpCommmand += $ubuIp
        $startRdpCommmand += ":3389"

        Write-Host $startRdpCommmand
        cmd.exe /c $startRdpCommmand
    }
    1{
        
        $stopVmCommand = $vmRunCommand
        $stopVmCommand += " suspend "
        $stopVmCommand += $ubuntuVmxPath
        $stopVmCommand += " soft"

        Write-Host $stopVmCommand
        cmd.exe /c $stopVmCommand

    }
    2{
        
        $stopVmCommand = $vmRunCommand
        $stopVmCommand += " suspend "
        $stopVmCommand += $ubuntuVmxPath
        $stopVmCommand += " hard"

        Write-Host $stopVmCommand
        cmd.exe /c $stopVmCommand

    }
    3{
        
        $stopVmCommand = $vmRunCommand
        $stopVmCommand += " stop "
        $stopVmCommand += $ubuntuVmxPath
        $stopVmCommand += " soft"

        Write-Host $stopVmCommand
        cmd.exe /c $stopVmCommand
    }
    4{
        
        $stopVmCommand = $vmRunCommand
        $stopVmCommand += " stop "
        $stopVmCommand += $ubuntuVmxPath
        $stopVmCommand += " hard"

        Write-Host $stopVmCommand
        cmd.exe /c $stopVmCommand
    }
    5{
     Write-Output "Cancelled"
    }
 }
exit