Converting a VMware Fusion VM to ESXi

One of the easiest ways to get a VMware Fusion VM up to ESXi is to use the Upload to server option

If your VM was installed in more seamless mode though, after getting your VM up and running in ESXi, your local folders will be missing.

I love running my desktop in more seamless mode in Fusion, but obviously, this won’t work in ESXi. To fix this, go into the VM and make the following changes.

Navigate to these two locations:

– HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders
– HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders

Make sure that you see these values (among others).  Update these entries, if they have a different data value.

1. 
   Navigate to these two locations:
   
   
   • HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders
   • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders


2. Make sure that you see these values (among others). Update these entries, if they have a different data value:
   
   Windows XP / Server 2003 
   
   

   Name	Data value
   Desktop	%USERPROFILE%\Desktop
   My Music	%USERPROFILE%\My Documents\My Music
   My Pictures	%USERPROFILE%\My Documents\My Pictures
   Personal	%USERPROFILE%\My Documents

   
   
   Windows Vista / 7 / Server 2008 / 8 / 10

   Name	Data value
   Desktop	%USERPROFILE%\Desktop
   My Music	%USERPROFILE%\Music
   My Pictures	%USERPROFILE%\Pictures
   Personal	%USERPROFILE%\Documents