How to Fix VMware Virtual Machine Slow Performance Issues in 3 Ways?

Needless to say, using virtual operating system is advantageous but if VM works with low performance, even lagging in daily work, it could be painful. This passage introduces 3 ways to speed VM, which are verified by us, worth trying.

Solution 1. Add a SSD to VM

The hardware is the foundation. If your host machine is dragging even with Windows 7, installing VM is like a tree without roots, water without a source.

If your host machine performance is good, but lagging when hosting a VM, it is suggested to add an individual SSD to VM, which could be a huge improvement.

Adding individual SSD to VM is beneficial. Even though you abandon the old computer and upgrade to new machine in the future, the VM operating system would come back by installing the disk containing the system to the new computer.

Especially for 5400 RPM hard drive users, it is necessary to add a SSD to VM, or it would be painful, coming from our own experience.

Some people might care the expense of SSD and think it is not cost-effective. In fact, it is not necessary to ask large storage, and 120GB is enough. After all, no one wants to save films on VM.

Samsung SSD is recommended for its brand. Once again, the other hardware is negotiable but data is priceless, so that the quality of hard disk must be guaranteed or you will regret someday.

Solution 2. disable system visual effects

The visual effect of Windows operating system is increasingly considered from Windows Vista. Much performance resources would be wasted to enable all kinds of visual effects, so it is suggested to disable all the virtual effects on VM.

There are two major interfaces to disable visual effects:

Performance Options

Right-click Computer > select Properties > click Advanced system settings > find Advance in the prompt System Properties > enter settings and there would be another prompt > select Adjust for best performance in Visual Effects tab.

Use Windows basic theme

Windows enables Aero Glass effect by default, which could waste system resources.

Right-click on the blank on desktop > select Personalize > select Theme on the left > select Windows basic theme

Solution 3. Optimize VM Physical memory usage

We use Windows 7 on VMware, but it becomes laggy once booted, although the computer configuration is not bad. The problem is caused by the RAM allocated to the VM. We have also introduced how to fix VMware not enough physical memory issue in another post.

If the physical memory allocated to VM is not enough, VM system would automatically use the hard disk as virtual memory. At that time, you would hear your hard disk squeaking, but the speed is as slow as a snail.

At the same time, memory between VM and host machine could be exchanged by default. In other words, if your host machine are using insufficient memory, it would rob some memory from VM. That’s the reason why the virtual system becomes slow so make VM only use physical memory.

Solution: 

Click Edit in menu and find Preference

In Memory tab, select Fit virtual machine memory into reserved host RAM

In Priority tab, select High in Input grabbed

Settings for single VM system

The above settings are for all the VMs, you also need to set for single VM system.

Enter Settings of single VM and find the Advance Settings

Select High in “nput grabbed

Tick Disable memory page trimming

This is the 3 methods that we summarize to improve VM speed. Hope they could help you.

Backup VM to protect the data

In modern time, data becomes very important for enterprises. Production data could support the business, but the loss of it could also destroy the business. The best way to protect data and your business is making a complete disaster recovery plan with reliable backup software like Vinchin Backup & Recovery, which helps simplify the whole process.

Vinchin Backup & Recovery could be your disaster solution because of its powerful features, like agentless backup, Lan-Free backup, VMwareCBT, Instant VM Recovery, etc.

Agentless backup: Say goodbye to traditional agent backup and embrace the easier installation, less resource consumption and maintenance cost for VMware backup.

Lan-free backup: Back up high VMware data volumes using SAN/HotAdd transport without LAN traffic consumed.

Instant Recovery: Recover your business in 15 seconds after system crash by recovering your VMs on another host machine.

Start a 60-days full-featured free trial and there are more advanced features waiting for you.