Merge vmdk files in VMWare Player

In order to merge split vmdk files into one, you need to use the vmware-vdiskmanager command. However, this is only available if you have VMware Fusion or VMware Workstation installed. VMware Player doesn’t have this.

Luckily this little utility can be downloaded separately from the VMware site. It is the attachment that you will need.

Once downloaded, extract and rename 1023856-vdiskmanager-windows-7.0.1.exe to vmware-vdiskmanager.exe and copy or move to the directory where VMware Player is installed. For instance C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VMware Player

In order to merge vmdk files, open a Command Prompt and CD to the directory where the vmdk files are located. For instance CD \VMWareImages\MyImage

Assume you have the following vmdk files :

To merge them into one single vmdk file, use the following command:

C:\VMWareImages\MyImage>"\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VMware Player\vmware-vdiskmanager.exe" -r "MyImage.vmdk" -t 0 MyNewImage.vmdk

The new vmdk file will then be created:
Creating disk 'MyNewImage.vmdk'
Convert: 41% done.

Once done, either rename the original vmdk files or move them to a different directory. Finally rename MyNewImage.vmdk to MyImage.vmdk and you’re all set.

5 thoughts on “Merge vmdk files in VMWare Player”

  1. This is really helpful Thanks..can I also merge multiple vdisk files(not splitted) to single disk file(different partitions are installed on different disks)..
    while merging second disk file, error comes “Failed to convert disk: The file already exists (0xc).”
    It doesnt expand destination file.. Need help.

    1. I’m not sure if you can merge different “unsplitted” vmdk files like that. But I can’t be entirely sure because I have never dealt with that particular situation before. Maybe Qemu has a utility that can do this:

  2. I had to call vmware-vdiskmanager.exe with the most recent vmdk.

    In the example above thst would be:

    C:\VMWareImages\MyImage>”\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VMware Player\vmware-vdiskmanager.exe” -r “MyImage-s008.vmdk” -t 0 MyNewImage.vmdk

  3. Koen,

    I trawled the web looking for a way to merge multiple split vmdk files in VMWare Player, but all the hits assumed people had VMWare Fusion or Workstation. Not only have you answered my exact needs, but you have supplied clear instructions on how to perform the merge.

    Many thanks!

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