VMWare Player avoid CPU detection

[neiroatopelcc]

Hi. I was wondering if anyone knows a means by which I can avoid a virtual windows XP from noticing hardware changes in the host - in particular the CPU seems to be 'passed thru' from the host directly.

 

[aatje92]

What do you mean exactly?

 

[Ijack]

What problem are you trying to avoid?

Perhaps if you could explain why it matters that the VM sees the host's CPU someone might be able to offer a suggestion.

 

[neiroatopelcc]

What I need is for the virtual Windows XP not to know if it runs on a Xeon E7 or a n i5-3210M or whatever it is running on.

 

[aatje92]

Why?

 

[neiroatopelcc]

nevermind the why

 

[Ijack]

And what do you want it to think it is running on?

Again, why you want this - and what you are trying to achieve - is important. The short answer to your original question is that you can't hide the CPU from the guest. But there may be another way to achieve your objective.

 

[aatje92]

Well if i don't know what you're trying to achieve i can't really give you any advise. But if you need to make use of an instruction set your CPU doesn't support that's not going to happen

 

[neiroatopelcc]

I don't need any instruction set not commonly available, I just want the system not to notice if it's running on different, still intel core i, hardware.
It's being deployed to a multitute of computers and there is potentially an issue with the software in it if the cpu change is detected.

 

[Ijack]

If the software is that sensitive to the CPU then I think you are out of luck. Most software just assumes the most generic CPU. What particular software is it that will only run on certain CPUs?

 

[neiroatopelcc]

some specialized stuff for controlling automation robots, but nevermind I'll find another way around it.