What is a .NVRAM file?
An .NVRAM file is a special type of file used by computer programs called VMware Workstation and VMware Fusion. These programs allow a computer to run multiple "virtual machines" or VMs, which are like separate computers inside your main computer. Each VM acts like it has its own hardware, like a hard drive and a motherboard, but it's all simulated by software.
The .NVRAM file is important because it keeps track of the VM's BIOS settings. The BIOS is a program that starts up before your operating system (like Windows or macOS) does, and it tells the computer how to use its hardware. For a VM, the .NVRAM file does something similar but for the virtual hardware. It's part of a group of files that together make up the VM.
It's not a good idea to try to open or change the .NVRAM file yourself because the VMware software needs it to be just right in order to make the VM work properly. If you mess with it, you might stop the VM from being able to start up.
To use these .NVRAM files, you don't need to do anything special—just running your VM with VMware Workstation or VMware Fusion will use the .NVRAM file automatically. These programs know where to find the .NVRAM file and what to do with it.
For those who are curious, when you set up a new VM, the VMware software automatically creates an .NVRAM file for it. If you're using VMware Fusion, for example, this file gets saved inside a .VMWAREVM file, which is usually located in a folder called "Virtual Machines" in your user directory on a Mac.
In summary, .NVRAM files are crucial for the smooth running of virtual machines in VMware software, handling the BIOS settings for the VM. While users don't need to open these files themselves, it's good to know what they do and how they fit into the overall operation of a VM.
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