Windows boots too fast to get into the BIOS in VMware Workstation to allow you to change the boot order. Changing the boot order is made more difficult because unlike other versions of VMware, there is no option in the GUI to make the VM boot into the BIOS one time to change the boot order.
To make VMware Workstation boot a VM into the BIOS one time to allow you to change the boot order, do the following:
- Shutdown the VM who’s boot order you want to change
- Find the .vmx file associated with the VM
- Edit the .vmx file with notepad
- Add the following text at the start of the file:
bios.forceSetupOnce = “TRUE”
- Change the boot order in the BIOS (Boot -> Use + key to change boot order -> Exit -> Exit Saving Changes -> Yes)
The boot order will now be changed when you boot the VM.
Addendum: You can also access the BIOS in VMware Workstation by powering off the VM, right clicking it and clicking Power -> Power On to BIOS.