How to install pfSense in VMWare

Rezaur Rahman
August 18, 2014
2 Comments
Hi, Today we are going to show you how to install pfSense on VMWare workstation 10. We will also try to
install guest additions and see if it works. pfSense and vmware both are very reputed in their respective
department.
If you need a intro on pfsense you can visit this link. You can also check out this blog if you need a guide on
how to install vmware on windows 7.
Hopefully you have your pfSense ISO image in your hand and VMWare installed. At first phase we will
create the Virtual Machine on the VMWare Workstation and then we will start the installation.

Creating New Virtual Machine

1. On VMWare Workstation click on File then New Virtual Machine or you can directly press CTRL +
N for a new virtual machine. The a dialog box will popup as following, the default should be Typical if not
then click on it and then click on Next

New Machine Welcome Screen

2. In the next step VMWare will ask you for the ISO file. This option will work for other OS like Cent OS /
Ubuntu / Windows / Windows Server etc. But It will not work with this version of VMWare. If you browse
and point the downloaded pfsense ISO image it will check and tell you Could not detect which Operating
System is in the disk image. Just select I will install the operating system later and click on Next.

Select OS ISO
3. On the next dialog page we will select on Other then from the drop down list choose FreeBSD. Please
note that if you have downloaded the 64 Bit version of disk image then choose FreeBSD 64-Bit if you have
downloaded the 32 bit version then please select FreeBSD. Now click on next to continue.

Select FreeBSD
4. Now choose the Virtual Machine name and location where you want to store the Hard Disk file. You can
choose the name as I have given or something you want.

5. Just click next for demo purpose 20GB should be more then enough for pfsense to install.

HDD Sizing
6. In the final page click on Finish to complete.

VM Final Configuration

Installing pfSense
7. Now we will have to insert the ISO file in the CD/DVD rom of the Virtual Machine. To do this In the left
panel of the Workstation you will see Library where all of your Virtual Machines are shown. Right click on
your newly created VM in my case it was pfsense01 then click on Settings. Then go to CD/DVD rom and
choose your ISO image you have downloaded.

Virtual Meaching Settings

8. Now start up the Virtual Machine.

Starting up a Machine
9. Then you will set pfSense booting.

pfSense Booting
10. When you get the option to either boot Live Mode or Installer Mode type i to load the installer.

pfSense Booting options

11. In the view press enter on <Accept these settings>

Accept Settings
12. Then you will find the option to do a Quick Setup or a Custom Setup in our situation we will select quick
setup

Quick Setup
13. pfSense installer will destroy everything in your hard drive and will do his own partitioning so he will
give you a warning

HDD Erase

13. The setup will start and wait wait for the installer to finish.

Install Progress
14. When the installation is finished you will get the following prompt and press enter.

Kernel Install
15. Then you will get a reboot prompt to restart the virtual machine and boot from the Hard drive

Reboot
Hope it was easy for you.