Virtual Desktop Infrastructure Setup for Windows 7 Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) allows you to connect to a virtual computer and use software that you don t have installed on your own computer or mobile device. This document explains how to set up the VMware Horizon Client software for Windows 7, and use it to connect to our VDI server. Note that you must have Administrator access to your computer to install software. For assistance with this procedure, Faculty and Staff should contact the IT Service center at 508-999-8790 or email itscenter@umassd.edu, and Students should contact the student Help Desk at 508-999-8884, email itstudentcenter@umassd.edu, or visit the Library first floor Help Desk. 1. Open a web browser, and visit https://www.vmware.com/go/viewclients. The VMware Horizon Clients page is displayed. 2. To the right of VMware Horizon Client for Windows text, click the Go to Downloads link. 1
The Download VMware Horizon Client for Windows page is displayed. 3. Click the Download button. If prompted, save the file to your downloads folder. 4. When the download process is complete, quit or minimize your web browser. 5. Open an Explorer window, and click Downloads in the left column to display the Downloads folder contents. 6. Double click to open the VMware-Horizon-Client installer. 2
7. If prompted, enter your computer Administrator username and password, then click the Yes button. 8. An installer dialog box is displayed. Read through the Privacy Agreement and License Terms, then click the Agree & Install button. Important: VMware Horizon requires the Microsoft.NET framework version 4. If that is not already present on your computer, you will be prompted to install it. Please click the Install and Continue button to proceed. 3
9. The VMware Horizon Client installation progress is displayed. Click the Finish button to continue. 10. You must restart your computer to complete the installation. Click the Restart Now button. 11. After installation, you may drag the VMware-Horizon-Client installer from the Downloads folder to the trash. 12. Open the Start menu, and click to open VMware Horizon Client. 4
13. The VMware Horizon Client window opens. Click the New Server button at the top. 14. The server dialog box is displayed. Enter view.umassd.edu into the server field, then click the Connect button. 15. The Login dialog box is displayed. Enter your UMassD Logon Username and Password into the fields provided, then click the Login button. 5
16. To enable access to your computer s Home folder and removable USB storage, click the gear button at the top of the window. 17. The VMware Horizon Client preferences dialog box is displayed. Click to select Sharing in the left column. 18. Click to select the Share and Allow access checkboxes if you would like to save files to your computer s Home folders and removable storage. 19. Click the OK button to close the Preferences dialog box. 6
20. The VMware Horizon Client window is shown below. Virtual computers appear as icons in the window. Different virtual machines may be available to you. In the example above, a CCB Lab machine and a General Lab machine are displayed. Double click a virtual machine to open it. 21. A virtual Windows computer is created, and starts. Welcome, and Preparing your desktop messages are displayed during the startup process. Please be patient, as this takes some time. 22. The Sharing dialog box is displayed. Click the Allow button. 23. Once the virtual machine has started, use it like a normal PC. Don t forget to log off and disconnect from the virtual computer when you are done. If you Disconnect, you can log in to the same virtual computer again from any client within 60 minutes. All open applications and files will still be available. 7
Important: The Windows OS on the host computer is hidden while the virtual computer is displayed. Use the Restore Down button in the Vware toolbar to access the host OS. Saving Your Documents to OneDrive You may save documents from the virtual Windows computer to your Office 365 OneDrive. This is preferred, because it makes your documents accessible from almost any internet-connected device. When using the Microsoft Office 2016 applications, click the OneDrive UMass Dartmouth button in the Save dialog box, as shown below. Then save as you would normally. 8
In older versions of Office and other applications, you may need to first save your files to the Desktop or Documents folder of the virtual computer. Then you may move them to OneDrive using a web browser, as described below. 1. Open a web browser on the virtual computer and log into Office 365. 2. On the Office 365 Home page, click the OneDrive button. Your OneDrive contents are displayed. 3. Click the Upload button to copy files from the virtual computer to your OneDrive. 9
Saving Documents to Your USB Storage 1. To save to your local disk or USB flash drive, choose the Save As command from your application. An example is shown here with Microsoft Word. 2. Click the Browse button. The Save As dialog box is displayed. 3. Scroll to the bottom of the left column, and click to expand the Computer section if needed. Your local disks and USB flash drives are displayed. 4. Click to select the desired destination, then click the Save button to save your document. 10