In Windows driver debugging, it is required to test power state transitions (Running/Sleep/Hibernate). But after processing a power state transition, VMware saves VM state and terminates a VM process (vmware-vmx.exe). On resume, VMware starts a new VM process so a kernel-mode debugger (I use WinDbg) must re-connect to it to retrieve debug messages. Since a pipe emulating a VM's COM port is deleted on VM termination and created anew on VM startup, I have to manually force the debugger to re-connect. But unlike a normal VM startup that can be delayed with bios.bootDelay, there is no way to delay VM startup from sleep/hibernate state. So the debugger usually does not properly connect at a first time, I have to re-connect it two or even three times and some debug messages are lost.
Is there a way to place a VM to sleep/hibernate state without VM process temination, and restore to working state without process relaunch?
I use Workstation 8.0.6 but could upgrade to a newer version if it has the required feature.