Hello,
You need to run the NTA install file first on the VMware server that will store the flows. When you do this, it will ask you for database connection, so it can authenticate the NTA application. After NTA has been installed on your Flow Storage (VM) server, then you need to run the same installation file on your core SolarWinds/Orion server. After it NTA is successfully upgraded on the core server, you'll also need to run the same NTA installation file on your additional polling servers -- if applicable.
By the way, make sure that your VM has plenty of disk space for the flows. There are some white papers on Thwack for the disk space requirements, which largely depend on the current size of your NTA database and the number of flows per minute received.
I hope this helps.