The installers for VMware Tools for Windows, Linux, FreeBSD, and NetWare guest operating systems are built into VMware Workstation as ISO image files. (An ISO image file looks like a CD-ROM to your guest operating system and even appears as a CD-ROM in Windows Explorer. VMware Tools for Windows Guests VMware Tools for Windows supports Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Me, Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 guest operating systems. The detailed steps for installing VMware Tools depend on the version of Windows you are running. The steps that follow show how to install VMware Tools in.
Updated on: 07 APR 2020 VMware Tools | 07 APR 2020 | Build 15940789 Check for additions and updates to these release notes. |
windows.iso supports Windows Vista and later.
darwin.iso
supports Mac OS X versions 10.11 and later.linux.iso
, refer to VMware Tools 10.3.21 Release Notes.solaris.iso
, refer to VMware Tools 10.3.10 Release Notes.Important note about upgrading to ESXi 6.5 or later
Resolution on incompatibility and general guidelines: While upgrading ESXi hosts to ESXi 6.5 or later, and using older versions of Horizon View Agent, refer to the knowledge base articles:
VMware Tools 11.0.6 is available in the following languages:
The Guest OS Customization Support Matrix provides details about the guest operating systems supported for customization.
The VMware Product Interoperability Matrix provides details about the compatibility of current and earlier versions of VMware Products. The VMware Product Interoperability Matrix of VMware Tools 11.0.5 can be applied to VMware Tools 11.0.6.
VMware Tools can be downloaded from the Product Download page.
The steps to install VMware Tools vary depending on your VMware product and the guest operating system you have installed. For general steps to install VMware Tools in most VMware products, see General VMware Tools installation instructions (1014294).To set up productLocker to point to the shared datastore, see KB 2004018.
For specific instructions to install, upgrade, and configure VMware Tools, see the VMware Tools Documentation page.
VMware Tools 11.0.6 supports the following driver versions on a Windows Guest Operating System.
Drivers | VMware Tools 11.0.6 |
Hardware Drivers | |
vmci | 9.8.16.0 |
vsock | 9.8.16.0 |
pvscsi | 1.3.15.0 |
wddm | 8.16.07.0005 |
xpdm | 12.1.8.0 |
vmxnet3 | 1.8.16.0 |
vmxnet2 | 2.2.0.0 |
vmmouse | 12.5.10.0 |
vmusbmouse | 12.5.10.0 |
vmaudio | 5.10.0.3506 |
efifw | 1.0.0.0 |
Software Drivers | |
vmrawdsk.sys | 1.1.5.0 |
vmmemctl.sys | 7.5.5.0 |
vmhgfs.sys | 11.0.40.0 |
vsepflt.sys | 11.0.5.0 |
vnetflt.sys | 11.0.0.0 (For Kernel-Mode Code Signing, Windows Vista and Windows 2008 only) |
vnetWFP.sys | 11.0.5.0 |
glgxi.sys | 2.3.0.0 |
giappdef | 2.3.0.0 |
Security DLL | |
vmwsu.dll | 2.0.0.0 |
In VMware Tools 11.0.0, a new plugin called 'appInfo' was bundled. This new plugin runs every 30 minutes (can be configured by the guest administrator) to capture the information about running processes. For this, the plugin creates a remote thread in the target 64-bit process to capture the 'command line' of the target process. If the 64-bit application of the process is not built with /LARGEADDRESSAWARE:YES, the 'remote thread' crashes the application. For more information, refer KB 78550.
This issue is fixed in this release.
With debug logging enabled, vmtoolsd in a Windows VM can crash when running Remote Desktop Session Host (RDSH) 2016 or 2019.
This issue is fixed in this release.
VMware Tools upgrade process hangs in a Windows Server 2008 VM. This happens because the 'vcredist' bundled in the tools installer gets stuck and does not return.
Workaround:
If you have Windows remote management interface to the VM in the guest network, then stop the process when it hangs, like 'c:vcredist_x86.exe' /quiet /noRestart -burn.unelevated BurnPipe.{32940ADA-3765-4E48-8624-3DB276BB8083} {D6A63D73-EE4C-4698-8D19-C926D5E854A4} 1088'.
You can also opt to stop the child process manually.
When users log in to a Windows Server OS remote desktop session, the VMware Tools user service process stops after startup. For more details, refer KB 74808.
Workaround:
If the VMware Tools user process is not present on the system, it can be started manually using the Windows Run Command box or from a command prompt.
To launch the VMware Tools process using the Windows run command box:
AppDefense driver glxgi logs an error in the event viewer similar to the following:
'The glxgi service failed to start due to the following error: A device attached to the system is not functioning.'
The events are observed when Guest Integrity is disabled.
Workaround:
These events do not impact the system and are safe to ignore.
When you have a secure boot VM with Microsoft Hyper-V and virtualization-based security enabled with Device Guard and Code Integrity policy set to enforced, then drivers, glxgi, pvscsi, vsepflt, and vsock might generate the event log warnings similar to the following.
Log Name: Microsoft-Windows-CodeIntegrity/Operational
Source: Microsoft-Windows-CodeIntegrity
Operational Log:
Warnings
Event ID: 3083
Level: Warning
Description:
Code Integrity determined kernel module system32DRIVERSvsock.sys that did not meet the WHQL requirements is loaded into the system.
Check with the publisher to see if a WHQL compliant kernel module is available.
Workaround:
These warnings are safe to ignore. The drivers load and operate in the normal manner.
While installing VMware Tools by running the setup command, a dialog box appears which displays a progress bar. This dialog box displays the progress of the installation of the VC 2017 redistributable package which is used by VMware Tools. The VC 2017 redistributable package installation does not complete, preventing the launch of the general VMware Tools installation dialog box.
The VMware Tools installation logs can be found in the temporary folder in the path similar to the following:
%temp%vminst.log and %temp%vmmsi.log
The issue is observed with Windows Vista Service Pack 2 operating system which has Microsoft Document Explorer 2008 package installed when VMware Tools installs the Microsoft VC 2017 redistributable package.
Workaround:
To install VMware Tools,
Installation process might appear to be in progress and displays a message similar to the following:
'Preparing 'VMware Tools' for installation...'
During this process, the user might be prompted to restart the operating system.
Workaround:
For more information, see KB 55798.
Drag functionality fails to work in Ubuntu 16.04.4 32-bit virtual machine installed using easy install. Also, failure of copy and paste functionality is observed in the same system.
Note: This issue is applicable for VMware Tools running on Workstation and Fusion.
Workaround:
If the Shared Folders feature is enabled on a Linux VM while it is powered off, shared folders mount is not available on restart.
Note: This issue is applicable for VMware Tools running on Workstation and Fusion.
Workaround:
If the VM is powered on, disable and enable the Shared Folders feature from the interface.
For resolving the issue permanently, edit /etc/fstab and add an entry to mount the Shared Folders automatically on boot.
For example, add the line:
vmhgfs-fuse /mnt/hgfs fuse defaults,allow_other 0 0
Guest operating system Windows 2000 and earlier, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista, and later support VMware Tools.
The autodetect setting enables the virtual machine's first virtual CD/DVD drive to detect and connect to the VMware Tools ISO file for a VMware Tools installation. This ISO file looks like a physical CD to your guest operating system. Use the virtual machine settings editor to set the CD/DVD drive to autodetect a physical drive.
Action | |
---|---|
vSphere Client (HTML5) | Right-click the virtual machine and select Guest OS > Install (or Upgrade) Tools |
vSphere Client | Inventory > Virtual Machine > Guest > Install/Upgrade VMware |
vSphere Web Client | Right-click the virtual machine and select Guest OS > Install (or Upgrade) VMware Tools |
Fusion | Virtual Machine > Install (or Upgrade) VMware Tools |
Workstation Pro | VM > Install (or Upgrade) VMware Tools |
Workstation Player | Player > Manage > Install (or Upgrade) VMware Tools |
If you are using vCenter Server, the VMware Tools label on the Summary tab changes to OK.
If you upgraded VMware Tools as part of a vSphere upgrade, next determine whether to upgrade the virtual machines in your environment. To review and compare the hardware available for different compatibility levels, see the vSphere Virtual Machine Administration documentation.