Virtual Image Exception tool (VIEtool) on a Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) image is not completing

Products

• Endpoint Protection

Issue/Introduction

When running the Virtual Image Exception tool (vietool.exe) on a Citrix Xen or other Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) image, it does not complete. It hangs or stalls while running.

Cause

Insufficient permissions for the Virtual Storage Filter Driver, vmstorfl.sys.

Environment

• Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops
• Citrix XenDesktop
• Microsoft Windows

Resolution

You will need to give Full Control permissions to the Users group under Local Users and Groups (Local). Follow these steps on your base image:

1. In Windows Explorer, navigate to %SYSTEMDRIVE%\Windows\System32\drivers, where %SYSTEMDRIVE% is the drive where Windows is installed (usually C:).
2. Find the file vmstorfl.sys, right-click on it, and click Properties.
3. Click on the Security tab.
4. Click Edit... and either click Yes or enter administrator credentials if prompted.
5. Click on the group Users ([COMPUTER-NAME]\Users), where [COMPUTER-NAME] is the hostname of your image.
6. Next to Full control, check the box under Allow and click OK twice.
7. Log out of the image and log back in.

If you are unable to modify permissions here, you may need to grant this permission from Active Directory. After running the Virtual Image Exception tool, you can then revoke this permission on the base image.