VMware Tools installation fails with "Setup wizard ended prematurely" due to VGAuth log permissions
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VMware Tools installation fails with "Setup wizard ended prematurely" due to VGAuth log permissions

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Article ID: 301481

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Updated On:

Products

VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

  • When attempting to upgrade or install VMware Tools, the installation fails and rolls back with the message: "VMware Tools setup wizard ended prematurely." This issue typically occurs during the VM_SecureVGAuthDirs custom action.
  • Installation wizard triggers an automatic rollback leaving VM with no VMware tool.
  • Sample error in the Windows VM %temp%/vmmsi.log :

    MSI (s) (EC:C4) [15:15:40:894]: Invoking remote custom action. DLL: C:\Windows\Installer\MSI4395.tmp, Entrypoint: VMCreateSecureProgramDataDirectories 
    MSI (s) (EC:1C) [15:15:40:924]: Executing op: ActionStart(Name=VM_SecureVGAuthDirs.6C78E07E_####_479D_####_CD97FB809D1E,,) operation 15:15:40: VM_SecureVGAuthDirs.6C78E07E_####_479D_####_CD97FB809D1E。 
    MSI (s) (EC:1C) [15:15:40:924]: Executing op: CustomActionSchedule(Action=VM_SecureVGAuthDirs.6C78E07E_E9FD_479D_942B_CD97FB809D1E,ActionType=3073,Source=BinaryData,Target=VMCreateSecureProgramDataDirectories,CustomActionData=create |C:\ProgramData\VMware\|O:SYD:PAI(A;OICIID;FA;;;SY)(A;OICIID;FA;;;BA)(A;OICIIOID;GA;;;CO)(A;OICIID;0x1200a9;;;BU)(A;CIID;DCLCRPCR;;;BU)| create |C:\ProgramData\VMware\VMware VGAuth\ |O:SYD:PAI(A;OICI;FA;;;SY)(A;OICI;0x1200a9;;;WD)(A;OICI;FA;;;BA)| create;scrub|C:\ProgramData\VMware\VMware VGAuth\aliasStore\ |O:BAD:P(A;;FR;;;WD)(A;;FA;;;BA)(A;;FA;;;SY)| secure;scrub|C:\ProgramData\VMware\VMware VGAuth\backup\;C:\ProgramData\VMware\VMware VGAuth\msgCatalogs\;C:\ProgramData\VMware\VMware VGAuth\msgCatalogs\messages\; C:\ProgramData\VMware\VMware VGAuth\msgCatalogs\messages\de\;C:\ProgramData\VMware\VMware VGAuth\msgCatalogs\messages\en\;C:\ProgramData\VMware\VMware VGAuth\msgCatalogs\messages\es\;C:\ProgramData\VMware\VMware VG 
    MSI (s) (EC:14) [15:15:40:924]: Invoking remote custom action. DLL: C:\Windows\Installer\MSI43B5.tmp, Entrypoint: VMCreateSecureProgramDataDirectories 
    MSI (s) (EC:30) [15:15:40:934]: Generating random cookie. 
    MSI (s) (EC:30) [15:15:40:934]: Created Custom Action Server with PID 4432 (0x1150). 
    MSI (s) (EC:9C) [15:15:40:984]: Running as a service. 
    MSI (s) (EC:9C) [15:15:40:984]: Hello, I'm your 32bit Elevated Non-remapped custom action server. CustomAction VM_SecureVGAuthDirs.6C78E07E_###_479D_####_CD97FB809D1E returned actual error code 1603 (note this may not be 100% accurate if translation happened inside sandbox) operation end 15:15:42: InstallFinalize。return value 3。</pre> YYYY-MM-TTTT:MM:17.721-04:00| BootStrapper-build-25218885| I0: CurrentLocation "C:\Users\#######\AppData\Local\Temp\1\{#######-A649-404F-91B5-#######}~setup\"
    YYYY-MM-TTTT:MM:17.721-04:00| BootStrapper-build-25218885| I2: Util_IsDirectory: Not a directory: C:\Users\#######\AppData\Local\Temp\1\{#######-A649-404F-91B5-#######}~setup\| winerror code 2 (The system cannot find the file specified.)
    YYYY-MM-TTTT:MM:17.721-04:00| BootStrapper-build-25218885| I2: Util_CreateFullPath: Creating directory 'C:\Users\#######\AppData\Local\Temp\1\{#######-A649-404F-91B5-#######}~setup\'
    YYYY-MM-TTTT:MM:17.721-04:00| BootStrapper-build-25218885| I0: Selecting "C:\Users\#######\AppData\Local\Temp\1\{#######-A649-404F-91B5-#######}~setup\" for unpacking temp files
    YYYY-MM-TTTT:MM:17.721-04:00| BootStrapper-build-25218885| I0: Extracting setup files to "C:\Users\#######\AppData\Local\Temp\1\{#######-A649-404F-91B5-#######}~setup\"
    YYYY-MM-TTTT:MM:17.721-04:00| BootStrapper-build-25218885| I0:   --> VMware Tools.msi [99778560]

Environment

  • VMware Tools 13.1.x
  • VMware Tools 13.0.x
  • Windows Guest Operating Systems

Cause

The installation failure is caused by a locked or inaccessible log file (logfile.txt.0) located in the C:\ProgramData\VMware\VMware VGAuth\ directory. This file lacks required Access Control Lists (ACLs), preventing the installer from securing the directory.

Resolution

  1. Log into the affected Windows VM with Administrator privileges.
  2. Stop the VMware Alias Manager and Ticket Service (VGAuthService) via the Services console.
  3. Navigate to C:\ProgramData\VMware\VMware VGAuth\.
  4. Locate the file logfile.txt.0.
  5. Rename logfile.txt.0 to logfile.txt.0.old or move it to the Desktop.
  6. Execute the VMware Tools installer again.

Additional Information

  • Run following command to check related directory:

(Get-ChildItem 'C:\ProgramData\VMware\' -Recurse -Directory ) | Get-ACL | Format-List -Property PsPath, Owner, AccessToString can confirm the fold ACLs

Get-ChildItem : Access to the path 'C:\ProgramData\VMware\VMware VGAuth' is denied.

At line:1 char:2

+ (Get-ChildItem 'C:\ProgramData\VMware\' -Recurse -Directory ) | Get-A ...

+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  + CategoryInfo     : PermissionDenied: (C:\ProgramData\VMware\VMware VGAuth:String) [Get-ChildItem], UnauthorizedAccessException

  + FullyQualifiedErrorId : DirUnauthorizedAccessError,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.GetChildItemCommand

  • In a good installation VM, the correct output is shown below:

    PSPath         : Microsoft.PowerShell.Core\FileSystem::C:\ProgramData\VMware\VMware VGAuth
    Owner          : NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM
    AccessToString : Everyone Allow  ReadAndExecute, Synchronize
                     NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM Allow  FullControl
                     BUILTIN\Administrators Allow  FullControl
  • A VMware product fails to install with the error 1603

When installing or uninstalling a VMware product, an error 1603 may occur.

Consult the Microsoft Knowledge Base article Error 1603 when you try to install a Windows Installer package: A fatal error occurred during installation.

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