Note: If your ESXi host was upgraded from version 4.0 and you see errors about not having sufficient space to copy the VMware Tools image, check the /locker/packages folder and ensure there is no 4.0.0 folder. If there is a 4.0.0 folder, run this command to remove the folder and its contents:
# rm -rR 4.0.0.
To restore VMware Tools from a known working version from another host:
- SSH to the source host with the working VMware Tools images.
- Change directory to /locker/packages/4.1.0 with this command:
cd /locker/packages/4.1.0
- Tar and gzip the vmtools directory with this command:
tar -zcvf vmtools.gz ./vmtools ; ls -ltr
- Download and install WinSCP.
- Start WinSCP and connect to the source host to retrieve the vmtools.gz file you just created.
- Enter the Host name and root credentials.
- Change the file protocol type to SCP.
- Click Login.
- After you connect to the source host with the WinSCP client, the directory listing of the source host machine should be visible in the pane on the right side.
- Click Locker > Packages>4.1.0. You should now see the vmtools.gz file you created earlier.
- In the right-side pane of your local machine, go to a destination folder to store the vmtools.gz file.
- Click on the vmtools.gz file and drag it into the destination folder on the left side.
- Click Transfer Settings > Binary.
- Click Copy.
- SSH to the destination host.
- Change the directory to /locker/packages/4.1.0 with this command:
cd /locker/packages/4.1.0
- Remove the existing vmtools directory with the command rm -rf ./vmtools.
Note: Leave this SSH session open, as you need it for upcoming instructions.
- Start WINSCP and connect to the destination host to restore the vmtools.gz file.
- Enter the Host name and root credentials.
- Change the file protocol type to SCP.
- Click Login.
- After you connect to the destination host with the WinSCP client, the directory listing of the source host machine should be visible in the pane on the right side.
- Click Locker > Packages>4.1.0. You should see a vmtools directory.
- In the left-side pane of your local machine, go to the folder where vmtools.gz is stored.
- Click on the vmtools.gz file and drag it to the destination folder on the right side.
- Click Transfer Settings > Binary.
- Click Copy.
- After the file has been copied to the destination host, go to the SSH session on the destination host.
- Change the directory to /locker/packages/4.1.0 with this command:
cd /locker/packages/4.1.0
- Untar the vmtools.gz file in the current directory with this command:
tar -zxvf vmtools.gz
- List the directory to view and validate the files with this command:
ls -ltr /locker/packages/4.1.0
For example:
/vmfs/volumes/2da668ef-40e5d96b-90bf-855ddb9c5547/packages # ls -ltr /locker/packages/4.1.0/*
/locker/packages/4.1.0/vmtools:
-rwx------ 1 root root 9498624 Mar 14 13:05 solaris.iso
-rwx------ 1 root root 256 Mar 14 13:05 netware.iso.sig
-rwx------ 1 root root 540672 Mar 14 13:05 netware.iso
-rwx------ 1 root root 256 Mar 14 13:05 freebsd.iso.sig
-rwx------ 1 root root 13881344 Mar 14 13:05 freebsd.iso
-rwx------ 1 root root 53149696 Mar 14 13:05 windows.iso
-rwx------ 1 root root 256 Mar 14 13:05 solaris.iso.sig
-rwx------ 1 root root 256 Mar 14 13:05 windows.iso.sig
-rwx------ 1 root root 13664256 Mar 14 13:05 winPre2k.iso
-rwx------ 1 root root 256 Mar 14 13:05 winPre2k.iso.sig
-rwx------ 1 root root 51402752 Mar 14 13:05 linux.iso
-rwx------ 1 root root 451 Mar 14 13:05 tools-key.pub
-rwx------ 1 root root 256 Mar 14 13:05 linux.iso.sig
/locker/packages/4.1.0/tools-upgraders:
-rwx------ 1 root root 599592 Mar 14 13:05 vmware-tools-upgrader-64
-rwx------ 1 root root 530244 Mar 14 13:05 vmware-tools-upgrader-32
-rwx------ 1 root root 1596 Mar 14 13:05 run_upgrader.sh
-rwx------ 1 root root 200704 Mar 14 13:05 VMwareToolsUpgraderNT.exe
-rwx------ 1 root root 200704 Mar 14 13:05 VMwareToolsUpgrader9x.exe
-rwx------ 1 root root 490096 Mar 14 13:05 VMwareToolsUpgrader.exe
/locker/packages/4.1.0/floppies:
-rwx------ 1 root root 737280 Mar 14 13:05 vmscsi.flp
-rwx------ 1 root root 737280 Mar 14 13:05 pvscsi-WindowsXP.flp
-rwx------ 1 root root 737280 Mar 14 13:05 pvscsi-Windows2008.flp
-rwx------ 1 root root 737280 Mar 14 13:05 pvscsi-Windows2003.flp
- Remove the vmtools.gz file from the destination host to free up some space with this command:
rm vmtools.gz.