Upgrading VMware Tools using Update Manager 4.x fails with the error: The operation is not supported on the object

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

Symptoms:

• Updating VMware Tools using Update Manager 4.x fails
• You may see the error:
  
  The operation is not supported on the object

Environment

VMware vCenter Server 4.0.x
VMware vCenter Server 4.1.x

Resolution

This issue occurs because:

• Update Manager 4.x only supports updating VMware Tools on ESX/ESXi 4.0 and later hosts. If the virtual machine is registered to an ESX/ESXi 3.5 or earlier host, you cannot update VMware Tools using Update Manager 4.x.
• Update Manager does not support updating VMware Tools in virtual machines created on a ESX/ESXi 3.0.x or earlier host.

To resolve this issue, update VMware Tools manually. For more information, see General VMware Tools installation instructions (1014294).