VMware Tools power-on script fails to run successfully

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

• VMware Tools fails to run a custom virtual machine power-on script
• When powering on a virtual machine, you see this error in the vSphere Client or vmware.log file:
  
  The VMware Tools power-on script did not run successfully in this virtual machine. If you have configured a custom power-on script in this virtual machine, make sure that it contains no errors. You can also submit a case to report this issue.

Environment

• VMware ESXi 4.1.x Embedded
• VMware ESX 4.0.x
• VMware ESX 4.1.x
• VMware ESXi 4.0.x Embedded
• VMware ESXi 4.1.x Installable
• VMware ESXi 4.0.x Installable

Cause

VMware Tools can run custom scripts to automate actions when the power state of a virtual machine changes, such as during power-on. This issue is reported by VMware Tools when a custom script within the virtual machine fails.

Resolution

To resolve this issue when you have configured a power-on script for the virtual machine:

• Ensure that the script name and path do not contain any errors and point to a valid file.
• Investigate the custom power-on script file and ensure that it does not contain errors and returns 0 on success.

For more information on configuring and querying custom scripts with VMware Tools, see the Use Custom VMware Tools Scripts section of the VMware Tools Configuration Utility User's Guide.

 

If your custom scripts do not have any issues:

1. Enable VMware Tools debug logging. For more information, see Enabling debug logging for VMware Tools within a guest operating system (1007873)
2. Open a case with Broadcom Support
3. Run vm-support from the VMware Tools installation folder and attach the collected data/vmware.log files to the case.

Additional Information

Enabling debug logging for VMware Tools within a guest operating system