VMware Tools >= 10.3.5 crashes where NSX Guest Introspection driver are installed

Products

• VMware NSX

Issue/Introduction

Symptoms:
VMware Tools keeps crashing irregularly on Windows VM. It has a tendency to crash when the remote session is disconnected or the guest VM is shutting down.
VMware Tools >= 10.3.5 will show this behavior

Resolution

Upgrade VMware Tools to 11.0 or later, or downgrade to 10.3.2. If you don't have NSX for vSphere and RDSH/RDP, the workaround below would also work.


Workaround:
Uninstall Guest Introspection component from the guest VM.
PREREQUISITE: This workaround is only valid if you don't have NSX for vSphere and RDSH/RDP.

1.     Log into Windows VM
2.     Control Panel -> Programs -> Programs and Features
3.     VMware Tools -> Right Click -> change
4.     Install Wizard -> Modify
5.     Check "NSX File introspection Driver" and "NSX Network introspection Driver" to UNINSTALL and finish the installer.
6.     Reboot Windows OS if required

Additional Information

It depends on the installation type:

• VMware Tools Installation [Typical] ... Don't install Guest Introspection driver
• VMware Tools Installation [Complete] .. Install Introspection driver (both of file and network)