Unable to install VMware Tools due to corruption in the Windows Guest OS configuration database

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

Symptoms:

• VMware Tools install fails due to timeout.
• VMware Tools install fails stating "This driver will have to be installed manually."
• SetupAPI.dev.log shows errors similar to the following
  • Failed to import driver package into Driver Store. Error = 0x000003F1
    {Stage Driver Package: exit(0x000003f1)} 13:47:08.973
    {Setup Import Driver Package - exit (0x000003f1)} 13:47:08.983
    Failed to import driver package into driver store
    Error 1009: The configuration registry database is corrupt.
    Section end 2024/08/08 13:47:09.558
    [Exit status: FAILURE(0x000003f1)]
• vminst.log shows errors similar to the following
  • PnpDriverManager::InstallPnPDevices: Failed to install inf C:\Program Files\Common Files\VMware\Drivers\vmci\device\Win8\vmci.inf| HRESULT code 0x800703f1 (The configuration registry database is corrupt.)
    PnpDriverManager::InstallPnPDevices: Failed to install vmci driver| winerror code 1009 (The configuration registry database is corrupt.)
    MessageBox( 700ea, "Setup failed to install the VMCI Virtual Machine Communication Interface driver automatically.  This driver will have to be installed manually.", "VMware Tools Installation", 48)

Environment

• Windows Guest OS

Cause

• Win32 error code 0x000003F1 = The configuration registry database is corrupt

Win32 Error Codes

Resolution

To resolve this issue, please open a case with Microsoft.