VMware Tools re-install or upgrade creates duplicate VMCI Host driver in Windows 2016 server
Article ID: 406090
Updated On:
Products
Issue/Introduction
During the updating of VMware tools in Microsoft Windows Server 2016. The activity of performing the upgrade of VMware Tools results in creating a duplicate VMCI host driver.
Environment
- VMware vSphere ESXi 8.x
- Microsoft Windows Server 2016
Resolution
1. Open Device Manager in Windows by pressing the Windows key + X and selecting Device Manager from the menu.
2. In the Device Manager window, expand the System Devices category.
3. Look for the VMCI Host Devices and locate any duplicate entries. The duplicates will have a yellow exclamation mark icon.
4. Right-click on each duplicate entry and select Uninstall Device. Select the checkbox that says "Delete the driver software for this device" and click Uninstall.
5. Repeat this process for all duplicate VMCI Host devices.
6. Once you have uninstalled all duplicate VMCI Host devices, right-click on the System Devices category and select Scan for hardware changes.
7. This will trigger Windows to search for and reinstall the missing driver.
8. Reboot the server to ensure that the changes take effect.
Additional Information
Feedback
