VMware tools not updating after updating VMware Tools via Lifecycle Manager

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

Symptoms:

• /locker/packages/vmtoolsRepo/vmtools/buildNumber.txt shows an older build number of VMware Tools.
• All hosts hosts show the same outdated version in the productLocker.
• #esxcli software component get shows version that VMware Tools was updated to using Lifecycle Manager.
• In Advanced Settings, UserVars.ProductLockerLocation shows a datastore not the default /locker/packages/vmtoolsRepo/. 

Explanation:

• /productLocker is a link that points to /locker/packages/vmtoolsRepo
• Update VMware Tools via Lifecycle Manager or via a repository on a datastore.

Environment

vSphere 7.x

vSphere 8.x

Cause

• The productLocker has previously been updated to use a repository on a datastore.
• Because of this when VMware Tools is updated using Lifecycle Manager it does not update the datastore.  

Resolution

Manually update VMware Tools in repository on the datastore following KB:

Installing and upgrading the latest version of VMware Tools on existing hosts

Additional Information

Installing and upgrading VMware Tools in vSphere