VMware Tools shows not installed in vCenter but exists on Windows VM
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VMware Tools shows not installed in vCenter but exists on Windows VM

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Article ID: 449265

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Updated On:

Products

VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

Windows virtual machines report VMware Tools as "Not Installed" or "Not Running" within the vCenter Server inventory, even though the application is present within the Guest OS. This state prevents automatic updates and standard uninstallation.

  • VMware Tools status in vCenter shows "Not Installed."
  • The VMware Tools icon is missing from the system tray.
  • Automatic updates fail.
  • The VMware Tools application suite is missing from the Start menu.

Environment

  • VMware vCenter Server 8.x
  • VMware Tools 12.x / 13.x
  • Microsoft Windows Guest OS

Cause

Stale registry entries or legacy file remnants from a previous installation attempt prevent vCenter from detecting the VMware Tools heartbeat.

Resolution

Perform a manual cleanup of VMware Tools remnants and execute a forced clean installation.

  1. Back up the Windows Registry.
  2. Open the Registry Editor (regedit) as an Administrator.
  3. Navigate to and delete the following keys if they exist:
    • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\VMware, Inc.\VMware Tools
    • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\vmtoolsd
  4. Delete the VMware Tools installation folder (typically C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware Tools).
  5. Restart the virtual machine.
  6. Mount the latest VMware Tools ISO to the VM.
  7. Open a Command Prompt as Administrator and navigate to the mounted drive.
  8. Execute the cleanup command:
    • setup64.exe /c
  9. Run the installer normally:
    • setup64.exe
  10. Restart the virtual machine to finalize the installation.

For steps to download the latest release, see Download Broadcom products and software

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