Extracting the drivers from VMware Tools bundled with VMware vSphere/Workstation

Products

• VMware
• VMware Desktop Hypervisor
• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

This article provides instructions on extracting the virtual hardware drivers which are bundled with VMware Tools.

This may be necessary when you want to extract drivers to add them manually to a virtual machine without installing VMware Tools, or when creating templates for Windows deployment.

Environment

VMware Workstation 10.x (Windows)
VMware Workstation Pro 15.x (Windows)
VMware Workstation 9.x (Windows)
VMware Workstation 11.x (for Windows)
VMware Workstation 7.x (Windows)
VMware Workstation 8.x (Windows)
VMware Workstation Pro 14.x (for Windows)

Resolution

To extract the drivers which are bundled with VMware Tools:

1. Load the VMware Tools ISO into the virtual CD/DVD drive (for example, D:\). Right click on the VM > Guest OS > Install VMware Tools
2. Browse to the C: drive (that is, the system or data drive) and create a folder named "Extract"
3. Open a command prompt and change directories from C:\ drive to D:\ drive.
4. For VMware Tools prior to 12.0.5 versions, run the command
   • setup.exe /A
5. For VMware Tools 12.0.5 and later versions, please run the command: 
   • setup.exe /A C:\Extract
6. You will be prompted with the VMware Tools Setup installer screen, click on Next and provide the location for the extraction in Network Location C:\Extract (the folder you created in step 2).
   • For VMware Tools 12.0.5 and later versions, the location will be preloaded.
7. Click on Install > When the process is complete, click Finish.
8. Browse to the C:\Extract folder to access the extracted drivers. You can locate all the driver under this directory C: > Extract> VMware> VMware Tools> VMware > Drivers.

Additional Information