VMware KB: General VMware Tools installation instructions

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General VMware Tools installation instructions (1014294)

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Purpose
This article provides general steps to install VMware Tools in most VMware products.

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Note: For an overview of VMware Tools and a list of product documentation that contains informationabout installing VMware Tools on VMware products, see Overview of VMware Tools (340)or Installing and Configuring VMware Tools.For information related to vSphere 5.0,Installing VMware Tools in vSphere (2004754).

Other products: For more information on installing VMware Tools in VMware Fusion, seeInstalling VMware Tools Manually in a Fusion Virtual Machine running Windows (1003417) . For more information on installing VMware Tools in VMware Player 3.x, seeInstalling VMware Tools in VMware Player (1035392). Note: VMware Player 2.x and olderis designed to only play back pre-built virtual machines. The user who created the pre-built virtual machinemustinstall VMware Tools if it is needed.

KB: 1014294

Resolution Installing VMware Tools

Updated: Mar 21, 2013 Categories: How to Languages: English Product(s): VMware ACE VMware ESX VMware ESXi VMware GSX Server VMware Player VMware Server VMware Workstation

The following are general steps used to start the VMware Tools installation in most VMware products. Certain guest operating systems may require different steps, but these steps work for most operating systems. Links to more detailed steps for different operating systems are included in this article. Make sure to review the VMware documentation for the product you are using.

To install VMware Tools in most VMware products:

1. 2. 3. 4.

Power on the virtual machine. Log in to the virtual machine using an account with Administrator or root privileges. Wait for the desktop to load and be ready. Click Install/Upgrade VMware Tools. There are two places to find this option: Right-click on the running virtual machine object and choose Install/Upgrade VMware Tools. Right-click on the running virtual machine object and click Open Console . In the Console menu click VM and click Install/Upgrade VMware Tools. Note: In ESX/ESXi 4.x, navigate to VM > Guest > Install/Upgrade VMware Tools.In Workstation, navigate to VM > Install/Upgrade VMware Tools.

5. Based on the operating system you specified when creating the virtual machine, the correct ISO CD-ROM

image containing VMware Tools is mounted to the virtual CD-ROM of the virtual machine. To verify the operating system you have selected, perform one of the following: Right-click the running virtual machine object and choose Edit Settings > Options > General Options > Guest Operating System and Version. Right-click the running virtual machine object and click Open Console . In the Console menu click VM > Edit Settings > Options > General Options > Guest Operating System and Version.

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?cmd=displayKC&docType=kc&docTypeID=DT_KB_1_1&externalId=1014294[30/07/2013 4:51:01 PM]

VMware KB: General VMware Tools installation instructions 6. Install VMware Tools from the CD-ROM inside of your guest operating system:

Installing Installing Installing Installing Installing Installing

VMware VMware VMware VMware VMware VMware

Tools Tools Tools Tools Tools Tools

in in in in in in

a Windows virtual machine (1018377) an Ubuntu virtual machine (1022525) a Novell virtual machine (1018299) a Linux virtual machine using RPM (1018392) a Linux virtual machine using Compiler (1018414) a Solaris virtual machine (1023956)

Supported Guest Operating Systems

Guest operating system support varies by product and version. VMware Tools is designed to install smoothly on supported guests. Unsupported guests may require further steps to complete the VMware Tools installation outlined in Installing VMware Tools in a Linux virtual machine using Compiler (1018414). For a list of supported guest operating systems, see the VMware Compatibility Guide.

Additional Information
With VMware Workstation 7,you have the option of downloading updated VMware Tools by going to Help > Check for Updates on the Web .

If the VMware Tools were never downloaded for VMware Workstation 7, when clicking Install/Upgrade VMware Tools,you are prompted to download VMware Tools.

If you experience issues when installing VMware Tools, see the following articles for troubleshooting information: Installing VMware Tools generates a general system error (1004718) VMware Tools installation fails with Error 1722 (1007306) Manually Building VMware Tools Kernel Modules in Ubuntu Guests (1008973) Manually Building VMware Tools Kernel Modules in SLES and SLED Guests (1009129) On certain Linux guest operating systems, the VMware Tools process vmware-user does not start automatically (1008071)

Tags
install-tools install-vmware-tools tools-install upgrade-vmware-tools vmware-tools

See Also
Installing VMware Tools in a Fusion virtual machine running Windows Installing VMware Tools generates a general system error VMware Tools installation fails with Error 1722 On certain Linux guest operating systems, the VMware Tools process vmware-user does not start automatically Manually building VMware Tools kernel modules in Ubuntu guests Manually Building VMware Tools Kernel Modules in SLES and SLED Guests WDDM and XPDM graphics driver support with WDDM and XPDM graphics driver support with ESX, ESXi, Workstation and Fusion Installing VMware Tools in a Novell NetWare virtual machine Installing VMware Tools in a Windows virtual machine Installing VMware Tools in a Linux virtual machine using Red Hat Package Manager (RPM) Installing VMware Tools in a Linux virtual machine using a Compiler Installing VMware Tools in an Ubuntu virtual machine Installing VMware Tools in a Solaris virtual machine Installing VMware Tools in VMware Player Installing VMware Tools in vSphere Instrues gerais de instalao do VMware Tools Instrucciones generales de instalacin de VMware Tools VMware Tools VMware Tools Overview of VMware Tools

This Article Replaces

109205 1017400 5242329 1625

Update History
03/02/2011 - Updated VMware Player information 09/14/2011 - Added link to Installing and Configuring VMware Tools 02/24/2012 - Added Workstation step

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?cmd=displayKC&docType=kc&docTypeID=DT_KB_1_1&externalId=1014294[30/07/2013 4:51:01 PM]

VMware KB: General VMware Tools installation instructions

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http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?cmd=displayKC&docType=kc&docTypeID=DT_KB_1_1&externalId=1014294[30/07/2013 4:51:01 PM]