Updating VMware Tools ISO for VMware ESX Server

  • 7920509
  • 15-Mar-2006
  • 27-Apr-2012

Environment

PlateSpin Migrate
PlateSpin Protect

Situation

 

This article discusses how to upgrade the VMware Tools ISO that PlateSpin will use for conversions to VMware ESX Server.

 

Resolution

 

If the installation of VMware Tools is selected while configuring a conversion job, PowerConvert will install VMware Tools using the windows.iso or linux.iso (if converting a supported version of RedHat Linux) that is located by default in the /usr/lib/vmware/isoimages directory on the VMware ESX Server.

However, from time to time an Upgrade Patch for VMware ESX Server may be released which includes an updated build of the VMware Tools ISO's.  Therefore, it is best practice to ensure that the ISO's in the /usr/lib/vmware/isoimages directory are up to date as well.

Updating the VMware Tools ISO:

  1. Log in as root into the ESX Server service console.
  2. Download the upgrade patch or update from VMware's website.  For instance, using the esx16515update.tar.gz as an example, download this update into a temporary directory (i.e. /tmp) on your ESX service console.
  3. Change directories to /tmp: 

    cd /tmp

  4. Verify the integrity of the package (using the same update as an example):

    md5sum esx16515update.tar.gz

    The output should be:

    35b3e16f4938414738ffd1ae738b0ad5 esx16515update.tar.gz

  5. Extract the compressed tar archive:

    tar -xvzf esx16515update.tar.gz

  6. Change directories to the newly created directory, esx16515update.

    cd esx16515update

  7. Backup the old VMware tools library:

    For Windows:
    mv /usr/lib/vmware/isoimages/windows.iso /usr/lib/vmware/isoimages/windows.iso.old

    For Linux:
    mv /usr/lib/vmware/isoimages/linux.iso /usr/lib/vmware/isoimages/linux.iso.old
  8. Copy the new Windows tools library:

    For Windows:
    cp windows.iso /usr/lib/vmware/isoimages/

    For Linux:
    cp linux.iso /usr/lib/vmware/isoimages/

    The ISO image for VMware tools is now updated.

 

 

 

 

Details

If the installation of VMware Tools is selected while configuring a conversion job, PowerConvert will install VMware Tools using the windows.iso or linux.iso (if converting a supported version of RedHat Linux) that is located by default in the /usr/lib/vmware/isoimages directory on the VMware ESX Server.

However, from time to time an Upgrade Patch for VMware ESX Server may be released which includes an updated build of the VMware Tools ISO's.  Therefore, it is best practice to ensure that the ISO's in the /usr/lib/vmware/isoimages directory are up to date as well.

Updating the VMware Tools ISO:

  1. Log in as root into the ESX Server service console.
  2. Download the upgrade patch or update from VMware's website.  For instance, using the esx16515update.tar.gz as an example, download this update into a temporary directory (i.e. /tmp) on your ESX service console.
  3. Change directories to /tmp: 

    cd /tmp

  4. Verify the integrity of the package (using the same update as an example):

    md5sum esx16515update.tar.gz

    The output should be:

    35b3e16f4938414738ffd1ae738b0ad5 esx16515update.tar.gz

  5. Extract the compressed tar archive:

    tar -xvzf esx16515update.tar.gz

  6. Change directories to the newly created directory, esx16515update.

    cd esx16515update

  7. Backup the old VMware tools library:

    For Windows:
    mv /usr/lib/vmware/isoimages/windows.iso /usr/lib/vmware/isoimages/windows.iso.old

    For Linux:
    mv /usr/lib/vmware/isoimages/linux.iso /usr/lib/vmware/isoimages/linux.iso.old
  8. Copy the new Windows tools library:

    For Windows:
    cp windows.iso /usr/lib/vmware/isoimages/

    For Linux:
    cp linux.iso /usr/lib/vmware/isoimages/

    The ISO image for VMware tools is now updated.