Error when installing VMWare tools on Ubuntu VM

[anthonyhelmey]

Error on [hostname]:The required VMware Tools ISO image does not exist or is inaccessible.

See the error stack for details on the cause of this problem.

Error Stack

Call "VirtualMachine.MountToolsInstaller" for object "[hostname]" on ESXi "172.20.2.170" failed.

vix error code = 21001

Unable to install VMware Tools. An error occurred while trying to access image file "/usr/lib/vmware/isoimages/linux.iso" needed to install VMware Tools: 2 (No such file or directory). If your product shipped with the VMware Tools package, reinstall VMware ESX, then try again to install the VMware Tools package in the virtual machine.

I followed this article https://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=1037405 and can clearly see the symlink in the ESXi cli [isoimages -> /productLocker/vmtools] but install still isnt working. This is on my windows VMs as well. ESXi 6.0 U2 installed on  flash drive.

Does anyone know how to resolve this error so I can install VMWare tools?

[kendzi87]

It looks like there is something wrong with partition that contains VMTools on your flash drive.

Did you try to install vmware-open-vm-tools? You can also try unpack tool from esxi installer iso (TOOLS.T00\tools-light.tar\6.0.0\vmtools) and mount iso image to vm.

[hussainbte]

could you cd into the link/directory cd productLocker/vmtools/ and check if the ISOs are actually available.

[Rajesh Petchimuthu]

Some of the option that you can try ->

1. Are you able to see a sym link "productLocker" under '/' pointing to /locker/packages/6.0.0 and if you're able to see ISO images under /locker/packages/6.0.0/vmtools folder then the tools installation should not throw error message that you're seeing.

2. If you do not find "productLocker" but able to see tools images under /locker/packages/6.0.0/vmtools then create one sym link to take care of tools installation inside the VMs

3. If you do not find /locker/packages/6.0.0/vmtools folder in your ESXi host then download latest 6.0 vm tools from https://my.vmware.com/group/vmware/details?downloadGroup=VMTOOLS1006&productId=491

regards,

Rajesh

[frankmomma]

Download the VMware Tools Packages for Windows and Linux from the following site Or find newer Versions:

https://my.vmware.com/group/vmware/details?downloadGroup=VMTOOLS1032&productId=742&download=true&fileId=5e14104c2f4aa0ae0d6ead472074aa5a&secureParam=a8649ab1389caf9c47dc469c261ca3c6&uuId=40d26078-f37e-4aee-b948-e341d3d6bdee&downloadType=#eulaDeclinedSection

Download WinSCP for a friendly view of the ESXi File architecture > Log into your esxi host with issue

Navigate to "/.locker/packages" > Create Folder named "6.5.0" (If you are not using ESXi 6.5.0, this folder may be a different name. Check what folder name should be by going to "/productLocker" > Right Click > Edit > View where the shortcut goes to & create a folder with that name in that Directory)

Inside Folder 6.5.0, Paste The folders "floppies" & "vmtools" that were downloaded from the previous link.

You should now be able to successuflly install Vmwtools to your windows and Linux VMs