VMware tools status in ESX5i and VCenter is wrong

[buskeyl]

So I am not sure what's the right forum for this because I cant isolate the issue.  I have a lab environment running ESX 5i Enterprise.  On my Windows 7 VMs (all of them ) I am getting very strange behavior concerning VMware tools status.  I am not seeing this on Windows XP, Server 2008 or Server 2003)

If you look a the VM Summary tab, or the inventory in either vCenter or the ESX Host, it will report the VMware tools is current but not running.   If you click on the console tab, and click in the console, and then switch back to the summary tab, it will then show the IP address and VMware tools service running.  At this point it is hit or miss if the IP address ever shows up in the main inventory view.  If you wait a while, it will switch back to the VMware tools being reported as not running again.   When it thinks it VMware tools is not running, those function that needs the tools are unavailable.  So this is a real drag..

This is turning out to be a real issue.  Does anyone have any suggestions as to what might be going on?

[marcelo_soares]

Aren't your windows sleeping (due to power savings) and/or disabling services due to idleness? Check power saving options.

[buskeyl]

That was a really first rate answer.  I have been at this a long time, and sometimes you read something, and just slap yourself in the forehead and go , "What was I thinking".  I had been goofing with power profiles before I went gold on the image, and of course, forgot to set it back to not to go to sleep.  I had not counted on the fact that VMware will not show you "asleep" and it responds so quickly, it's hard to discern waking up from just having the remote console reconnect.

Thanks a lot for the answer, I am embarrased to admit how much time I spent looking to the answer in Vmware somewhere.. Cheers!

[marcelo_soares]

You're welcome, it happens to us all from time to time :smileywink: