Why are vmware-tools wrapped into a msi-package ???

[continuum]

Why are the vmware-tools wrapped into a msi-package ???

I see this as a step into the wrong direction.

In earlier versions we could inject the iso and easily install drivers only.

Now we always have to install the full package even if we don't really want it and only need the drivers.

Please change back to the old way - or at least provide a standalone driver download that can be found easily.

I already had to explain to users a couple of time how to manually extract the drivers from a Workstation 6.0.* setup-file.

This is really an anoying procedure as this used to be so easy before ...

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description of vmx-parameters:

VMware-liveCD:

[continuum]

bump

[haplopeart]

I've got to agree here, it used to be so simple to build the drivers into an image so they could be autodetected on startup. Why did this change, and can it be unchanged, or at least a download for building drivers into a base image provided.

[admin]

FWIW, you can run:

msiexec /a "VMware Tools.msi"

or

setup /a

to extract everything from the MSI file without installing it. (This should work for any MSI file.) Is that good enough?

[continuum]

Thats a workaround - lets see what folks that run win95 say about it ...

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description of vmx-parameters:

VMware-liveCD:

[RDPetruska]

Thats a workaround - lets see what folks that run win95 say about it ...

You do realize that in 6.5.x, the older Windows versions Tools are now in a separate ISO (winPre2k.iso), right? So that has a setup.exe and an msi package with the appropriate version of the Windows Installer for those older Windows OS's.

[continuum]

yep - I was testing the extraction of the winpre2k.iso with msiexec /a "vmware tools.msi" and it works with 2k3-sp2.

Still wonder if win95 is able to run the same command

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description of vmx-parameters:

VMware-liveCD:

[wila]

Ulli,

While I'm not VMware to answer the question officially... there's at least 2 reasons why developers choose this route.

1. It is the currently recommended way of packaging your software by Microsoft

2. For administators, a .msi install can be better managed as a simple setup script, they can completely automate the setup or customize it with tools like Orca

Like you I'm not a big fan of this as it just complicates things if you ask me, but it does have management advantages.

While you are at it, maybe we can also ask for a public download location of the vmware tools, so that people running vmware player don't have to extract it from VMware server or workstation?

A donwload link to the .iso files would do :smileygrin:

--

Wil

[continuum]

Hi Wila - personally I don't care at all - I rarely install vmware-tools and if I need to extract the drivers I have my own ways ...

I just posted as advocate for some win95 and win98 users who had trouble finding the drivers ...

Everything would be fine if there was a separate download for

svga-driver and

vm-mouse driver

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description of vmx-parameters:

VMware-liveCD:

[wila]

We are in the same ship, my additional request is just to be able to help the poor sods that don't know how-to do this by themselves.

The tools are included in all the other products so no problem for me that they are not in player..

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Wil