How to enable VMWare Tools shared folders under ESX4

[ouch]

On a windows server running on an ESX 4 host, VMWare Tools reports that Shared Folders are currently disabled on the host.

How do I enable them, and use them?

[NHessonSD21]

Hi,

As far as I know Shared folders is not supported on ESX.

But that was in ESX 3.5. If they change it in 4 I have not seen any documentation on it. I believe I have read all the docs for vSphere (training to upgrade my VCP to 4).

Nick

[AntonVZhbankov]

>As far as I know Shared folders is not supported on ESX.

True. The only reason why shared folders are shown for ESX VMs - unified VMware Tools.

What do you need shared folders on ESX for?

---

MCSA, MCTS, VCP, VMware vExpert '2009

http://blog.vadmin.ru

[AWo]

VMware Shared Folders are only available under VM Workstation, Fusion and Player.

AWo
VCP / VMware vEXPERT 2009

\[:o]===\[o:]

=Due to lack of employees, human beings work here. - Treat them carefully, they are rare.=

[ouch]

We have set up a fully isolated development environment in the virtual world, which means zero network connectivity with the "outside" world. The requirement therefore, is to find a mechanism to move files between the dev environment and the outside world. Because the dev machines are VMs running on a blade server in a remote location, we can't connect USB keys or USB drives to it temporarily.

We were thinking of setting up a demilitarised computer connected to dev and production networks, with heavy firewalling and protection, but a 'shared folder' might have worked, because if it mapped to an ESX host directory, we could have used SCP to upload and download files to/from the ESX server shared "folder" as the ESX server itself is on the prod network.

[AndreTheGiant]

You can use a vmdk disk that you "share" between two VM.

But only one VM must be powered on at the same time.

Andre

[Texiwill · Accepted solution]

Hello,

The vmhgfs driver (VMware Shared Folders) will not work with ESX or ESXi, it is only for Workstation, Fusion,a nd Player. I would put in a virtual firewall that denies all access to and from the dev environment until you are ready to share off data.

You can then open a port on the firewall and have a system grab that data through the port. The alternative is to use something like a Keyspan USB over IP hub and write the data to a USB key, then physically move it to the 'production' side of the house.

In general I find in place virtual firewalls much easier.... Even VMsafe will work here.

Best regards,
Edward L. Haletky VMware Communities User Moderator, VMware vExpert 2009

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