Where are Mac OS X Guest VMWare tools?

[fusion_enthusia]

I can't seem to find the VMWare tools in Mac OS X Guest.  I don't see it as an application, utility, or System Preferences panel.  I did install the tools using the menu option, and installing from the disk image.

Although I don't have Linux VM Guests, I see that VMWare provides a solution for Linux.

[rrobino]

They are in the extra large installer package that contains the pay-for 3rd party junk you didn't pay for.

They bundled this piece in that you did pay for with the other one because they do not think that you're intelligent, so you deserve to spend more time and money on the bigger download, because you are such an idiot this will make you want to buy their upsells and if they didn't do this then you wouldn't want to buy them.

Remember, this isn't about you, the customer, or even Engineering, this is about someone who is less smart than you that decided that doing things this way might make the company more money the short term, and to a person without your intelligence that is a tactic that makes enough sense that they would risk your continued custom.

That is why this issue is simply dismissed in Knowledge Base article 2006784

There are at least two things that you can do, since they have already decided to tell you this is just how it is, take it or leave it.  I say leave it if this is how they are going to treat you:

    1.  Check out the laws in your Country/State/Municipality, see if there is a bait-and-switch law that allows you to get your money back.

    2.  Because that probably won't work, switch to Virtual Box and/or Parallels instead of paying for the next upgrade.

Don't give more money to VMware unless they come around to the idea that it's about pleasing the customer, not forcing them to do things.

That is the only recourse they have made available at this time.

Things get bad with a company and their product for a while, but you're invested - it's tough to leave and it's what you know, so normally you shrug it off and do what you have to do.  Well, that's bugs anyway.  But this isn't a bug.  This is the way VMware is going to be now.

You don't have to do this.  There are alternatives.

[dariusd]

Hi fusion_enthusiast,

The VMware Tools for Mac OS guests currently have no application, utility or System Preferences pane -- they should run in the background and simply hum along unobtrusively, just like most things Macintosh. 

You should see the relevant vmware-tools-daemon processes in Activity Viewer to indicate that it's installed and running, and of course you should get the copy-and-paste support and fit-guest resolution changes from Tools too.

Is there some particular Tools functionality that you'd like to see available (with a user interface) within the Mac OS guest?

Cheers,

--

Darius

[dariusd]

Hi rrobino,

On the contrary, VMware Tools are automatically downloaded on-demand, a feature which was designed to maximize ease-of-use for most customers while also minimizing the download size for those same customers.  We continue to provide the full download for power-users -- to better serve customers who know that they are going to need to download multiple tools packages (for many GOSes, for deployment onto multiple computers, or both) and for environments where Internet access will be unavailable at the time Tools is installed.

If you can provide more information on why the on-demand download feature isn't meeting your needs, we can work towards resolving the issue, or if there is a deficiency in the design of the feature, we can take your use-case into consideration for future development.

Thanks,

--

Darius

[rrobino]

First, let me tell you here that there are many many power-users reading this who are not going to post but they don't like to read obvious baloney like "there is no problem here" and the assertion that the full download is for power users. It makes me quite skeptical that you reply is even serious, given that there are many reports of this same problem with all of the possible details, and there is also a KB article on the subject acknowledging the behavior.

If the tools are supposed to be downloaded on-demand then that feature is busted.  That's what power-users would ilke to hear - hey, we just came out with this software, it has some bugs but we'll fix it.  Instead we're getting KB articles that say you have to download the Full installer and "users" such as yourself that both deny the problem's existence and then ask for some proof.  Not very helpful.

Attached is a screen shot of what happens when you click on the live menu-item "Upgrade VMware Tools" in the version 4 UI, and keep in mind this is what VMware's own KB article confirms:

Now, my question to you is:  why troll?

Just be silent unless you really have a solution.  Thanks.

[fusion_enthusia]

Thank you.  I had to ask, because it appears that VMWare supplies interfaces and command-line tools for the guest OS.  The only thing I'm looking for is the ability to shrink the Mac OS X guest, something that has to be done within the OS on Windows.

I found the option to optimize the disk under VM settings, General, but it is grayed out on my Mac OS Guests, and on my Windows VM, I have an option to optimize and reclaim 1.5GB.  I have one Mac OS X guest with 15GB free, my trash is emptied, it is shut down, and has no snapshots.

[stefanpmac]

fusion_enthusiast,

You might find this URL interesting/helpful:

http://superuser.com/questions/325233/can-you-shrink-the-sparse-disk-image-of-a-mac-os-x-guest-os-in...

Since I don't run Mac OS as a guest (rather, I run XP as guest), I don't know how well this would work...

S>

[dariusd]

Hi rrobino,

I'm sorry you feel that way.  My reply was an honest response and a good-faith attempt to engage you in a discussion to address your concerns.  I will, perhaps naively, continue in my attempt, while admitting that I cannot immediately give you the solution you seek.

I do not claim that "there is no problem here".  It appeared from your post that you misunderstood the purpose of the "light" installer, and I openly acknowledged that we had to work to address your concerns, whether it was a failure of the on-demand download feature to function as expected or a failure of the feature to meet your needs.  I see other forum posts from users claiming that on-demand download isn't working for them, and I also see posts from users of the "light" bundle claiming that on-demand download is working (for one, see stefanpmac's post a few minutes ago).  So the feature isn't totally broken, but certainly it isn't working for everyone either.

The KB article to which you have referred is a general solution for users who find that Fusion is unable to contact the download server.  Rather than attempt to diagnose every possible end-user's network connection or download problem (which would be a technical support nightmare), a "sure-fire" solution is to ask the user to download the "full" package.  This will work around failures caused by any odd  network configurations which VMware Workstation might not be able to handle as comprehensively as your browser (strange network proxies, for example), as well as working around host-side  software which might interfere with the ability of the VMware  Workstation UI to contact our servers (anti-malware or firewall software, for example).  We honestly do not expect that many users will need the full download -- the download-on-demand feature is expected to function correctly.  I do not claim that it is working correctly for everyone, merely that it is expected to do so.

It is entirely possible that it is a problem at VMware's end of the line (maybe the components haven't yet been correctly published worldwide through our Content Distribution partner?), in which case we can try to diagnose it and work on fixing it so everyone can download the components.  It is also possible that it is a problem at your end of the line, in which case we can help try to resolve it... but only if you are willing to engage in level-headed dialog and troubleshooting.

Are you willing to engage in genuine discussion on the topic?

If so, could you kindly check which version of Fusion you are using?  We released Fusion 4.0.0 (465617) and then very soon afterwards we released 4.0.1 (474597).  Apple menu > About VMware Fusion... will tell you which you are running.  Maybe the problem is only with 4.0.0 or only with 4.0.1.  Let's start there.

Sincerely,

--

Darius

[youngjm]

I am running 4.0.1 and installed Lion as a Guest.  I downloaded the light version of the download file.  Once Lion was up and running, I ejected the lion install image which then appeared to allow the tools to run?  This is what I observed.  In the background it might have been coincidence as it might have been downloading the tools from VMWare?  What came up was a disk image with an installer and an uninstaller.

[stefanpmac]

youngjm,

That makes sense since the VM menu item "Install VMware Tools" mounts an image containing the tools to your CD-ROM/DVD-ROM drive in the guest.

Since the install image is still mounted (and accessible in the guest), VMware can't mount the tools image and stops there until you unmount/eject the install image from your CD-ROM/DVD-ROM drive.

Darius, perhaps you guys need to make that clearer in the pop-up window?

S.

[rrobino]

Darius,

I remain ready to engage in meaningful discussion on this subject,if it is likely to lead to a resolution in favor of the user.

What I am not ready to do, however, is take more of the dismissive and patronizing nonsense that seems to contradict itself.  Among the various things one can read from your tone is that you appear to work for VMware. Yet this is not clear.  Do you represent VMware?

If so, then let's just get down to business and work through the issues.  A good starting point might be to establish what we think are the facts.  First, I'll start us off with identifying the problems that I perceive

P1.  The "Upgrade VMware Tools" feature does not work on a vanilla installation of 4.0.  Importance:  garden variety bug, unless VMware says it's not a bug (in that case see P2).

P2.  Given VMware's KB article stating very clearly that the reason for the feature not working, citing even the exact error message that I and others have seen, it seems to me that VMware is pulling a fast one over on the users in order to make some extra money.  Importance: major, because VMware is often at the "core" of so many production deployments and dickering with the packaging like this puts the integrity of the product into question.

Ok, so does P1 exist?

If we ask VMware, as represented by KB 2006784 confirms the existence by describing the problem exactly and it is quite clear about the cause:

This error occurs because the light version of Fusion does not include the component you are trying to install.

If we ask another poster, they assert that it does not happen for them.  Well that is odd.  How is that possible?  Either the problem is truly variable or they are lying (even if unintentionally - like someone with a test-environment that has updated the tools so many times that it always works).

If we ask Darius, it does and it does not work, and KB 2006784 is both right and wrong.  It works for other posters, so we believe that; it does not work for other posters, so we believe that too. KB 2006784 is right in that it does recommend a solution known to work; yet it is wrong because (as Darius claims) the light version of Fusion does in fact include the component you are trying to install.

So, where do we end up with P1?  I guess it depends on who you ask.  Solution for the users - it's still not, Ok, VMware is on this, we are now protected from the influences on product management that made us do this and you (dear user, who is always right) will not have to worry that our lapse will be repeated.  Instead, the only practical answer is to go get the big installer.  Or fiddle with the package.

That status indicates that problem P2 is the real general problem, manifesting itself in many bugs.  I think that because when the feature is this susceptible to breakage (being dependent on the network, and in other versions the tools were installed on host), any QA department would have been on this; and when QA reports something and it doesn't get fixed but a KB article comes to dismiss it instead, on the day of release, on the front page of support insider (but otherwise) difficult to find - then I think P2 is real here.

I don't want to believe that but that's what I derive from the lack of outright acknowledgement or fixes.  No, I'm calling VMware on this one and they can tell me I'm wrong about it and still keep the KB article up there at the same time.  If they do the right thing, that would be great.  If they don't, I won't lose sleep over it, just $50.

[fusion_enthusia]

Thank you for the suggestion, and great find! It looks promising, and I even tried searching for threads on Snow Leopard Server.

But I cannot find the file it refers to under /Library/Application Support/VMWare Fusion/, so I suspect it may have been pulled for Version 4.

[dariusd]

Hi rrobino,

The "vm" badge just below my avatar placeholder indicates that I am a VMware employee, and you can click on my name to find out more about me and my posting history here.  I work on the virtual EFI firmware, responsible for booting Mac OS within a VM (among other things), and I take a general interest in trying to make sure Fusion and Workstation work well for everyone.

I can assure you, in the most strong of terms, that we do not aim to have all of our users download the full version.  Rather than debate a conspiracy theory, all I can do is try to address the factual issues.  So:

Regarding your P1: Upgrade VMware Tools will not work until you either have the full version of Fusion or have the light version successfully download the relevant tools package from the component download server.  (Let me know if you have encountered some other issue here.)

Regarding your P2: I have filed an internal request that the KB article be clarified.  Downloading the "full" version is a workaround for a scenario where the component  download is unavailable, a fact which the KB crucially omits.  I do not yet know why the component download  is unavailable to you and the posters elsewhere, and I don't know what proportion of users are encountering trouble with component download.  Unless there is some catastrophic and universal problem with component download of which I am not yet aware, it is misleading for the KB article to imply that the VMware Tools are only available by downloading the "full" version.

There are many factors that can cause the component download to work for one person and not another.  I sincerely believe the posters who are saying that component download isn't working for them, and I also sincerely believe the posters who say that component download is working for them.  There is no logical inconsistency in believing both -- it merely suggests that we need to try to find and solve the problem(s) affecting the people for whom it isn't working, and we can only do that with their active cooperation.

Sincerely,

--

Darius

[rrobino]

Darius,

I believe you and thank you for putting my fears at ease.  If the feature is supposed to work and one does not need to download the full installer, then I think the root-cause here is the KB article.

What I was reacting to was what I perceived as a cheap ploy to get users to install the extra junk in the full installer, in order to maximize the amount of cash they could get out of a user.  When a company stoops to tactics like that it makes me angry.  I see that you understand that, and I believe from your statements that there is no monkey business like that happening with this issue. Ok, maybe the feature is a little weak, got by QA somehow and coincidentally was postured quite wrongly by the KB article. That's understandable, it's software.

And, I didn't know what the little blue flag meant under your avatar meant so I thought I was dealing with a fan-person blindly defending their beloved technology.  That kind of non-help is so prevalent these days that it just added to my resentment of the whole situation.

I realize that my rants can be seen as a little kooky and over-sensitive, but one looks at Apple (ok, Oracle, MS, even Linux) and you see that there is a trend to force the user to do things that they really didn't expect to have to do - and companies get away with it because it's a license thing.  If VMware took a page from that book I would not have been surprised. Again, I am relieved to hear that they did not.

In my opinion this could all be righted by creating some other more direct means of downloading the tools, maybe an iso like vmware used to distribute; or at the very least to update the KB article to include the language about the light installer including the tools, along with a workaround procedure. Had I read what you wrote in the KB article I would never have posted a word.

Again, thanks for keeping with it and for being able to see this from a customer's perspective.

[ColoradoMarmot]

How about shrink?

Currently there's apparently no way to do that for an OSX Guest.

[koi]

I didn't know what the little blue flag meant under your avatar meant

Just to be clear, it's the greyscale "vm" box that's important, not the blue flag. The flag (or other badge, such as pawn, brain, etc) is roughly correlated how many posts a user has made and not much else. The "vm" box is not an absolute guide to who have useful information (some are ordinary users who happen to work at VMware, but have no knowledge of issues at hand), but many of the ones on this forum (including dariusd) do.

[SvenGus]

Well, it doesn't require a preference pane (even if a VMware Tools preference pane would be cool, anyway), but Unity (seamless windows) also for Mac OS X guests would be great!

Maybe in Fusion 5, who knows...

BTW, I noticed that the sound menu extra is active in an OS X Lion guest from the beginning, also without the Tools installed: how do you get sound in OS X guests, then? IIRC, there are also no AppleAC97-type kernel extensions being installed. Anyway, sound is still stuttering sometimes (like it was with VMsvga2), for example with the "glass" system alert sound: it makes something like "bing-bing", instead of just "bing"; which could be fixed, probably.

... Another thing: would it be possible to get rid of the "/" icon on the Desktop? Ideally, the VMware Shared Folders shortcut should be sufficient: why this "/" duplicate (which also seems to be the main network drive: can't it be named directly VMware Shared Folders?)...?

[admin]

Thank you to Darius for bringing this thread to my attention.

We have identified an issue that is preventing on-demand downloading of VMware Tools in VMware Fusion 4.0 and 4.0.1. The root cause of the issue is on our servers, not in the VMware Fusion 4 software. We're working on a fix and are expecting to have it in place early next week. Users running Windows are not affected because the VMware Tools for Windows are included in both the light and full downloads.

As a work-around, users who want to run Linux, Mac OS or Solaris VMs should download the full version of the VMware Fusion 4 installer. It includes VMware Tools for all guest OSs. I apologize for the incovenience of having to repeat the download for a larger file. This work-around will only be necessary until the server fix is in place.

Simon

VMware Fusion PM

[havema1]

Thanks rrobino and dariusd,

Also in my VMware 4.0.1 here in Finland the "light" version (I always downloaded the light version in VMware 3) unsuccessfully tries to download the relevant Ubuntu 10.04 tools package from the component download server.

So the on-demand download feature does not function as expected, right?

And this is going to be fixed in the 4.0.2 download or making the on-demand download to work, right?

I assume the "light" package to contain all VMware-related material excluding 3rd party junk. This kind of behaviour is not good for McAfee either.

[admin]

The server that provides on-demand tools downloads is the problem. It will be fixed early next week. I would not anticipate needing to issue a patch.

Simon