Is USB Redirection broken by VMware Tools 9.0.5.23141?

[JasonPearceAtRi]

I recently upgraded my ESXi hosts from version 5.1.0 v1117900 to v1157734. I'm now attempting to upgrade VMware Tools on all of my VMware View parent virtual machines from v9.0.5.21789 to v9.0.5.23141. Doing so, however, appears to break USB Redirection for all recomposed linked-clone desktops.

USB keyboards and mice continue to work. But USB storage and scanners are not being recognized by the guest OS. I've reproduced this problem on two separate parent virtual machines and desktop pools.

My System:

• VMware Horizon View Administrator is 5.2.0 build-987719
• VMware vCenter is 5.1.0 build-1123961
• Desktop OS is Windows 7 32-bit

My Procedure:

I've attempted two procedures:

Procedure 1:

• Uninstall VMware View Agent, reboot
• Upgrade VMware Tools, reboot
• Reinstall VMware View Agent, shutdown, snapshot
• Recompose desktop pool
• USB stops working (but is installed)

Procedure 2:

• Uninstall VMware View Agent, reboot
• Uninstall VMware Tools, reboot
• Install VMware Tools (all features), reboot
• Install VMware View Agent (all features), shutdown, snapshot
• Recompose desktop pool
• USB stops working (but is installed)

My Question:

Is anyone else experiencing this problem with these versions of Tools and Agent? Are you able to have USB redirection from a linked-clone VM running Tools 9.0.5.23141, Agent 5.2.0.987719, and ESXi 1157734?

[peterbrown05]

could this be a similar problem as identified here: http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=205180...

perhaps not the same scenario - but perhaps the same root cause. - in device manager can you check what version of the vmwvhub (USB Virtual Hub) driver is installed?

[JasonPearceAtRi]

Peter,

Perhaps. I'll will give it a try. Though my problem is a change in VMware Tools, not the VMware View Agent. I'm using the same version of the VMware View Agent, and am instead upgrading to a newer version of VMware Tools to match the recently-patched ESXi hosts. I uninstall the View Agent, upgrade to the newer VMware Tools, and then re-install the exact same View Agent.

I do appreciate the KB and will research to see if it helps. Thank you.

[peterbrown05]

yeah - I appreciate it's slightly different.

If it doesn't work - please make note to check if the DeviceManager shows the USB components installed (pls confirm the driver versions). and if you could grab the view agent debug logs.

If you send them to me I can take a peek to try and figure out where it is broken,

cheers

peterB

[JasonPearceAtRi]

I attempted to completely remove both VMware View Agent and VMware Tools. Then perform a fresh install of both. Everything installs correctly except for View's USB Redirection. Here are the steps I took.

1. Uninstalled VMware View Agent
2. Rebooted
3. Uninstalled VMware Tools
4. Rebooted
5. Deleted c:\ProgramData\VMware
6. Deleted c:\Program Files\VMware
7. Deleted c:\Windows\System32\drivers\vmw*.sys
8. Deleted c:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\vmwvhub*.*
9. Rebooted
10. Installed VMware Tools complete install
11. Rebooted
12. Installed VMware View Agent complete install
13. Error from VMware View Agent Installer Information. "Error 28030. The installer failed to install the USB driver. To ensure a successful installation, please restart your machine and relaunch this installer."
14. Rebooted
15. Installed VMware View Agent complete install
16. Same Error 28030
17. Rebooted
18. Installed VMware View Agent complete install except for USB Redirection
19. Successful installation
20. Rebooted
21. Installed VMware View Agent > Modify > added USB Redirection
22. Same Error 28030

[JasonPearceAtRi]

And this KB from View 4.1 didn't help. VMware KB: Installation of View agent reports "Error 28030. The installer failed to install the...

[peterbrown05]

Hi Jason

this is a weird issue. when you originally reported the problem, it sounded like USB wasn't working - but the installer worked OK. (is that right?)

to investigate your current state I'd need to look at your installer logs - and that should help explain why you are getting this "Error 28030"

however, even if we manage to install it, I'm not sure if that will solve your underlying issue reported at the top.

If you'd like me to try and dig into the install problem that you have now, then can you send me the installer logs. These can be found: %TEMP%\vminst.log_date_timestamp

(as detailed in http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=102774...)

Obviously this may not solve your underlying issue but at least it would get us back to investigating that. - any chance you can roll back to a snapshot of where you were at the start, and we try and solve that rather than this installer problem?

cheers

peterB

[JasonPearceAtRi]

PeterB,

Again, thanks for the advice you have offered.

Test 1

I rolled back to a working snapshot. I uninstalled View Agent and VMware Tools normally. I then installed VMware Tools followed by View Agent. The recomposed desktop pool lost USB pass-though.

Test 2

I rolled back to a working snapshot. I made no change to View Agent or VMware Tools. I instead updated some applications (Java, Flash, etc.). The recomposed desktop pool retained is ability to perform USB pass-through.

Test 3

I rolled back to a working snapshot. I made no change to View Agent or VMware Tools. I applied the past three months of Microsoft Updates (sans IE10). The recomposed desktop pool lost USB pass-though.

Test 4

I rolled back to a working snapshot. I uninstalled View Agent and VMware Tools aggressively, deleting every VMware folder, product, driver I could find (per this KB). I then installed VMware Tools followed by View Agent. I was able to install all parts of the View Agent except for USB Redirection. USB Redirection refuses to install, giving this error.

Next I'm going to just build a brand new parent virtual machine from scratch (not an upgrade). I simply want proof that the version of VMware Tools and View Agent that I have work. I'll apply all Microsoft Updates. If this works, then your theory of legacy drivers that are not removed during an upgrade of Tools and Agent is most likely my issue. I then just have to figure out how to upgrade Tools and Agent on my existing parent virtual machines without losing USB Redirection.

[peterbrown05]

next time you have the machine in a state where the usb isnt working - please can you grab the debug logs files (C:\ProgramData\VMware\VDM\logs\debug*.txt

ill take a look and try and figure out what is missing that is causing the problem.

btw; when the new updates have been installed - are you sure that TCP port 32111 is still open on the firewall?

cheers

peterB

[gsabbatino73]

Hi Jason

     I has a similar error moving from View Agent 5.1 to 5.3. I spent nearly two months trying to figure out how to solve 28030 error, finally I did it!

The issues was related to old copies of vmwvhub.sys left around  in the folder c:\windows\system32\driverstore\filerepository.

Basically you have to follow Wmware KB 2051801 to remove old version of Vmware USB controller drivers left around into the system.

These are the steps I followed:

- remove both View Agent and Vmtools

- reboot

- open a command prompt using "Run as administrator"

- run the command pnputil.exe -e , this will give you a list of all the OEM drivers installed;

- look for reference similar to :

          Driver Package  provider: VMware, Inc.

          Class: Unviersal Serial Bus controllers

- take a note of all the "published names" you found, they are similar to Oemx.inf

- removed all the references of these drivers using the command:

     pnputil.exe -d Oem#.inf

- reboot

- reinstall Vmtools

- reboot

- reinstall view Agent

this should have fixed your issue.

Please let me know if it works fro you as well.

Best regards

Gabriele

[peterbrown05]

Thanks Gabriele - yes - this was a problem when upgrading to versions of View 5.1, 5.2 up through 5.3.

The issue has been fixed in View 5.3 so when you upgrade from that to a newer version of View then you should not experience the same problems.

Any upgrade from an earlier version to anything later than 5.3 will still experience the problem. (Specifically the bug is in the "installer" of the 5.1.x and 5.2.x versions of View. So you need to rectify the issue and install a 5.3 or later issue, and from there the problem should no longer be hit.

kind regards

peterB