Windows 7 ENT 64-bit video driver problem under ESXi 4.0

[FilippoNeri]

Hi,

I installed Windows 7 Enterprise 64-bit OS virtual machine under ESXi 4.0.

After installing VMware Tools the screen went wrong. There was no picture at all just small color lines.

I found out that there is an incompatibility between the Windows 7 and ESXi 4.0 and the ESXI should be updated to ESXi 4.0 U1.

Currently it is not possible to upgrade ESXI that is why I reinstalled the Windows 7 and installed VMware Tools without upgrading the video driver.

Windows 7 is working now but the screen response is terrible, I can hardly use the Windows with mouse.

Is there any way to eliminate this problem without upgrading ESXI?

[a_p_]

You could probably try one of the following:

- adjust the hardware acceleration in screen resolution -> advanced settings -> trouble shoot

- extract the VMware tools from the U1 ISO and install them (at least the video driver) in your VM

André

[FilippoNeri]

Hi,

Where should I adjust the hardware acceleration in Windows 7 or in ESXI ?

[JimKnopf99]

Always in Windows

Frank

[VMmatty]

You need the updated video driver which is included in Update 1. If you can't upgrade then you're kind of stuck.

Can you enable remote access to the Windows 7 VM and control it that way? That will give you much better performance than trying to use the vSphere Client.

[FilippoNeri]

Remote access speed using Remote Desktop Connection is also terrible slow.

Is it possible to get out somehow the new VMware Tools from the U1 install set?

[a_p_]

You can download the latest VMware tools package (236512) and extract the windows.iso in "data.tar.gz\data.tar\.\4.0.0\vmtools\windows.iso" using e.g. 7zip.

André

[FilippoNeri]

Hi André,

The VMware Tools upgrade worked fine as you described.

The video driver was changed to VMware SVGA 3D and the resolution can be changed now to a usable value.

Thank you very very much