failed to install vmware tools without reboot

[jujurackon]

Hi guys,

I need to upgrade some ESX 3.x to 3.5u4 and therefore upgrade vmware tools, but no interruption allowed, I must wait weekly scheduled restart to reboot VMs.

here is my process :

- vmotion all vms of one esx to another one

- enter esx in maintenance mode and stop it

- boot esx from esx cdrom, install & configure esx

- vmotion all vms to newly installed ESX

- do the same for all the ESXs

- upgrade vmware-tools within the Guests (windows)

- wait for weekly scheduled restart

So, I read this thread http://communities.vmware.com/thread/168530 and test all of the solutions without any result :

- option 'REBOOT="ReallySuppress"' : install/upgrade tools task hang for a while before ending with timeout error

- option $insParm = '/s /v"/qn /norestart"' : the task run and finish correctly but nothing really happen (guest vmware tools status keep saying "out of date")

Does someone manage to install vmware-tool without reboot.

besides I've no access to windows guest

Thanks for your help

[RParker]

Does someone manage to install vmware-tool without reboot.

Yes, start / stop vmtools service.

The only thing the tools do for a restart, is install the NIC driver, the rest of the drivers can be done during run. So technically you don't NEED to restart, it's just recommended. Stop / start the service will prevent the restart.. however no way to automate this function, that's the tricky part.

[jujurackon]

Hi,

Actually it works, here is how i did it :

$insParm='/S /v" /qn REBOOT=ReallySuppress" instead of '/S /v" /qn /norestart"' or just 'REBOOT="ReallySuppress"'

Anyway, thanks for your answer

Regards, Julien

[raghavendrats]

I am facing te same problem with these scripts. Please post here if anyone got the solution for this.

[raghavendrats]

You can use this script to update the VMware tools on your running VMs without reboot.

get-Cluster -name "testcluster"|get-vm | where-object {$_.powerstate -eq "PoweredON"}| Get-View `

| Where-Object { $_.Config.Tools.ToolsVersion -ne “8.0.1.11537" } `

| Get-VIObjectByVIView `

| Update-Tools -NoReboot

This Script will run only on PowerCLI 4.0 with Update 1. In the script

you are require to mention the current VMware tolls version. Based on

verifying this the Script will automatically update the VM into the

next available version. It worked for me.

[CLOF]

I tried that solution but it didn't work.... Ok the tools are updated but as I had opened a 'Virtual Machine console window' on the server, I saw the server rebooting without any warnings....

PowerCLI Version

-

---

VMware vSphere PowerCLI 4.0 U1 build 208462

Server OS : Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition SP2