Need script to enable "Check and upgradetools during power cycling" on all VMs

[jcouch]

What is the best method for enabling this option on all VMs? Is there a good way to do it without either editing the VMX files on every machine or doing it manually though edit settings?

[jhjkempen]

that's sad.... So now way to use powercli on esxi 4.1 free to change things?

Can i use powercli to invoke .bat file on all vmwares simultanous?

a script that would call a batch file on the vmware it self... That way i could do some update work without going to each vmware and click on the bat file...         

[LucD]

I'm afraid not.

And I'm afraid I can test that 2nd question, I don't have a free ESXi 4.1 available.

[jhjkempen]

what would be the code for a non-free version of esxi? I can test it on my free version:smileylaugh:

[LucD]

I would try with the Invoke-VMScript cmdlet to start the BAT file.

[jhjkempen]

was already googling on that before your answer:) trying to figure out how to run this on all vmwares at the same time...    

[LucD]

Try something like this

Get-VM | %{
  Invoke-VMScript -VM $_ -ScriptType bat -ScriptText '<your command(s)>' -GuestUser guser -GuestPassword gpswd
}

You probably will have to add the HostUser and HostPassword as well

[jhjkempen]

thanks for that, will give it a try. First trying to running a command on a single machine, only got screwed with having the PowerCli on my 64 bit Windows 7 machine. Invoke-VMScript needs 32bit.... Trying it for an old Vmware XP machine...    

[jhjkempen]

any idea how to run Invoke-VMScript on a 64 bit Windows 7 machine?

googled for half an hour but no real clues...        

EDIT

stupid me, the powercli installer already made 2 icons, 64bit and 32 bit...         

[LucD]

I'm afraid Invoke-VMScript only runs in 32-bit.

And yes, use the 2nd icon to start PowerCLI in 32-bit mode

[jhjkempen]

is nothing allowed on a free version of Esxi?

C:\PS>$vm = Get-VM myVM

Invoke-VMScript -VM $vm -ScriptText "dir" -HostUser root -HostPassword mypass -G
uestUser administrator -GuestPassword mypass

Invoke-VMScript : 11-5-2012 12:20:34    Invoke-VMScript        While performing
 operation 'Connect to host service 'https://server1/sdk' at port 902' the foll
owing error occured: 'This operation is not supported with the current license'

Invoke-VMscript -VM $vm -ScriptText "c:\windows\explorer.exe" -HostUser root -HostPassword xxx -GuestUser guser -GuestPassword gpswd

same error...

so can't perform any action on a vmware because of the free version?
     

[LucD]

I was afraid of that, only the Get- cmdlets will work with the free ESXi version.

[jhjkempen]

that sucks. we gonna have to stuck with the schedule.bat that is running each night on the vmware.

[faf1967]

What if the server does not have the tools installed, will this check mark install the tools? I do not think it will but I wanted to throw it out there just in case.

What are some ways that you install the tools from a remote PC where you can not reboot a server?

[LucD]

You could use the Mount-Tools cmdlet and then use the method described in KB1018377 through Invoke-VMScript.

[RichEB]

Is there a way to run this against a list of VM's? I have some VM's that I do not want to update the tools on and was wondering if it would be simple to run this script against a list of ones that I want to change to "UpgradeAtPowerCycle"

Thanks

Rich

[LucD]

The selection of the targetted VMs is done with the Get-VM cmdlet.

Without any parameters it will return all VMs known in your vCenter or ESXi host.

You can use the Name parameter with a specific or a partial name.

Get-VM -Name VM*

This will return all VMs whose name starts with VM.

Or you can use a Where-clause to filter out the VMs you want.

Get-VM | Where {$_.NumCpu -eq 2}....

Or you can even store the names in a file, read the content and use those on the Name parameter

Get-VM -Name (Get-Content vmnames.txt)

And there are many other possibilities.

[RichEB]

I have the list, I need a way to use that list to change the setting on only those vm's.  I was thinking maybe something like below:

$vmConfigSpec = New-Object VMware.Vim.VirtualMachineConfigSpec

$vmConfigSpec.Tools = New-Object VMware.Vim.ToolsConfigInfo

$vmConfigSpec.Tools.ToolsUpgradePolicy = "UpgradeAtPowerCycle"

$vms = get-content "c:\list\vms.txt"

For-each $vm in $vms {

Get-View -ViewType VirtualMachine -filter @{"Name" = "$vm"} | %{$_.ReconfigVM($vmConfigSpec)}

}

[LucD]

That should work as well.

With Get-View you retrieve the actual vSphere object.

[dhenry123]

Check this link for an option to change this setting - easily configured through vUM.

http://pubs.vmware.com/vsphere-51/index.jsp?topic=%2Fcom.vmware.vsphere.update_manager.doc%2FGUID-6F...

To enable upgrading of VMware Tools on power cycle, use one of the following options. Option Action VMware Tools upgrade settings a On the Home page of the vSphere Client , select VMs and Templates and click the Update Manager tab. b Select a virtual machine or a container object from the inventory. c Click VMware Tools upgrade settings. d In the Edit VMware Tools upgrade settings window, select the check boxes of the virtual machines for which you want to enable VMware Tools upgrade on power cycle. e Click Apply.

[AlbertWT]

Do this script works for the vSphere 5.1 Update 1 ?