PowerCli Script to Edit VM Options?

[JDLangdon]

Is there a way to use PowerCli to edit the options of a VM?  More specifically, I'd like to a PowerCli script to select the check boxes on a VM under the Options --> VMware Tools --> Advanced Settings so the that VMware Tools are upgraded during power cycle and time is sync'd.

Thanks,

JD

[Troy_Clavell]

for all guests in vCenter you can do something like for the "check and upgrade tools at power cycle"

get-vm | foreach-object {
$vmConfigSpec = New-Object VMware.Vim.VirtualMachineConfigSpec
$vmConfigSpec.Tools = New-Object VMware.Vim.ToolsConfigInfo
$vmConfigSpec.Tools.ToolsUpgradePolicy = "UpgradeAtPowerCycle"
#$vmConfigSpec.Tools.ToolsUpgradePolicy = "manual"
(Get-View $_.ID).ReconfigVM($vmConfigSpec)
}

Just so you know... there is a bug where anything Windows 2003 and below, will not work unless the reboot is done through and RDP session or while logged into the guest console.  We have a PR open

[BilBens]

see this link

http://www.vhersey.com/2011/05/vmware-powercli-function-to-modify-virtual-machine-configuration-opti...

Sincerely,

Bil Bens

[JDLangdon]

I'm using LANDesk to restart the VM's which appears to work fine.  I'm guessing it is because the reboot is still orginiating inside the guest os.

[Troy_Clavell]

good news.  You want your guests time to sync with ESX?  We sync ours with AD.  We use a script to do that, you can reverse engineer it if you'd like.

$Service = "W32Time"
$arrComputer = Get-Content("c:\pclist.txt")

foreach($strComputer in $arrComputer)
{
Get-VM -Name $strComputer | % { Get-View $_.ID} | `
% {
$spec = New-Object VMware.Vim.VirtualMachineConfigSpec
$spec.tools = New-Object VMware.Vim.ToolsConfigInfo
$spec.tools.syncTimeWithHost = $false
Get-View($_.ReconfigVM_Task($spec))
}

Get-Service W32Time
$time = Get-WmiObject win32_service -ComputerName $strComputer | where-object {$_.Name -eq "W32Time"}
$time.ChangeStartMode("automatic")
$status = (Get-Service -Name $Service -ComputerName $strComputer)
                if($status.status -eq "stopped")
                {
                                ($status).start()
                }
}

This script uncheck's the "Synchronize guest time with host" then starts the windows time service in the guest OS

[maishsk]

I actually just wrote a function to update this exact setting yesterday.

Set-UpdateToolsPolicy–For your VM’s

Maish

VMTN Moderator | vExpert

Author of VMware vSphere Design

@maishsk | My Blog

[JDLangdon]

Ok.  Last question, I think.

How do I use this script with a text file containing a list of VM's that I want to make the modifications to?

[Troy_Clavell · Accepted solution]

here's what we use if you want to pull from a text file.

$vmConfigSpec = New-Object VMware.Vim.VirtualMachineConfigSpec
$vmConfigSpec.Tools = New-Object VMware.Vim.ToolsConfigInfo
#$vmConfigSpec.Tools.ToolsUpgradePolicy = "manual"
$vmConfigSpec.Tools.ToolsUpgradePolicy = "UpgradeAtPowerCycle"

Get-Content -Path "C:\names.txt" | %{
    (get-vm -Name $_).Extensiondata.ReconfigVM($vmConfigSpec)
}