VMware Tools installation on Bulk Windows VM

[aichsurajit]

Hello All,

I am trying to install standalone VMwareTools in all my Windows VMs. I am using the below commands via PowerShell script.

============================================================================================================

$vCS = 'XXXXXXX'
$cred = Get-Credential
#and connect vCenter
set-PowerCLIConfiguration -InvalidCertificateAction Ignore
connect-viserver -server $vCS -Credential $cred
$cred
if ($error.Count -eq 0) {
    Write-Output ((Get-Date -Format ("[yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss] ")) + ":Info: vCenter $vCS successfully connected" )}

$computerlist = Get-Content -Path C:\temp\Servers.txt
$GuestCred = $Host.UI.PromptForCredential("Please enter credentials", "Enter Guest credentials", "", "")

$computerlist = Get-Content -Path C:\temp\Servers.txt
$GuestCred = $Host.UI.PromptForCredential("Please enter credentials", "Enter Guest credentials", "", "")

foreach ($computer in $computerlist) {

Invoke-VMScript -VM $computer -ScriptType Powershell 'Copy-Item -Recurse -Path "\\RDR-VM1245\VMwareTools" -destination "C:\"' -GuestCredential $GuestCred
Write-Host "VMwareTools folder copied to C:\" -ForegroundColor Green

Invoke-Command -ComputerName $computer -ScriptBlock {Start-Process -FilePath C:\VMwareTools\VMware-tools-11.3.0-18090558-x86_64.exe -ArgumentList '/s /v "/qn REBOOT=R ADDLOCAL=ALL"'}

}

============================================================================================

I am getting the below errors :

This command cannot be run due to the error: The system cannot find the file specified.
+ CategoryInfo : InvalidOperation: (:) [Start-Process], InvalidOperationException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : InvalidOperationException,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.StartProcessCommand
+ PSComputerName : XXXXXXXXX

Note : Folder is getting copied to remote VM.

Please suggest and help to rectify the mistake. I am a beginner at PowerShell. Help!

[LucD]

Why are you doing the copy with Invoke-VMScript and the execution with Invoke-Command?
Also for the copy, you could use the Copy-VMGuestFile cmdlet.

The error message is quit clear, the Start-Process cmdlet doesn't seem to find the file.
You can add some checks:
- add the Verbose switch to the Start-Process
- first do a "dir" of the folder, to actually confirm the files are there.

[aichsurajit]

Hello @LucD ,

Below result from one of the guest VM:

1. DIR of the folder which is getting copied to the C:\ of the remote VM.

2. Added the verbose switch to the script

VERBOSE: 9/30/2021 6:15:35 PM Invoke-VMScript Finished execution

VM : XXXXXXX
ExitCode : 0
ScriptOutput :
Uid : /VIServer=XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX:443/VirtualMachine=VirtualMachine-vm-110617/VMScriptResult=371857150_0/
Length : 0

VMwareTools folder copied to C:\
[XXXXXXXXXX] Connecting to remote server XXXXXXXXX failed with the following error message : Access is denied. For more information, see the about_Remote_Troubleshooting Help topic.
+ CategoryInfo : OpenError: (XXXXXXXX:String) [], PSRemotingTransportException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : AccessDenied,PSSessionStateBroken

[LucD]

That error message probably explains what is happening, you don't seem to have the required permissions to use Invoke-Command towards that machine.

Like I remarked earlier, why the Invoke-Command, you can use just as well the Invoke-VMscript to execute the EXE.