Install VMware Tools menu is grayed in VMware workstation 15.1.0, installed on Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server release 7.4 (Maipo)

[nunezjos]

Hello,

I'm new to VMware and I'm having problems while trying to mount a shared drive from inside a guest VM. It turns out I need VMware tools enabled but for some reason it is not enabled.

I did the installation using 'VMware-Workstation-Full-15.1.0-13591040.x86_64.bundle' and all the documentation I see on the Internet talks about mounting a CDROM which I don't have.

There is a way to troubleshoot this issue? So far logs (/var/log/vmware/vmware-usbarb-*.log) are clean and the installation didn't have any errors.

I can provide more details if necessary.

Thanks in advance.

[RDPetruska]

You mount the VMware Tools installation CD-images to the guest VM's CD-ROM drive per the instructions.  What you are mounting are ISO images, which should be included in your Workstation installation (or downloaded when you first choose that family of guest in the tools install menu).  Workstation has not been available on a physical CD/DVD since probably version 3, or perhaps 5 at the latest.

[nunezjos]

Hello RDPetruska,

1. I only got an installer (Shell script with embedded data, not ISO image) from the following location: Download VMware Workstation Pro
2. After I install VMware and start my guest image I try to install 'VMware Tools' but the menu is deactivated

So I'm trying to understand why the tools are not enabled. I understand that once that happens I can proceed with the guest OS steps as outlined here: Manually Installing VMware Tools on a Linux Virtual Machine

[RDPetruska]

1. I only got an installer (Shell script with embedded data, not ISO image) from the following location: Download VMware Workstation Pro

Correct - Workstation UI itself will download the ISO images.

I'm not sure why the menu is greyed out.  Is the VM powered on, and a user logged in? 

[nunezjos]

1. The guest OS is running on
2. I'm logged as root inside the guest OS

You mention something interesting: VMware will download the ISO. I'm behind a firewall and use a web proxy (I checked the settings on Preferences -> Updates -> Software Updates -> Connection Settings -> Manual proxy settings (I use HTTP with a proper address, port, user name and password). If I click on 'Preferences -> Updates -> Software Updates ->Download All components Now' it says than it has all the components (I do not get a timeout or error).

Where else I can look for an explanation of why VMware cannot install the tools?

Thanks!.

[nunezjos]

Also found this on the vmware log:

2019-08-28T14:45:44.589-04:00| vmx| I125: ToolsISO: Refreshing imageName for 'rhel7-64' (refreshCount=1, lastCount=1).

2019-08-28T14:45:44.589-04:00| vmx| I125: ToolsISO: open of /usr/lib/vmware/isoimages/isoimages_manifest.txt.sig failed: Could not find the file

2019-08-28T14:45:44.589-04:00| vmx| I125: ToolsISO: Unable to read signature file '/usr/lib/vmware/isoimages/isoimages_manifest.txt.sig', ignoring.

2019-08-28T14:45:44.590-04:00| vmx| I125: ToolsISO: Updated cached value for imageName to 'linux.iso'.

2019-08-28T14:45:44.590-04:00| vmx| I125: ToolsISO: Selected Tools ISO 'linux.iso' for 'rhel7-64' guest.

2019-08-28T14:45:44.590-04:00| vmx| I125: TOOLS updated cached value for isoImageExists to 1.

2019-08-28T14:45:44.590-04:00| vmx| I125: VMXVmdb_SetToolsVersionStatus: status value set to 'noTools', 'noTools', install possible

2019-08-28T14:45:44.590-04:00| vmx| I125: TOOLS INSTALL initializing state to IDLE on power on.

2019-08-28T14:45:44.590-04:00| vmx| I125: HgfsServerManagerVigorInit: Initialize: dev api

I do see the linux image here:

/usr/lib/vmware/isoimages/

But still that doesn't explain why is grayed out.

[RDPetruska · Accepted solution]

Well, if the Linux.iso image is present, then you can manually install it.  Just edit the CD-ROM settings and select "Image File", and browse to the Linux.iso image.  Check the connected box.  Then in the guest, run the setup steps in the Guest OS Guide/manual.

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[nunezjos]

That worked. After I added the linux.iso as a CDROM I was able to mount it inside the guest OS.

Thanks for the help!.