Update Existing Tools Central Repository

[cfsullivan]

We have a central repository for VMware Tools as of several months ago. I would like to update this to the newest version 11.1.1. I can't seem to find a clear article on how to do just this. Can I simply replace the contents of the floppies and vmtools directories with the new files? We are at vCenter and ESXi 6.7 U2. Thanks.

[nachogonzalez]

Hey sir:
Hope this works

There are three steps required to implement a shared repository, also known as the “product locker”:

1. Copy desired VMware Tools installers to a folder on an existing or new shared datastore
2. Update the "UserVars.ProductLockerLocation" on each VMware ESXi host
3. Reboot or manually make the changed configuration effective

Configure a Centralized VMware Tools Installation Repository | Virtual Machine Lifecycle | VMware vS...

Also, I wouldn't install VMware tools 11.11 since those are for vSphere 7
i should go for 10.3.10

Updates to VM Compatibility and VMware Tools with vSphere 6.7 Update 2 - VMware vSphere Blog

[cfsullivan]

I am revisiting this as my manager thinks we should be at a newer version.

I want to make it clear that we already have a central repo and we do happen to have Tools version 10.3.10 in that repository and we are at 6.7 u3o vCenter and hosts.

My question is not how to create a central repo, but what steps are needed to update the repo to the latest version (10.3.24 - I will stay away from version 11 for now as you recommend.)

I have a feeling it's not as simple as deleting the current files and copying the newer ones, but perhaps it is. I just want to make sure I go about this properly.

[berndweyand · Accepted solution]

just replace the content in the folder (same folder structure) and the hosts will recognize the new tools within 5 minutes

[cfsullivan]

Okay, so it is pretty straightforward after all.

Thanks.

[cfsullivan]

I went with the newest version of the Tools (11.3.5) as our oldest version of Windows is 2012 R2. I first tested that version on one of our oldest VMs and found no issues.

I discovered that the ProductLocker location needed to be updated on a large number of hosts because we have replaced so many since the central repo was set up over 2 years ago. (I inherited this from someone else who left.)

Here is something that I can't explain, which I'll express in the form of an example:

• HostA and HostB are both at ESXi, 6.7.0, 17700523 and have the correct ProductLocker location
• VM1 running Windows 2012 R2 on HostB with Tools version 10341 is said to be current
• VM2 running Windows 2012 R2 on HostA with Tools version 11265 is said to need an upgrade
• If I move VM1 to HostA, it is said to need an upgrade. If I move it back to HostB it is marked as current.

What might be the reason for this inconsistency? Also, is there any reason to use the MOB to update the locker location, as opposed to just changing the UserVars.ProductLockerLocation in the Advanced System Settings?

[berndweyand · Accepted solution]

if you have placed tools 11.3.5 in the folder then it must be version 11365.

tools 10.3.5 are 10341, tools 11.0.1 is 11265

can you check via ssh if the productlocker-symlink is pointing to the right folder ?

have the host ever been rebooted after changing the productlocker ? if not you can activate the changes with a reboot oder via MOB interface: https://www.virtualizationhowto.com/2021/05/esxi-vmware-tools-update-guide/

i am doing updates for a long time by only replacing the content - so its strange that you have these problems. it only takes a few minutes for the hosts to check the new version

[cfsullivan]

Thanks for the quick reply.

I have the Tools version table bookmarked and I refer to it often.

To be clear, I did copy the files for 11.3.5 to the central repo and if I update the Tools through vCenter on a VM running on a host that recognizes that the Tools are out of date (like HostA in my example), this absolutely is working. So overall this is consistent with what you have said.

My guess is that the last thing you said is what's needed, which is to update the symlink. In the article I see the command for doing that, but can you tell me the command for just checking it?

[berndweyand]

for just checking enable ssh on the host and login (with putty for example)

then do a "ls -lah"

you should see something like this

lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 43 Nov 30 15:25 productLocker -> /vmfs/volumes/<datastorename>/<vmtools-foldername>/

check if the symlink is pointing to the correct folder

[cfsullivan]

Okay, before you replied I went ahead and used the commands to recreate the symlink and that was the solution! It seemed to take a few minutes, but the Tools upgrade now shows as needed on a VM running on the host on which I recreated the symlink.

I'll use the command you provided to check other hosts.

Thanks for your help. I'll document this so that we know exactly what needs to be done each time we bring in a new host.

[cfsullivan]

I am finding that after setting the new productlocker location in the UI as well as recreating the symlink, Tools upgrades fail until the host is rebooted.

I can compare two hosts side by side and see without doubt that the path is the same on each, but only the one that was rebooted in the interim will allow guests to upgrade the tools.

It's not really feasible for us to reboot all 60 hosts. Is there any way to work around this?

Thanks.