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kennr9787
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VMware Tools Installer, Setup64.exe Does Not Run

The Host System is Windows 10 with MS Visual C++ 2015-2019 Redistributable (x64) installed (v14.29.30135). The Guest OS is Ubuntu Linux 22.04. The Oracle VM VirtualBox is version 6.1.34 with VBox Guest Additions v6.1.34 and Oracle_VM_VirtualBox_Extension_Pack-6.1.34.vbox-extpack installed. Hardware is laptop x64 machine.

I am stuck trying to install VMware-tools-windows-12.0.5-19716617. The installer setup64.exe seems to start to run but then quickly stops running without any error messages. I have tried two separate methods (independent download of.exe file, same .exe file from cdrom .iso image), results same. I do not understand why vmware tools setup64.exe installer is failing to run. Please advise how to fix. Thank you.

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kennr9787
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Thank you for your reply.  I think I understand.  I still have some questions though.  The shared clipboard does work between applications across the Host/Guest OS boundary for applications (example two text editor apps), but not with the Ubuntu Terminal CLI?   I needed especially to use the copy/paste or drag/drop a file across the OS boundary, but that feature has been unsuccessful.  Also in the virtual machine menu I keep looking for a VM (Tools) menu heading which I have not seen?  Finally how can I verify the vmware tools install is complete?  I appreciate your time on this.

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bluefirestorm
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VMware Tools is to be installed on the guest OS not on the host.

For Linux guests, these days most distros would install open source vmware-tools automatically when the VM is created.

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kennr9787
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Thank you for your reply.  I think I understand.  I still have some questions though.  The shared clipboard does work between applications across the Host/Guest OS boundary for applications (example two text editor apps), but not with the Ubuntu Terminal CLI?   I needed especially to use the copy/paste or drag/drop a file across the OS boundary, but that feature has been unsuccessful.  Also in the virtual machine menu I keep looking for a VM (Tools) menu heading which I have not seen?  Finally how can I verify the vmware tools install is complete?  I appreciate your time on this.

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bluefirestorm
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Have a look at this: https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-Tools/12.0.0/com.vmware.vsphere.vmwaretools.doc/GUID-C48E1F14-240D...

You can also check if the vmtools if running, there should one instance as root and one instance as the signed in user.

ps -ef | grep vmtoolsd

Just make sure in the VM settings, Options, Guest Isolation that enable drag and drop and enable copy and paste are enabled. But it can be finicky.

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kennr9787
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I followed the (re-)install procedure in the URL you gave me, same result, no difference.
I used the Ubuntu CLI command you gave me.  Notice there is only one item in result.

~$ ps -ef | grep vmtoolsd
kennr     3188     2538 . . . vmtoolsd

Perhaps the user (kennr) is the root?  Second entry for root was not found.

With the Guest VM Ubuntu turned off, I could only find Machine > Settings.
There was no VM settings, Options, Guest Isolation (found by me, at all).

By the way:  The posted solution was mistakenly posted by me.  I tried to delete that
mistaken part of the post but the website did not offer any way for me to do the delete.

I appreciate your time on this.

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bluefirestorm
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Did you reboot after installing the Open VMware Tools? If you are seeing only one line that might be just the grep. This is what the ps -ef in an Ubuntu 20.04 VM looks like.

root 859 1 0 14:06 ? 00:00:00 /usr/bin/vmtoolsd
me 2068 1594 0 14:07 ? 00:00:00 /usr/bin/vmtoolsd -n vmusr --blockFd 3
me 2777 2755 0 14:08 pts/0 00:00:00 grep --color=auto vmtoolsd

I assumed you were using Workstation Pro 16.x. Looks like Player does not have Guest Isolation in the Option tab. FWIW, only when it is unchecked vmx entries are added and these vmx entries are removed if they are enabled. So it looks like it is enabled by default.

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kennr9787
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When I check with the Guest VM Linux turned off, the Oracle VM VirtualBox About Box said v6.1.34.  So assuming Workstation Pro 16.x appears not to be a good assumption (mistake).  Not using Player either (another mistake).  I am unable to find an Options tab anywhere.

Of your two entries from ps -ef, mine had only your second entry identified (matched) by "--color=auto vmtoolsd".

The only obvious capability that appears to be missing on my machine is drag/drop file transfer across the OS boundary.  There are other possibilities.  Perhaps I can teach the Guest Ubuntu OS to accept (read) a usb thumbdrive.  Or out of desperation perhaps I could include the transfer file into an (.iso) image and read it in off a virtual cdrom like the other (,iso)s.  Also cut/paste onto the Ubuntu CLI seems disabled while cut/paste between text editors works well.  Maybe that is all it does.

I appreciate yo directed me not to run the vmtools installer Setup64.exe in Windows 10 Host.

 

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scott28tt
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If you're running the VM on VirtualBox rather than on any VMware product, why would you need VMware Tools at all?

Quite why you posted this thread in an area for a vSphere security advisory is also anyone's guess.

 


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Although I am a VMware employee I contribute to VMware Communities voluntarily (ie. not in any official capacity)
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kennr9787
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Hello VMware Employee:

I think you are right about my machine not needing VMware Tools (at all) with Oracle VM VirtualBox on Windows 10 Host.  But that understanding did not come to me right away.  The previous commenter had to explain that to me. 

I guess I mistakenly thought that like VBoxGuestAdditions, the Tools would just install from Windows especially since the VMware Tools installer was a Windows (.exe) file.  But as the previous commenter brought out the correct Tools (in my case) Open VM Tools are meant to be installed from within the Linux Guest OS.  Something like, [$ sudo apt-get update, then $ sudo apt-get install open-vm-tools-desktop].  The product names VMware Tools and Open VM Tools although similar are meant for different systems and installed differently.  Something I had to learn and understand better now.  My thanks to the previous commenter for setting me straight on that.

Why did I select this forum?  Well I did a Google search on VMware Tools forums and this one came up.  The way it is labeled, vmware communities, I figured it was an ordinary Q/A forum.  I had no idea it was monitored by vSphere security advisory., not even knowing what that designation means.

I ask your forgiveness if I have bothered you or distracted you.  My apologies regarding that.  In the final, I think you guys did help my situation.

Sincerely,
kennr

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scott28tt
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Well I actually meant the specific forum area rather than the communities as a whole, if you look above your initial comment you'll see the path to the thread in the overall hierarchical structure:

Screenshot 2022-06-07 at 12.48.05.png

Your thread is in an area for a vSphere security advisory, even though what you're asking about is something completely different.

 


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Although I am a VMware employee I contribute to VMware Communities voluntarily (ie. not in any official capacity)
VMware Training & Certification blog
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bluefirestorm
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I did see the Oracle VirtualBox in the reference but I gave OP benefit of the doubt that it might be error of copy/paste from a VirtualBox forum.

scott28tt,

This was a bizarre thread. Where would this thread go now? 🤣

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BigMike23
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Question asked and answered by the same person.