Updating VM Tools after 3.1.0 Upgrade

[Comprose]

Just downloaded and installed 3.1 upgrade. Unable to open Windows XP Home as the message comes up "VM Tools out of date. Chose the Virtual Machine > Install VMware Tools Menu." Clicking on this produces window with "Click Install to connect the VMware Tools installer CD to this virtual machine.If you do not see VMware Tools installing, run "setup.exe" from the virtual CD-ROM drive in the guest."

I do not see VMware tools installing, and have absolutely no idea how to action "running setup.exe from the virtual CD-ROM drive in the guest". Can you guide me step-by-step through this?

[wila]

Hi,

If you start windows explorer (Try keys Command+E ) do you see a CDrom drive under "My Computer"?

If so, there should be a icon for an application called "Setup" under the My Computer section.

Double click the icon and follow the directions on screen.

Hope this helps,

--
Wil
_____________________________________________________
VI-Toolkit & scripts wiki at http://www.vi-toolkit.com

Contributing author at blog www.planetvm.net

Twitter: @wilva

[Comprose]

Thanks, Wil,

Unfortunately, I cannot even see, nor access, the Start menu.

[wila]

Hmm... well when I upgraded the Tools it was extremely slow for a while during the upgrade process.

Do you have any antivirus/firewall/antimalware software installed that might be interfering with the upgrade process?

If so you might want to pause it.

As for start menu not even accessible, that points to the desktop shell to have been crashed or using up too much resources, it normally resorts itself after playing some suicide mission with itself. Did you try holding down the command key along with the "E" key? It should start up a windows explorer, you should not have to open the start menu for that. (It's Windows key+"E" on a normal keyboard)

--
Wil
_____________________________________________________
VI-Toolkit & scripts wiki at http://www.vi-toolkit.com

Contributing author at blog www.planetvm.net

Twitter: @wilva

[Comprose]

Now wondering if I should do a reinstall of both VMware and Windows XP. Comments?

Nothing happens using Command + E.

[wila]

Hi,

A reinstall of either XP or Fusion should not be required.

Here's an alternative way to start windows explorer.

Can you still get to the task manager? Use send CtrlAltDel from the Virtual Machine menu.

Then select task manager, From the File menu in there, select New Task, enter "Explorer" (without the quotes) and hit enter.

That should start windows explorer.

If it does not do that, then check in task manager if there's a process chewing up all your CPU or if an application is non responsive kill it.

--
Wil
_____________________________________________________
VI-Toolkit & scripts wiki at http://www.vi-toolkit.com

Contributing author at blog www.planetvm.net

Twitter: @wilva

[Comprose]

Clicking on Send Ctrl-Alt-Del in the Virtual Machine menu produced nothing at all.:(

[wila]

Clicking on Send Ctrl-Alt-Del in the Virtual Machine menu produced nothing at all.:(

</div>

:smileyshocked: Your virtual machine is not doing anything at all then?

Have you tried restarting the virtual machine? What does work or what do you see at this moment?

--

Wil

_____________________________________________________

VI-Toolkit & scripts wiki at

Contributing author at blog www.planetvm.net

Twitter: @wilva

[Comprose]

Have tried Suspend, Restart, and Shutting Down and except for those then being greyed out, nothing more happens. Using the VMware Fusion menu I can not quit VMware Fusion unless I do a Force Quit.

What I see is the top title bar (VMware Fusion, File, Edit, etc), t hen the Windows XP Home Edition bar with Startup Snapshot, Roll Back, Settings, etc. Main window is black except for the Windows XP Home Edition logo moving about. Bottom bar has the message VMware Tools is out of date, etc.

[wila · Accepted solution]

Hi,

OK, sounds to me that your virtual machine is completely locked up. In the physical computer world, you would then reach for the reset button or yank the power cable.

While this is not ideal, it is much better as using force quit on Fusion as that might leave your windows operating system in an unbootable condition (worst case scenario)

What you can do is to hold down the option key on your keyboard and select "Restart" or "Shut down" from the Virtual machine menu.

By holding down that option key you should see "Restart" change into "Force Restart" and "Shut down" into "Force Shutdown"

This is the equivalent of yanking the power cable, so it is a last resort, but that should at least get your virtual machine out of its locked up condition.

Please try this and let me know how it goes,

thanks,

--
Wil
_____________________________________________________
VI-Toolkit & scripts wiki at http://www.vi-toolkit.com

Contributing author at blog www.planetvm.net

Twitter: @wilva

[Comprose]

Did a Forced Restart and it worked. All is running well. Evidently, with the Forced Restart the Tools issue was also resolved. Just did a few tests with various Window's programs and nothing lost and all run well.

Appreciate your patient coaching (and teaching!). Now I know why you're a Champion. So, greetings from across the oceans.

Mike

[wila]

Mike,

I'm just glad to hear your problem is resolved.

Sorry it took me so long before I realized what was going on.

--
Wil
_____________________________________________________
VI-Toolkit & scripts wiki at http://www.vi-toolkit.com

Contributing author at blog www.planetvm.net

Twitter: @wilva