VMware Tools ISO image does not exist or is inaccessible

[jim7jim]

I have some guest vms with a yellow exclamation point on the vmware tools icon indicating they can be updated. When I try and update vmware tools manually, I get the error: "The required VMware Tools ISO image does not exist or is inaccessible. See the error stack for details on the cause of this problem." Below in the Error Stack window, I see the messages, "Call "VirtualMachine.MountToolsInstaller" or object <servername> on ESXi "192.168.3.39" failed. Unable to install VMware Tools. An error occurred while trying to access image file "/usr/lib/vmware/isoimages/windows.iso" needed to install VMware Tools: 0 (Input/output error). If your product shipped with the VMware Tools package, reinstall VMware ESX, then try again to install the VMware Tools package in the virtual machine."

I found posts that indicated I should check symlinks to the vmtools directory and I think those are present. I also tried to manually browse to the image folder but it appears there is a problem of some sort with the file system. See images below:

ESXi is installed on a USB stick. Is the iso images directory corrupted? Can anyone help me on how I can fix this? Should I just replace the USB stick or is there another way?

[DavoudTeimouri]

Did you update your ESXi servers or patched them?

Some, patch packages not including VMware Tools image. You can download VMware Tools iso from this link and copy that to your ESXi: Index of /45848/tools

[tomtom901 · Accepted solution]

Seeing the Input / Output error on screen usually indicates a faulty disk (or in this case USB device). I wouldn't waste much time and replace the USB stick.

[jim7jim]

Is there any trick to having the new ESXi installation see my local datastore? Just do a 'Rescan All' from storage configuration? Then will it see the vms automatically or do I have to register them somehow?

[a_p_]

After you setup ESXi on a new USB stick, it should recognize the VMFS datastore on the HDDs automatically and after you have configured everything (e.g. networking) you only need to right-click each VM's .vmx file in the datastore browser to add them to the host's inventory again.

André

[jim7jim]

Thanks for the replies and suggestions!