Category Archives: VMware

Clipboard Copy and Paste does not work in vSphere Client 4.1 and later

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To be able to copy and paste between the guest operating system and the remote console, you must enable the Copy and Paste options using the vSphere Client. Alternatively, you can use RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol) to connect to the Windows virtual machines.

To enable this option for a specific virtual machine:

Note: VMware Tools must be installed for Copy and Paste to work.

  1. Log into a vCenter Server system using the vSphere Client and power off the virtual machine.
  2. Select the virtual machine and click the Summary tab.
  3. Click Edit Settings.
  4. Navigate to Options > Advanced > General and click Configuration Parameters.
  5. Click Add Row.
  6. Type these values in the Name and Value columns:


                            Name                                                Value

  • isolation.tools.copy.disable    false
  • isolation.tools.paste.disable   false

Note: These options override any settings made in the VMware Tools control panel of the guest operating system.

  1. Click OK to close the Configuration Parameters dialog, and click OK again to close the Virtual Machine Properties dialog.
  2. Power on the virtual machine.

Note: If you vMotion a virtual machine to a host where the isolation.tools.*="FALSE" is already set, the copy and paste options are automatically activated for that virtual machine.

To enable this option for all the virtual machines in the ESX/ESXi host:

  1. Log in to the ESX/ESXi host as a root user,
  2. Take a backup of the /etc/vmware/config file.
  3. Open the /etc/vmware/config file using a text editor.
  4. Add these entries to the file:

    isolation.tools.copy.disable="FALSE"
    isolation.tools.paste.disable="FALSE"

  5. Save and close the file.

    The Copy and Paste options are only enabled when the virtual machines restart or resume the next time or shutdown and power-on the VM for changes to take effect

Note: These options do not persist after an upgrade. If you upgrade to a newer version after enabling these options, the changes are lost and you may have to re-enable them.

 

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=1026437

Clipboard Copy and Paste does not work in vSphere Client 4.1 and later

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Starting with vSphere 4.1, the Copy and Paste options are, by default, disabled for security reasons.

 

To enable this option for a specific virtual machine:

  1. Log into a vCenter Server system using the vSphere Client and power off the virtual machine.
  2. Select the virtual machine and click the Summary tab.
  3. Click Edit Settings.
  4. Navigate to Options > Advanced > General and click Configuration Parameters.
  5. Click Add Row.
  6. Type these values in the Name and Value columns:Name                                                Value
    • isolation.tools.copy.disable    false
    • isolation.tools.paste.disable   false

    Note: These options override any settings made in the VMware Tools control panel of the guest operating system.

  7. Click OK to close the Configuration Parameters dialog, and click OK again to close the Virtual Machine Properties dialog.
  8. Power on the virtual machine.

Note: If you vMotion a virtual machine to a host where the isolation.tools.*="FALSE" is already set, the copy and paste options are automatically activated for that virtual machine.

To enable this option for all the virtual machines in the ESX/ESXi host:

  1. Log in to the ESX/ESXi host as a root user and open the /etc/vmware/config file using a text editor.
  2. Add these entries to the file:isolation.tools.copy.disable="FALSE"
    isolation.tools.paste.disable="FALSE"
  3. Save and close the file.The Copy and Paste options are only enabled when the virtual machines restart or resume the next time or shutdown and power-on the VM for changes to take effect

Note: These options do not persist after an upgrade. If you upgrade to a newer version after enabling these options, the changes are lost and you may have to re-enable them.

 

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=1026437

Disabling the Windows Logon Screen Saver

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Screen savers are not necessary for virtual machines, to disable Windows Logon Screen Saver:
  1. Click Start > Run, type regedit, click OK.
  2. Locate the following registry key:

    HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Control Panel\Desktop

  3. Double-click the ScreenSaveActive string value item in the Details pane.
  4. In the Value data box, replace the number 1 with the number 0 , and then click OK.

Alternatively, you can save the attached registry file and double click it. The key above is set for you (Windows 2000 and 2003 only).

Configuring SNMP Traps for ESX 3.5 and ESX 4.0

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Details

To generate virtual machine and environmental traps from ESX 3.5 and ESX 4.0 hosts, you must configure and enable the embedded SNMP agent. You cannot use the Net-SNMP-based agent to generate these traps, although it can receive GET transactions and generate other types of traps.
 
This represents a change in behavior from ESX 3.0.x, in which the configuration file for the Net-SNMP-based agent controlled the generation of virtual machine traps. For more information, see Configuring SNMP on an ESX 3.0.x host (1008186).

Solution

Use the vicfg-snmp command from the Remote CLI or vSphere CLI to enable this SNMP agent and configure trap destinations. Each time you specify a target with the vicfg-snmp command, the settings you specify overwrite all previously specified settings. To specify multiple targets, specify them in a single command, separated by commas.

To enable and configure SNMP traps:
 
Note: For ESX 3.5, use the Remote CLI. For ESX 4.0, use the vSphere CLI. The commands for both are same.  vicfg-snmp.pl is located in the C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware vSphere CLI\bin directory after the VMware vSphere CLI installation, by default.
 

  1. Specify the communities and trap targets with the command:

    vicfg-snmp.pl –server <hostname> –username <username> –password <password> -t <target hostname>@<port>/<community>

    Note: Under ESX 4.0, you may need to use the -c <community> flag.

    For example, to send SNMP traps from the host host.example.com to port 162 on target.example.com using the public community, use the command:

    vicfg-snmp.pl –server host.example.com –username root –password password -t target.example.com@162/public
     

  2. To enable the SNMP service, run the command:

    vicfg-snmp.pl –server <hostname> –username <username> –password <password> –enable
     

  3. (Optional) Send a test trap to verify that the agent is configured correctly with the command:

    vicfg-snmp.pl –server <hostname> –username <username> –password <password> –test

The test trap generated is a warmStart trap.

source: http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1008065

Using Tech Support Mode in ESXi 4.1

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Enable the Tech Support Mode in ESXi 4.1

http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1017910

Enabling and Accessing Tech Support Mode

To enable local or remote TSM from the Direct Console User Interface (DCUI):
  1. At the DCUI of the ESXi host, press F2 and provide credentials when prompted.
  2. Scroll to Troubleshooting Options, and press Enter.
  3. If you want to enable local TSM, select Local Tech Support and press Enter once. This allows users to login on the virtual console of the ESXi host.

    If you want to enable remote TSM, select Remote Tech Support (SSH) and press Enter once. This allows users to login via SSH on the virtual console of the ESXi host.

  4. Optionally, if you want to configure the timeout for TSM:
    1. Select Modify Tech Support timeout and press Enter.
    2. Enter the desired timeout value in minutes and press Enter.
  6. Press Esc three times to return to the main DCUI screen.
To enable local or remote TSM from the vSphere Client:
  1. Select the host and click the Configuration tab.
  2. Click Security profile > Properties.
  3. Click Local Tech Support or Remote Tech Support (SSH) and click Options.
  4. Choose the desired startup policy and click Start, then click OK.
  5. Verify that the daemon selected in step 3 shows as running in the Services Properties window.
To configure the TSM timeout value using the vSphere Client:
  1. Select the host and click the Configuration tab.
  2. Click Advanced Settings.
  3. Change the UserVars.TSMTimeOut field to the desired value in minutes.
  4. Click OK.
To access the local TSM:
  1. At the main DCUI screen, press ALT+F1 simultaneously. This opens a virtual console window to the host.
  2. Provide credentials when prompted.

    Note: When typing the password, characters are not displayed on the console.

To access the remote TSM:
  1. Open an SSH client.
  2. Specify the IP address or domain name of the ESX host.

    Notes:

    • Directions may vary depending on what SSH client you are using. For more information, consult vendor documentation and support.
    • By default, SSH works on TCP port 22.
  4. Provide credentials when prompted.

Disabling access to VMware Tools

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VMware KB:  http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1006354

Purpose

This articles provides steps to disable VMware Tools access for other users.

Resolution

Disabling access to VMware Tools in the system tray by setting ShowTray to 0  in the registry under HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\VMware, Inc.\VMware , does not prevent other users from accessing the VMware Tools from the Control Panel.
 
To ensure users cannot access VMware Tools from the system tray or control panel:  
  1. Go to C:\Program files\VMware\VMware Tools .
  2. Right-click VMControlPanel.cpl properties and choose Security.
  3. Click Advanced and deselect Allow inheritable permissions.
  4. Click Deny for Read and Execute and Read for the users
  5. Log in as an Administrator.
  6. Right-click on the VMware Tools system tray icon.
  7. Choose Disable.
  8. In the registry editor, delete the VMware Tools key under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run .

vSphere Client does not open on any Windows operating systems with the error: parsing the server “” “clients.xml” file

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Symptoms

  • When trying to launch the vSphere Client you receive errors similar to:

    Error parsing the server “<servername>” “clients.xml” file.

    The type initializer for VirtualInfrastructure.Utils.HttpWebRequestProxy’ threw an exception.

Resolution

You cannot use vSphere Clients prior to the Update 1 release, to access the vCenter Server or ESX hosts because of a Microsoft update that targets the .NET Framework (980773), released on June 9th 2010.  
 
Perform one of these two options to correct the issue:
  1. Download and install vSphere Client 4.0 Update 1 (build 208111) or Update 2 (build 258672) using method a or b below, depending on your environment.
  1. To download and install the vSphere Client for ESX, ESXi (paid version), and vCenter Server:
    1. Go the downloads site.

      Note      : The vSphere Client .exe is part of the ESX, ESXi, or vCenter Server download binaries.
    2. Click Download next to your ESX, ESXi, or vCenter Server edition.
    3. Log in with your VMware Account credentials.
    4. Click Yes to agree to the EULA.
    5. Click the .exe link next to vSphere Client and Host Update Utility.

      Note: You do not need to download the entire vSphere suite, only the vSphere Client.

    6. Follow the on-screen instructions to install the updated vSphere Client.
  2. To download and install the vSphere Client Update 1 for ESXi (free version):
    2. Click Download.
    3. Log in with your account credentials, or register for free.
    4. Click Download next to vSphere Client and Host Update Utility.
    5. Follow the on-screen instructions to install the updated vSphere Client.

 

  • Remove the MS update from your Windows operating system. The vSphere Client works after the update is removed.
    • Note: This affects Windows XP, Windows 2003, Windows 2008, Windows Vista, and Windows 7.
     
    If the build number for your vSphere Client is 208111 or higher, then you have vSphere Client Update 1 or later, and should not be affected by this issue.
     
    You can determine the version of vSphere Client by reviewing the build number located in the first line of a viclient.log file, located in %USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Application Data\VMware\vpx on the system running the vSphere Client if the OS is Windows XP or 2003 and %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\VMware\vpx in 64 bit Windows 7 or 2008. Build 208111 or higher indicates you are using vSphere Client 4.0 Update 1 or later.
     
    For example:
     
    2010-05-19 03:08:58.508  Log for vSphere Client Launcher, pid=4756, version=4.0.0, build=build-208111, option=release
    VMware KB 1022611

    CPUID – VMotion CPU Compatibility

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    We have problems doing a vmotion (ESX 4) from virtual machines from a Dell R710 to a Dell PowerEdge 2950. It gives a SSE4.2 error before we can vmotion it.

    A quick solution is to set CPU Masks. To do this, do the following:

    1. Shut down the server
    2. Edit settings
    3. Go to Options
    4. Choose CPUID Mask
    5. Select the Expose Options
    6. Click Advanced
    7. Set the following options:
      Feature Level Row Mask
      SSE4.2 1 ecx —- —- 0–0 —- —- —- —- —-
      80000001 edx —- 0— —- —- —- —- —- —-
    8. Press OK twice

    Now you can do a vmotion.