Support > Knowledge Base

Knowledge Base

Search the Knowledge Base:

Guided Search

Products:

Search In:

Installing VMware Tools

Solution

Overview of VMware Tools

VMware Tools is a suite of utilities that enhances the performance of the virtual machine's guest operating system and improves management of the virtual machine. Without VMware Tools installed in your guest operating system, guest performance lacks important functionality. Installing VMware Tools eliminates or improves the following issues:

low video resolution
inadequate color depth
incorrect display of network speed
restricted movement of the mouse
inability to copy and paste and drag-and-drop files
missing sound

VMware Tools includes these components:

VMware Tools service
VMware device drivers
VMware user process
VMware Tools control panel

VMware Tools is provided in the following formats:

ISOs (contain .tar and .rpm files) – packaged with the product and are installed in a number of ways, depending upon the VMware product and the guest operating system installed in the virtual machine. VMware Tools provides a different ISO file for each type of supported guest operating system: Windows, Linux, NetWare, Solaris, and FreeBSD.
Operating System Specific Packages (OSPs) – downloaded and installed from the command line. VMware Tools is available as separate downloadable, light-weight packages that are specific to each supported Linux operating system and VMware product. OSPs are an alternative to the existing mechanism for installing VMware Tools and only support Linux systems running on ESX.

To download OSPs and to find important information and instructions, go to
http://www.vmware.com/download/packages.html.

For a list of supported guest operating systems, go to

http://www.vmware.com/resources/compatibility/search.php?deviceCategory=software.

Documents that have instructions for installing VMware Tools

The steps to install VMware Tools vary depending on your VMware product and the guest operating system you have installed. For general steps to install VMware Tools in most VMware products, see VMware Tools general installation steps (1014294).

For specific instructions to install, upgrade, and configure VMware Tools, see one of the following documents on the VMware Documentation page:

VMware Workstation User's Manual
VMware ESX Basic System Administration guide
VMware Server User’s Guide
VMware Player In-product online help
VMware Fusion In-product online help

Note: Select Help > Help Topics from the VMware Player and VMware Fusion product interfaces to access the online help.

Additional information and instructions

If you experience issues when installing VMware Tools, see the following articles for troubleshooting information:

Feedback

Actions

KB Article: 340
Updated: Oct 18, 2009

Products:
VMware ACE
VMware ESX
VMware ESXi
VMware Fusion
VMware GSX Server
VMware Player
VMware Server
VMware Workstation

Did this article help you?
This article resolved my issue. This article did not resolve my issue. This article helped but additional information was required to resolve my issue.
What can we do to improve this information? (2000 or fewer characters)