Specifications

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VMware GSX Server Virtual Machine Guide
Installing VMware Tools
The following sections describe how to install VMware Tools:
• Installing VMware Tools in a Windows Virtual Machine on page 62
• Automating the Installation of VMware Tools in a Windows Guest on page 69
• Additional Steps for Some Versions of Windows When Migrating from Old Disk
Versions on page 66
• Installing VMware Tools in a Linux or FreeBSD Virtual Machine on page 71
• Installing VMware Tools in a NetWare Virtual Machine on page 74
The installers for VMware Tools for Windows, Linux, FreeBSD and NetWare guest
operating systems are built into VMware GSX Server as ISO image files. (An ISO image
file looks like a CD-ROM to your guest operating system and even appears as a CD-
ROM in Windows Explorer. You do not use an actual CD-ROM to install VMware Tools,
nor do you need to download the CD-ROM image or burn a physical CD-ROM of this
image file.)
When you install VMware Tools, GSX Server temporarily connects the virtual machine’s
first virtual CD-ROM drive to the ISO image file that contains the VMware Tools
installer for your guest operating system, then begins the installation process. (If you
decide not to proceed with the installation, cancel the installer, then choose VM >
Cancel VMware Tools Install to return your virtual machine’s CD-ROM drive to its
original configuration.)
Installing VMware Tools in a Windows Virtual Machine
VMware Tools for Windows guest operating systems supports all Windows guest
operating systems.
The detailed steps for installing VMware Tools depend on the version of Windows you
are running. The steps that follow show how to install VMware Tools in a Windows
Server 2003 guest. Some steps that are automated in current versions of Windows
must be performed manually in Windows 9x and Windows NT.
Note: If you are running GSX Server on a Windows host and your virtual machine has
only one CD-ROM drive, the CD-ROM drive must be configured as an IDE or SCSI
CD-ROM drive. It cannot be configured as a generic SCSI device.
To add an IDE or SCSI CD-ROM drive, see Adding, Configuring and Removing Devices
in a Virtual Machine on page 141. For information about generic SCSI, see Connecting
to a Generic SCSI Device on page 325.