NOT SOLVED !! : Open-VM-Tools - NOT WORKING on vSphere

[Clouseau]

I have latest snapshot of pfSense 2.0 Beta-5. I use it on vSphere ESXi hypervisor. I'v installed the Open-VM-Tools package, but this seems not to be working any more. Usually you get info that you have vm-tools installed and you get info of your interfaces etc… but not anymore. What's wrong in Open-vm-tools package when using vSphere hypervisor?

Open-VM-Tools version:217847

[AhnHEL]

The OpenVM Tools package doesnt work with 2.0 and ESXi.  Try the following instructions using the shell command ( option 8 ) in pfsense console menu:

1. Install prerequisites

When running on a 64 bit installation, run
pkg_add -r compat6x-amd64

When running On a 32 bit installation, run
pkg_add -r compat6x-i386 (Not tested but this should be it)

2. Install perl

pkg_add -r perl

3. 

Link the newly installed libraries so VMWare can find it

ln -s /usr/local/lib/compat/libm.so.4 /lib

ln -s /usr/local/lib/compat/libc.so.6 /lib

ln -s /usr/local/lib/compat/libthr.so.2 /lib

4. Install tools

Select "Install/Upgrade VMware Tools" in VMWare
 ESXi
Cd /mnt

Mkdir cdrom

Mount –t cd9660 /dev/acd0 /mnt/cdrom

Cd /tmp

Tar –xvf /mnt/cdrom/vmware-freebsd-tools.tar.gz

cd vmware-tools-distrib

./vmware-install.pl (Perl script, this is why Perl is installed)
Accept all defaults (press enter 8 times)

5. To clean up:

cd ..

rm -r vmware-tools-distrib

[Clouseau]

Ok - thanks! So Open-VM-Tools are useless. I must follow up your good advice and install propriatery drivers. This must be done every time pfSense upgrades?

[AhnHEL]

No, vmware tools will maintain through upgrades so no need to reinstall everytime.

Credit to Peter Overtoom for the howto

http://redmine.pfsense.org/issues/844

[Clouseau]

Does anyone have any info when open-vm-tools package is fixed ? I noticed that this bug has been open over half a year and seems to stalled. We have "manual" not so user friendly work around with propriatery vm-tools. I would like to use open-vm-tools package with single click and install method (works for cli amatours like me). So any info on this issue?

http://redmine.pfsense.org/issues/844

[Rezin]

Seems to work for me. shrug

• pfSense 2.0-RC1 (amd64) built on Mon Feb 28 20:07:11 EST 2011

• VMware ESXi 4.1.0 Build 34841

• Open-VM-Tools 217847

That shows as "Unmanaged" in vSphere Client, along with the IP addresses.

[focalguy]

@Rezin:

Seems to work for me. shrug

• pfSense 2.0-RC1 (amd64) built on Mon Feb 28 20:07:11 EST 2011

• VMware ESXi 4.1.0 Build 34841

• Open-VM-Tools 217847

That shows as "Unmanaged" in vSphere Client, along with the IP addresses.

Same for me but
2.0-RC1 (i386)
built on Thu Mar 3 17:43:05 EST 2011

I'm not sure what it is supposed to say in the "Unmanaged" part but it seems to be working.

[Clouseau]

@focalguy:

@Rezin:

Seems to work for me. shrug

• pfSense 2.0-RC1 (amd64) built on Mon Feb 28 20:07:11 EST 2011

• VMware ESXi 4.1.0 Build 34841

• Open-VM-Tools 217847

That shows as "Unmanaged" in vSphere Client, along with the IP addresses.

Yes - it installs just fine, but does not give any information about interfaces in vSphere ESX guest info. (No IP addresses shown at all)

[AhnHEL]

OK status in VMWare Tools.

[Clouseau]

@onhel:

OK status in VMWare Tools.

Hmmm… yep! That's what I'm looking for. Must figure out why I don't get that info in my vSphere 4.1 with latest RC.

[Clouseau]

Today I updated all my vSphere ESXi servers with 4.1.0 update 1 patch and all other available patches. Then I updated all my pfSense 2 RC1 firewalls to latest firmware. Then I reinstalled open-vm-tools package's (just in case). Rebooted pfSense firewall.

Now vmtools are in Unmanaged status but still no interface information. Just can't figure this out. This should not be this complex to install open-vm-tools succesfully working.

[AhnHEL]

Did several installs a couple of days ago trying to iron out an issue with my pfsense box and tried out the OpenVM Tools package again.  Got the Unmanaged status, IP address, DNS name and Host.  Seemed to be working just fine on my ESXi setup.

[Clouseau]

@onhel:

Did several installs a couple of days ago trying to iron out an issue with my pfsense box and tried out the OpenVM Tools package again.  Got the Unmanaged status, IP address, DNS name and Host.  Seemed to be working just fine on my ESXi setup.

I have istalled 2.0-RC1 (i386) built on Wed Mar 9 18:16:20 EST 2011. Open-VM-Tools Package 217847, 3 network adapters with Adapter type E1000.

One pfSense has now Unmaneged status and one Not installed status. Both pfSenses has the same version. All the Interfaces has manual ip-settings. No dhcp in use. Funny but I don't have any success to get any interface information.

Host Server: Dell PowerEdge 2950, 16GB RAM, 8 CPU cores x2,659GHzRAM, Intel Xenon E5430@2,66GHz
VMware vSphere 4.1.0 U1 Build 348481

Does non of you have this issue?




[regis]

I'm also experiencing strange behavior with open-VM-tools. It shows as unmanaged in Vsphere client and no information displayed about ip adresses and hostname, just like you.

I'm using pfSense 2.0-RC1 (i386) built on Mon Mar 14 11:25:06 EDT 2011 on ESXi 4.1.0,260247, em adapters

But even worse, with open-VM-tools installed, it seems that packets are dropped or lost. MSN messenger keeps disconnecting every 30s or so, downloads stalls after 30s

Once open-VM-tools package deleted and pfSense rebooted, everything's fine…

[Clouseau]

Okey, I'n not alone  ;D

I'm been banging my head to the wall (not helping any) with this issue. I'm lucky that I don't have any usability issues like regis. I have not done any "stress test" to pfSense with vm-tools installed just to figure out is there any major issues.

I really hope that develepers of vm-tools picks this problem up. Open-VM-Tools is only needed in virtualized environments and now it's non working => Open-Vm-Tools package is proken!

[focalguy]

@onhel:

Did several installs a couple of days ago trying to iron out an issue with my pfsense box and tried out the OpenVM Tools package again.  Got the Unmanaged status, IP address, DNS name and Host.  Seemed to be working just fine on my ESXi setup.

I'm not sure what the differences are. I'm not on the latest snapshot but I have it working just the same with showing my IPs and hostnames, etc. I'll update to the latest tonight and see if it continues to work.

[Sloth]

Open-VM-Tools working fine for me:
ESXi 4.1 update 1
pfSense 2.0-RC1 (amd64) built on Sat Feb 26 18:07:23 EST 2011

'Unmanaged' status indicates that  VM tools are installed on the guest VM, but do not support  installation/update from the ESX console, afaik the correct status for a pfsense install.

Jason.

[Clouseau]

@Sloth:

Open-VM-Tools working fine for me:
ESXi 4.1 update 1
pfSense 2.0-RC1 (amd64) built on Sat Feb 26 18:07:23 EST 2011

'Unmanaged' status indicates that  VM tools are installed on the guest VM, but do not support  installation/update from the ESX console, afaik the correct status for a pfsense install.

Jason.

Yes true - but that does not explain the situation that I have 2 pfSense installations in the same vSphere ESXi - one has Unmanaged and the second one is Not installed status on ESX console. Neither of those are capable to show interface information, dns information etc..

[Sloth]

The only other thing of note is that the current pfSense package version of Open-VM-Tools is quite old, dating back to 12-2009. There is a thread somewhere on this forum discussing the issue, which (if I remember correctly) comes down to the freeBSD maintainers updating the freeBSD package to the most current release Open-VM-Tools build i.e. not a lot the pfSense team can do about it. I have had problems trying to use the enhanced VMXNET2 driver, and VMXNET3 is not available, both of which may well be addressed by an up-to-date Open-VM-Tools freeBSD package.

I'll try spinning up a pfSense VM with the pfSense build you are using to see whether I suffer the same issue with that build (could be a 32bit specific issue).

Jason.
2.0-RC1 (amd64) built on Sat Feb 26 18:07:23 EST 2011

[sburgiel]

@Clouseau:

Yes true - but that does not explain the situation that I have 2 pfSense installations in the same vSphere ESXi - one has Unmanaged and the second one is Not installed status on ESX console. Neither of those are capable to show interface information, dns information etc..

What other packages do you have installed on your virtual pfSense boxes, are the same packages installed on both boxes, and what NICs are your pfSense boxes using?

I have been successfully running a pfSense box on VMware ESXi since ESXi 4.0.0 (currently using ESXi 4.1.0 SP1).  My virtual pfSense box only has the Open-VM-Tools package installed, uses virtual Intel e1000 NICs, and has always shown the correct information on the VMware console.