Install Microsoft Patch KB4474419 as per KB 78708.
Note: Ensure you select the exact architecture matching your guest operating system (x86 for 32-bit, x64 for 64-bit). 2. Install the Packages in Proper Sequence
When attempting to install or upgrade VMware Tools on a Windows 7 or Server 2008 R2 VM, you might experience:
| | Topic | |----------------|-----------| | 2148573 | Using Metadata to Control Virtual Machine Placement | | 52084 | General KB article example |
Before applying the fix, verify that your Windows 7 system is already updated to SP1. kbvmware s article 78708 free
How to Fix VMware Tools Installation Failures on Legacy Windows (KB 78708)
The VMware community has extensively documented this issue, providing supplemental guidance:
Community Insight: If the article seems outdated, check the comments section or the VMware community forums for "Community Corrected" steps. Conclusion
Because your guest VM likely lacks network or vmxnet3 drivers before VMware Tools is installed, you will need an offline transfer strategy. Step 1: Download the Patches on Your Host Machine Install Microsoft Patch KB4474419 as per KB 78708
When a system administrator attempts to upgrade VMware Tools on an unpatched Windows 7 or Server 2008 R2 virtual machine, the process fails with distinct indicators:
When to contact support
# View recent VMkernel logs (last 100 lines) tail -n 100 /var/log/vmkernel.log
: Historical logs that haven't been rotated properly. Install the Packages in Proper Sequence When attempting
If this matches your need I can expand into a full formal KB article, provide exact CLI commands for your ESXi version, or tailor it to ESXi 6.7/7.0/8.0—tell me which.
If the main link still prompts for a login, you can try using "text mode" or "textise" web applications. These tools fetch the raw content of a page, often bypassing redirects and scripts. To use this:
You must manually install two specific Windows updates that introduce SHA-2 code signing support. These are:
must have Service Pack 1 (SP1) installed.
You could try installing an older version of VMware Tools (e.g., version 11.0.6 or earlier) which may still use SHA-1 signed drivers. However, using older versions is not recommended as they may lack important security fixes and features. Installing the updates is the proper, long-term solution.
In late 2019, Microsoft deprecated the legacy, less secure SHA-1 hashing algorithm for signing Windows binaries and drivers. Starting December 3, 2019, Microsoft migrated exclusively to . Why VMware Tools Fails