How to install VMware Tools to the iPrint Appliance

  • 7015896
  • 14-Nov-2014
  • 17-Apr-2017

Environment

Novell iPrint Appliance

Situation

Guest operating systems within VMware run more efficiently when VMware tools are installed.

Resolution

Choose between the semi-automated steps or the manual steps:

A.  Semi-automated steps:
  1. Log into the ESX server using the vSphere client.
  2. Right-click the iPrint Appliance VM, select the Guest option, then click Install/Upgrade VMware Tools.
    • Click OK or Install to the pop-message.
  3. Copy/paste the following string of commands into a terminal session of the Appliance:
    • wget -P /tmp https://www.novell.com/communities/coolsolutions/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/05/VMwareToolsInstall.zip;cd /tmp;unzip VMwareToolsInstall.zip;/tmp/VMwareToolsInstall.sh
  4. Follow the prompts.

B. Manual steps:

  1. Download the VMware Tools software
    • Right-Click the Appliance image
    • Choose "Guest"
    • Choose "Install/Upgrade VMware Tools"
    • Click OK to the "Interactive Tools Upgrade" option.
  2. Unpack and run the vmware-install script
    • Create and mount directory
      • mkdir /mnt/cdrom
      • mount /dev/cdrom /mnt/cdrom
    • Move the tar.gz file to a read-write location
      • Syntax:
        • cp /mnt/cdrom/VMwareTools-[VersionNumber].tar.gz /tmp
      • Example:
        • cp /mnt/cdrom/VMwareTools-9.10.5-2981885.tar.gz /tmp
    • Unpack the tar.gz file
      • Syntax:
        • tar zxf /tmp/VMwareTools-[VersionNumber].tar.gz -C /tmp
      • Example:
        • tar zxf /tmp/VMwareTools-9.10.5-2981885.tar.gz -C /tmp
    • Run the VMware tools script:
      • /tmp/vmware-tools-distrib/vmware-install.pl
        • Hit ENTER to each prompt 
          • doing so will accept the default options

Additional Information

Below is a copy of the script used in the semi-automated steps:

#!/bin/bash
clear

echo "This script will:"
echo "    1. Mount /dev/cdrom to /mnt/cdrom"
echo "    2. Unpack the VMwareTools tar.gz file to non Read-Only location, /tmp."
echo "    3. Execute the VMwareTools script."
echo " "
echo "The VMware script will prompt you to answer some questions. Answer with the default to each question. Hitting the ENTER key will accept the default choice."
echo " "

####### Create suspend_pause function
RESTORE='\033[0m'
LPURPLE='\033[01;35m'
function suspend_pause(){
  echo -en "${LPURPLE}"
  read -p "[Hit ENTER to continue] $*"
  echo -en "${RESTORE}"
}

###### Pause the script
suspend_pause

###### Mount /dev/cdrom to /mnt/cdrom
mkdir /mnt/cdrom
mount /dev/cdrom /mnt/cdrom

###### Find the version for the VMwareTools file
VMwareVersion=`ls /mnt/cdrom/VMwareTools*tar.gz | awk -Fs '{print $(NF-0)}'`

###### Copy the VMwareTools file to non Read-Only location, /tmp
cp /mnt/cdrom/VMwareTools$VMwareVersion /tmp

###### Unpack the tar.gz file to the /tmp directory
tar zxf /tmp/VMwareTools$VMwareVersion -C /tmp

###### Run the vmware install script
/tmp/vmware-tools-distrib/vmware-install.pl