Issue

When importing a VMWare driver scan into Build Console drivers need to be added manually.

This TID details how to incorporate the full VMware Tools installation into the File Library and create a driver add-on image to install them during the build process.

Requirements

  • VMware Workstation
  • VMware Tools ISO image

The VMware Tools ISO image can be found in the VMware program directory, the file is named windows.iso. In order to access the VMware Tools files either mount or extract the ISO before continuing.

Solution

Import a zip of the contents of the VMware Tools ISO then define a custom installation commandline.

Procedure

Done Task
 
1. Import the VMware hardware inventory file into Build Console
 
2. Create a zip of VMware Tools file structure
 
3. Add the VMware drivers for the VMware machine
 
4. Create the drivers image
 
5. Test driver image



  1. Import the zdrivers-vmware.xml file into Build Console

    • Run Zdrivers on a VMware virtual machine to create a hardware inventory XML file, review the documentation for more details.

    • Open Build Console then use the Add Drivers task to import the VMware hardware inventory XML file. Once the machine has been imported it will appear in the File Library view.

  2. Create a zip of VMware Tools file structure

    • To access the VMware Tools files either mount or extract the ISO

    • Highlight all files on the VMware media folder structure (ensure show hidden files is set) - right click on selected files and select - Send to -> Compressed (zipped) folder

      If you have mounted the VMware Tools ISO you may get an error as you cannot write to the disk. In this instance save the file to the desktop.

    • Save the files as vmtools-n.n.n.zip where n.n.n is the VMware Tools version

  3. Add the VMware drivers for the VMware machine

    • Right-click the VMware Virtual Platform machine in the File Library and select Manually add driver file

    • Select the Windows operating system being deployed, set the Driver class to System, enter a description such as VMware Tools and set the version to the version of the VMware Tools

    • Specify a path to the vmtools-n.n.n.zip package and click Next to import the package into the File Library

    • The VMware Tools driver will now be visible in the File Library

  4. Create the drivers image

    • The Deployment Wizard is used to create driver images for each applicable hardware platform based on the Windows operating system being deployed.

    • Open the relevant deployment project in Build Console, then run the Deployment Wizard. Select Build process creation then select only Driver add-on images

    • From the list of available machines select VMware Virtual Platform then click Next twice to create the driver image.

    • Review the images.ini file in the tftp\zimfiles folder of the integration directory

  5. Test updated files

    • Copy the drivers-vmware image from the <imagesPath>/drivers/<driver_os> folder to the equivilant folder on the imaging server.

    • Then edit the images.ini file on the server and add the lines from the images.ini in the tftp\zimfiles folder

    • Run a test build from a VMware workstation and check the results.

If you have any problems or questions about the steps in this TID please contact the ENGL support team