Installing VMware Tools

Although you can use guest operating systems without VMware Tools, many VMware features are not available unless you install VMware Tools. VMware Tools enhances the performance of the guest operating system of your virtual machines.

Installing VMware Tools is part of the process of creating new virtual machines. It is important to upgrade VMware Tools as updates become available. For information about creating virtual machines, see the VMware Tools User Guide.

The installers for VMware Tools are ISO image files. An ISO image file looks like a CD-ROM to your guest operating system. Each type of guest operating system, including Windows, Linux, Solaris, FreeBSD, and NetWare, has an ISO image file. When you install or upgrade VMware Tools, the first virtual CD-ROM disk drive of the virtual machine temporarily connects to the VMware Tools ISO file of your guest operating system.

For information about installing or upgrading VMware Tools in Windows virtual machines, Linux virtual machines, Mac OS X virtual machines, Solaris virtual machines, NetWare virtual machines, or FreeBSD virtual machines, see the VMware Tools User Guide.