How to Resolve VMware VIX Error Code 21009

VMware VIX Error Code 21009

When you upgrade VMware Tools on a virtual machine running on VMware ESXI 5.5 or higher, you may encounter an automatic upgrade failure of VMware Tools, displaying the error message "vix error code = 21009."

In the virtual machine, there will be specific files, such as in the Microsoft Windows system, the file path is "C:\windows\ \temp\ \vmware-system\ \vmwaretoolupgrader.exe";

This article will delve into the error, its causes, and detailed solutions, helping you to smoothly resolve the VMware vix error code 21009.

Why Does VMware VIX Error Code 21009 Occur

According to feedback and technical documentation, here are 2 main causes of Error Code 21009:

(1) Residual old upgrade files

A common cause of this issue is outdated upgrade files left over from a previous VMware Tools upgrade. These residual files may interfere with the current upgrade process, causing the upgrade to fail and resulting in a 21009 error code.

(2) The folder is missing in the target virtual machine's guest operating system.

During the upgrade process, the installer will copy some binary files and installation files to the "C:\windows\temp\vmware - system" folder. If this folder is missing in the guest operating system of the target virtual machine, the installation will fail, resulting in a vix error code 21009 error.

How to Resolve VMware VIX Error Code 21009 [2 Methods]

Here are the detailed solutions for Error Code 21009:

Method 1. Resolving Residual Old Upgrade Files

System version update fix: This issue has been resolved in VMware ESXi 6.0 Update 1 and VMware ESXi 5.5 Update 3b versions. If your system version is lower than the above versions, you might consider upgrading to obtain the official fix.

Steps to manually resolve VMware VIX error code 21009:

1. Restart the virtual machine to clear temporary error states, creating favorable conditions for subsequent upgrade operations.

2. Manually upgrade VMware Tools:

✔ Windows system: Log in to the virtual machine as an administrator, open an elevated command prompt, and run the command:

attrib -r C:\windows\temp\vmware - system\vmwaretoolupgrader.exe

✔ Red Hat Enterprise Linux system: Log in to the virtual machine as an administrator user, and use the terminal or graphical user interface to delete the file "/tmp/vmware - root". For multiple virtual machines, you can use the PowerCLI command Invoke-VMScript to automate these solutions.

Method 2. Fixing Missing Folders

1. Check automatic tasks and operations: First, it is necessary to confirm whether there are any automatic tasks or operations in the client's operating system that will delete folders under "C:\windows\temp\".

If there are any, the settings of these tasks or operations need to be adjusted to avoid accidentally deleting critical folders.

2. Restart the virtual machine and confirm the folder creation: Restart the target virtual machine and check if the "C:\windows\temp\vmware - system" folder is recreated. Once the folder is available, perform the VMware Tools upgrade operation again.

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Safeguard VMware ESXi Backup for Free

1. Click Backup Task >> Create New Task to schedule VMware ESXi backups.

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✦ In Device Name section, select one or more virtual machines to back up simultaneously.

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Conclusion

When you get the "VMware vix error code 21009" issue, don't freak out. In most situations, you can successfully fix the problem and finish the VMware Tools upgrade without any problems, guaranteeing the virtual machine's stable operation and performance optimization, by closely examining the error symptoms, examining the potential causes, and carefully following the corresponding solutions step by step.