VMware More about Log files and Basic Settings with Vsphere
ESXi Troubleshooting-I
vmware vsphere 6 web client not opening
ESXi Troubleshooting-I
Hello Professionals,
VMware Tools is a package of utilities that enhances the performance of the guest vm and improves management of the vm. A Vm with out vmware tools face performance issues,no network connection with more over not capable of performing important functionality.VMware Tools process is a Service which appears as vmtoolsd.exe in Windows guests,
VMware Tools work/combined with these services and drivers.
a. VMware Tools service
b. VMware device drivers
c. VMware user process
d. VMware Tools control panel
When we talk about important functionality, its means a more over to guest OS. where vmware tools gives you multiple options to get the debugging logging to find the root cause of issues with vm.
To Enable Vmware tools logging to Windows Guest OS
1. Windows Server 2008, Server 2012, Windows 7, Windows Vista
C:\ProgramData\VMware\VMware Tools\tools.conf
and if the tools.conf is not there create a notepad and pasts the below lines and restart the vmware tools service.
[logging]
log = true
vmtoolsd.level = debug
vmtoolsd.handler = file
vmtoolsd.data = c:/temp/vmtoolsd.log
2. If you are looking for debug level logging on vm, the refer this configuration, which collect diagnostic log from different services and drivers and give you a output on a vm
[logging]
log = true
# Enable VMware Tools service logging to a file.
vmtoolsd.level = debug
vmtoolsd.handler = file
vmtoolsd.data = c:/tmp/vmtoold.log
# Enable "vmsvc" service logging to a file.
vmsvc.level = debug
vmsvc.handler = file
vmsvc.data = c:/tmp/vmsvc.log
# Enable new "vmusr" service logging to a file.
vmusr.level = debug
vmusr.handler = file
vmusr.data = c:/tmp/vmusr.${USER}.log
# Enable the "vmvss" snapshot service logging to a file.
vmvss.level = debug
vmvss.handler = file
vmvss.data = c:/tmp/vmvss.log
3. This vmware tools config help to troubleshoot VSS/backup issues. As per my expericence and most vmware admins share that these configurations are specifically for specific purpose, and not helpfull to getting and troubleshooting other VMware Tools issues.So before making any changes first try it in your test environment and see if you are getting the output for what you are looking.
[logging]
log = true
vmbackup.level = debug
vmbackup.handler = vmx
vmvss.level = debug
vmvss.handler = vmx
4. Dump file location of vmware tools in Windows Server under users profile location.
%TEMP%\vmware-UserName
5. Its not recommended and suggested that enable the logging for always becuse ot occupy the space as well as resource too, which cause vm performance issue. Once you find out the issue or information disbale the logging.
open the tools.conf file in a text editor and remove the following lines:
log = true
vmtoolsd.data = c:/tmp/vmtoolsd.log
or
Log=false
vmtoolsd.data = c:/tmp/vmtoolsd.log
6.When you need to troubleshoot backup issues for Windows guest OS, Its recommended for certain not to set the debug logging to a file or file+ handler. As part of the backup process/services will disable writes to the guest disk during the operation, which prevents and create issues for logging from operating.
When troubleshooting this type of issue, always use a handler which will support writing to memory instead.
The Best Tool from Microsoft Download DebugView from the Windows Sysinternals collection.
Launch the DebugView application (You should be using Administrator or same as Administrator privileges).
Enable these options in the user interface:
a.Capture > Capture Win32
b.Capture > Capture Global Win32
c.Capture > Capture Kernel
d.Capture > Passthrough
e.Capture > Capture Events
f.Options > Clock Time
g.Options > Show Milliseconds
Start the Backup now and Capture the contents of the DebugView to a file.
Other usefull command which gives you better understanding of the system writers status, process and information.
a.vssadmin list writers
b.vssadmin list providers
c.vssadmin list volumes
d.tasklist /v
Learn, Earn and share the Knowledge. Please comment if any query/suggestion or feedback. I will be happy to listen from you.
Thanks for your fantastic support.
Reference with VMUG and VMWARE Blogs
No comments:
Post a Comment