VMWare has recently launched a work around for the problem of running the vSphere client on a Windows 7 workstations.
Link to the document : http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1011329
Cannot launch vSphere Client after installing in Windows 7 or Windows 2008 R2
Symptoms
- You cannot launch the vSphere Client
- If you install the vSphere Client in Windows 7 or Windows 2008 R2 and try to connect to the vSphere server, you see the errors:
- Error parsing the server “<servername>” “clients.xml” file.
- The type initializer for VirtualInfrastructure.Utils.HttpWebRequestProxy’ threw an exception.
Resolution
The vSphere Client is not currently supported in Windows 7 or Windows 2008 R2 and it does not run in Compatibility Mode.
This issue may occur because of the .NET loading mechanism change in Windows 2008 R2 and Windows 7.
There are 2 possible workarounds. Perform one of these options:
- Using VMware Player or VMware Workstation, install a Windows XP virtual machine in Windows 7 or Windows 2008 R2.
- Bypass the normal .NET Framework loading mechanism.Warning: This workaround is unsupported.To bypass the normal .NET Framework loading mechanism:
- Download the file system.dll. This file is typically located in %SystemRoot%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727\ directory of a non-Windows 7 or Windows 2008 R2 machine with .NET v3.5 SP1 installed.
- Copy the file to C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\Infrastructure\Virtual Infrastructure Client\Launcher\lib.Note: If the lib directory does not exist, create it.
<runtime>
<developmentMode developerInstallation=”true”/>
</runtime>
C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\Infrastructure\Virtual Infrastructure Client\Launcher\Lib
You can now launch vSphere Client from a Windows 7 or Windows 2008 R2 machine. You may have to right-click on the vSphere Client icon and choose Run as administrator.
Disclaimer.
The information in this article is provided “AS IS” with no warranties, and confers no rights. This article does not represent the thoughts, intentions, plans or strategies of my employer. It is solely my opinion.
