Jun 09

FIX: vSphere Client on Windows 7

Technology

Most of us have run into a hugely annoying bug with vSphere Client (a.k.a. VMware Virtual Infrastructure Client v4.0) running on Windows 7 RC. When you start the program, you’ll run into an error message:

Error Parsing the server 1.2.3.4 clients.xml file. Login will continue contact your system administrator

After clicking OK, you get the real message:

The type initializer for “VirtualInfrastructure.Utils.HttpWebRequestProxy” threw an exception

A workaround for the solution was posted by ftublo on the VMware Communities forums.

  1. Create a folder (e.g. Lib) in the Windows 7 machine where the vSphere client is installed (%ProgramFiles%\VMware\Infrastructure\Virtual Infrastructure Client\Launcher\).
  2. Obtain a copy of %SystemRoot%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727\System.dll from a non-Windows 7 machine that has .NET 3.5 SP1 installed. Copy this file into the folder created in Step 1.
  3. In the vSphere client launcher directory, open the VpxClient.exe.config file in a text editor and add a <runtime> element and a <developmentMode> element within the <configuration> element. Save the file.

    4. <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
    <configuration>
    ...
    <runtime>
    <developmentMode developerInstallation="true"/>
    </runtime>
    </configuration>

  4. Create a batch file (e.g. VpxClient.cmd) in a suitable location (e.g. Desktop). In this file add a command to set the DEVPATH environment variable to the folder where you copied the System.dll assembly in step 2 and a second command to launch the vSphere client. Save the file.

    5. SET DEVPATH=%ProgramFiles%\VMware\Infrastructure\Virtual Infrastructure Client\Launcher\Lib
    "%ProgramFiles%\VMware\Infrastructure\Virtual Infrastructure Client\Launcher\VpxClient.exe"

NOTE: If you are running 64-bit Windows, replace all instances of Program Files with Program Files (x86).

You can now use the VpxClient.cmd (or the shortcut) to launch the vSphere client in Windows 7.

This workaround bypasses the normal .NET Framework loading mechanism. Assembly versions found in the DEVPATH folder are not checked. Handle with care.

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13 Responses to “FIX: vSphere Client on Windows 7”

  1. marco Says:
    June 24th, 2009 at 8:54 am

    Thanks, but now i get an error stating please add a correct server name
    i am definately using the correct IP address

    please help!!!

  2. bodydetox Says:
    July 30th, 2009 at 6:49 am

    the interface of Windows 7 is great but in my opinion Windows XP is still a very solid and stable operating system. Right now, I would never give up XP for Windows 7.

  3. Oivind Says:
    August 10th, 2009 at 7:17 am

    @marco: Run as Administrator.

  4. Netmonster Says:
    August 13th, 2009 at 3:07 pm

    bodydetox one day you will have no more support for xp. Then what?

  5. Cleriston Says:
    August 17th, 2009 at 10:04 am

    Thanks. It’s working now. without quotes.

  6. Joe Says:
    August 20th, 2009 at 9:57 am

    Everytime I try this, I get “Configuration System Failed to initialize” Any ideas? I’m running it as administrator and followed all the above directions.

  7. jimmydot Says:
    August 31st, 2009 at 3:39 pm

    This also worked for me, i also preset the vxpClient.exe to run as administrator under properties so that i did not have right click on the patch file every time.

    Joe, make sure you you put the system.dll under the %ProgramFiles%\VMware\Infrastructure\Virtual Infrastructure Client\Launcher\Lib folder, i missed that subtle note about create the Lib folder.

  8. Ken Says:
    September 2nd, 2009 at 9:19 am

    This worked wonders. Thanks for the quick, reliable fix. I step further to fully migrating away from XP :( :D

  9. vu2major Says:
    September 17th, 2009 at 5:08 am

    Thanks it worked with me.

  10. VMware Windows 7 Oblivious? | VMHero Says:
    October 2nd, 2009 at 3:09 pm

    [...] supported in vSphere.  To date, I cannot run the vSphere client on my Windows 7 PC without “hacking it.”  Likewise, I can’t run Windows 7 RC or RTM as a guest on ESX 3.5 or 4.0 without [...]

  11. VMware Workstation Release Candidate Available Now | Daily Hypervisor Says:
    October 4th, 2009 at 9:47 am

    [...] (Winders 7), but many of the simple .Net tools, like the vSphere Client, won’t work without stoopid tricks. So, I also have a stripped down XP VM that I keep updated with all of the kewl tools, like the [...]

  12. Christopher Says:
    October 9th, 2009 at 12:19 pm

    Or you could run it in XPM (Windows XP Mode). Works fine :)

  13. Mustafa Abdulla Says:
    November 10th, 2009 at 2:29 am

    THANKS ALOT IT WORKS NOW:)

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