VMware Tools fails to install in a VM which was migrated from ESX 2.5.x to ESX 3.0.x

VMware Tools fails to install in a VM which was migrated from ESX 2.5.x to ESX 3.0.x as it cannot remove the old tools. The following error message is displayed when trying to install tools. "The file VMware Tools.msi is not a valid installation package for the product VMware Tools. Try to find the installation package 'VMware Tools.msi' in a folder from which you can install VMware Tools.Error 1714: The older version of VMware Tools cannot be removed. Contact your technical support group."



Solution:

SR# 1:
- Open a console to a VM running in a ESX 2.5.X server- Initiate installation of vmware-tools- Cancel it.- Go to my computer and select the cdrom- Copy the files from the cdrom to the local disk- Copy these over to the vm seeing this issue (Error 1714)- Go to the directory and initiate the installer to uninstall the tools- Install the updated tools again

SR# 2:

1) Delete the subkey similar from the registry as follows and Search for vmware tools.msi in the registry.
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Installer\Products\8E24D35BB278E034284D0860A513CF1E that appears in the search with the vmware tools.msi info inside.
Please replace the last key with the one you have in your environment. The folder name may be different.
2) Try running setup.exe from the D: which is having vmware tools installation setup files.
3) Finish the installation and restart the virtual machine
4) If the above doesn't work then try installing the tools through following commandmsiexec.exe /i "VMware Tools.msi" /qf REINSTALLMODE=vamus REINSTALL=ALL REBOOT="ReallySuppress"

SR# 3 :
This may vary if you have applied updates – if this is the case – download the UPDATE in lieu of the ISO.
You will know this if the rpm –qf results in a varying build number (please see below for example):
1. On the ESX server go to - /usr/lib/vmware/isoimages/
[root@bsib014 isoimages]# ls
freebsd.iso linux.iso netware.iso windows.iso
2. Run “rpm -qf linux.iso” (without the quotes)
This returns the rpm, VMware-esx-2.5.4-32233
This is located on the ESX install cdrom under E:\VMware\RPMS\VMware-esx-2.5.4-32233.i386.rpm
3. Put the ESX cd for the version of ESX that the VM is from into the cdrom of the ESX server (or mount the ISO)
4. Copy the rpm to /tmp
5. Cd /tmp
6. Run the following command without the quotes “rpm2cpio VMware-esx-2.5.4-39751.i386.rpm cpio -id”
This will extract this into the directory you are in (/tmp/usr/lib/vmware/isoimages/)
7. Mount this iso (windows.iso) to the VM and uninstall the vmware tools