vSphere on WIN7 Ultimate 64-Bit console hangs after minimize

[Cr0n_J0b]

I'm noticing something strange.  I'm rather new to ESX, so forgive me if this is a dumb questions...but...

I have ESXi 4.1 running fine on my server.  I have a couple of guests, linux, windows and BSD.  I've noticed that when i open a console, and then minimize it to work on another system, it will become unavailable.  I'm using vSphere 4.1 258902 and WIndows 7 ultimate 64-bit.  The hangs are not 100% consistent, but are regular enough to be annoying.  I can see the object in my taskbar and in the toolbar, I can even see an image of it when I alt-tab, but when I try to click on it i get nothing but an alert bell.  I can close the console out and open a new one without an issue, but I'm hoping there is a fix for this or I'm just doing something dumb

thanks

[GaneshNetworks]

Things looks strange.

I haven't came across this kinda problem. Anyway, I will do the following things if i come across:

• Reinstall your vSphere Client.
• Check if there is enough space available in local desktop and VC
• Reinstall Dotnet framework ( I am not sure that this will help you, Anyhow it will take few clicks so try it on your own risk )

Thanks,

Ganesh

[harryj]

I too have been suffering from hangs when using the console.  Generally when installs fail and I need to power cycle.  If I power cycle from the console, the console hangs.  If I power cycle from the vSphere GUI, it's fine.

This happens on multihosts and multiple client sites, so I don't think it's an individual client problem, but bugs in the vSphere client.

[idle-jam]

i'm a bit confused, can you explain the console and gui? are you referring console to the command line console of ESXi?

[harryj]

No, the guest console.

[idle-jam]

when you execute from the vpshere client, it would be sending intruction to the vmware tools. can you ensure that the vmware tools is running?

[harryj]

This has nothing to do with VMware tools.  In my case anyways, it's not possible for VMware tools to be running during initial OS install.

[babylonia]

Hi,

I am having the same problem - cannot restore the minimized console and only get a "ding" when I click on it, and I can see the picture with Alt-Tab and hoover on the icon on my taskbar. The worst part is, it only happens to 2 of my Windows Server 2008 guests , nothing wrong with my other 3 Linux guests.

Just curious if you have found the solution?

I am running:

VMkernel esxi 4.1.0 #1 SMP Release build-348481

and

vSphere Client Version 4.1.0 Build 345043 on Win7 64 bit Ultimate.

Thanks

[Cr0n_J0b]

Sorry,

I still haven't figured this out.  For me it's hitting one of my linux clients.  I thought it might be VMware tools related, but all are up to date.e

[jzedward]

+1 encountering this problem; used to operate just fine. Only change I can think of is recent SP1 installation.

[JasonNash]

Same problem here. Just upgraded an installation from 4.0 to 4.1u1, client running on XP SP3 seems to intermittently hang when minimizing a console session.

Haven't really tried anything to resolve as of yet, did anyone find a solution that works or is this a bug?

[Zirkle]

I've got the same problem with several desktops here running Win 7 Pro 64, I opened a support ticket with VMware and the tech said it's a windows problem not a VMware problem and had me spin up a vm and install only the VMware client to see if I could get the error to replicate.  Well I did that and couldn't get the error to replicate go figure.  I let the tech know that I couldn't replicate the issue, but that it's a BS test/anwser to pin it on Windows when no one can run an OS with out anything else installed and that it was a waste of my time doing that BS test.  He was supposed to contact me today to discuss this further, but he hasn't so I'll update when I know more next week.

[JasonNash]

Anyone been able to get to the bottom of this one yet? Any further updates from VMware?

[milkman]

I have the same problem but I don't think it should be described as a "hang".  The best description of the problem is this:

Cannot restore the minimized console and  only get a "ding" when I click on it, and I can see the picture with  Alt-Tab and hoover on the icon on my taskbar.

The machine/console windows isn't hung, it's just that there doesn't seem to be anyway to maximize it.  I am also running Windows 7 ultimate and Esxi 4.1.

[Zirkle]

That is a better description of the problem milkman.

I was never able to get a resolution from VMware on my trouble ticket.  The issue does not log any errors in event viewer, and the tech basically said it was a windows issue.

[PeterMuc]

I have the same Problem anyone found a solution?

[tomarix]

I have the same problem! I work on a Windows 7 Enterprise 32 Bit platform. It must be a problem with OS environment in combination with vCenter client.  My colleque work with the same version of vCenter Client on the same vCenter Server but on a Windows 2008 platform. He doesn't have this kind of problems.

Edited to remove content in violation of NDA

[RomulusMare]

I have the same problem on two Windows 7 systems, and vmware ESXi 5.

Any solutions?

[BtrieveBill]

Want to add my own address to this list.  After the vSphere 4 client has been running just fine for many months, just this past two weeks, this problem has started.  If I click on the minimized Guest Console window, it just dings instead of restoring the window.  Sometimes, I can click on it two or three times and it will start responding again.  Sometimes it takes 10-15 clicks, or until I give up and kill the window and open a new one.  The vSphere client window never has this problem -- only Guest OS Console windows.  There must be SOME solution to this???

[usegoogletofind]

ESXI 5U1, still occurs..