Man how rubbish - but solved. ESX4 (vSphere) Client on Windows 7

[Gomjaba]

What you need

1. the file ‘system.dll’ from a non-Windows 7 PC / Server with .NET 3.5 SP1 installed ...
System.dll can be found here : WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727\system. dll

2. Create folder ‘lib’ under C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\Infrastructure\Virtual Infrastructure Client\Launcher (or 32 Bit without the x86 part).
So the system.dll location is now C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\Infrastructure\Virtual Infrastructure Client\Launcher\Lib\System.dll

3. Change the VpxClient.exe.config
In C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\Infrastructure\Virtual Infrastructure Client\Launcher\VpxClient.exe.config

Add

<runtime>
<developmentMode developerInstallation="true"/>
</runtime>

To the end of the file before </configuration>

4. Now either create a batch file to start the client

@echo Off
SET DEVPATH=C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\Infrastructure\Virtual Infrastructure Client\Launcher\Lib
"C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\Infrastructure\Virtual Infrastructure Client\Launcher\VpxClient.exe"

Or

5. Add the path to system variables (needed a reboot for some reason), then you can just double click the icon.

Variable Name : DEVPATH
Variable Value : C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\Infrastructure\Virtual Infrastructure Client\Launcher\Lib


Flipping hell ...

[RTmarc]

Hmm, I get an access denied when I try to write to that file. It is not read-only either.

[Gomjaba]

The VpxClient.exe.config ?
Maybe you are not admin ? Tried running notepad as admin for example and then opening the file ? I have UAC disabled btw.

Here are both files, maybe you can first rename the old one and / or overwrite it .. Also, tried to take ownership of the file ?

Anyway, here both files of my (working) setup:

Index of /vpx

[RTmarc]

Originally Posted by Gomjaba

Maybe you are not admin ? Tried running notepad as admin for example and then opening the file ? I have UAC disabled btw.

That's the key. With UAC enabled you have to open Notepad/Wordpad as and administrator first and then open the vpxclient.exe.config file.