PaloAlto VM Tools VIX_E_TOOLS_NOT_RUNNING using PowerCLI to Invoke-VMScript

[wilgus]

Trying to configure my PaloAlto Firewall (PA-VM-ESX-9.0.0) using PowerCLI scripting, no issue creating & deploying VM, setting up PortGroups, and starting PA VM.  Needing to perform IP configuration scripting to complete the setup of the PA VM, so just trying to test a very simple script = 'show system info' against the PA VM.  Looking at the VMWare ESXi UI, the VM tools are installed & running prior to PowerCLI call. During the execution of the PowerCLI call, the VM tools switch to NOT running then the error occurs.  Waiting 3 minutes the VMWare ESXi UI indicates that the VM tools are installed & running.

PowerCLI call::
====================
$paVMName = 'swrPA'
$paGuestUser = 'admin'
$paGuestPassword = 'admin'
$paScript = 'show system info'

Invoke-VMScript -VM $paVMName -ScriptText $paScript -GuestUser $paGuestUser -GuestPassword $paGuestPassword

PowerCLI error message::
====================
Invoke-VMScript : 7/6/2020 1:47:34 PM Invoke-VMScript A general system error occurred: vix error codes = (3016, 0).

At line:1 char:1
+ Invoke-VMScript -VM $paVMName -ScriptText $paScript -GuestUser $paGue ...
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+ CategoryInfo : NotSpecified: (:) [Invoke-VMScript], SystemError
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : Client20_VmGuestServiceImpl_RunScriptInGuest_ViError,VMware.VimAutomation.ViCore.Cmdlets.Commands.InvokeVmScript

====================

VMware.log message::
====================
2020-07-06T21:16:10.261Z| vmx| I125: VigorTransportProcessClientPayload: opID=dad1bd0d seq=14598: Receiving GuestOps.CreateTemporaryFile request.
2020-07-06T21:16:20.180Z| vmx| I125: GuestRpcSendTimedOut: message to toolbox timed out.
2020-07-06T21:16:20.180Z| vmx| I125: Tools: [AppStatus] Last heartbeat value 2372 (last received 9s ago)
2020-07-06T21:16:20.180Z| vmx| I125: TOOLS: appName=toolbox, oldStatus=1, status=2, guestInitiated=0.
2020-07-06T21:16:30.428Z| vcpu-0| I125: Tools: Tools heartbeat timeout.
2020-07-06T21:16:30.428Z| vcpu-0| I125: Tools: Running status rpc handler: 1 => 0.
2020-07-06T21:16:30.428Z| vcpu-0| I125: Tools: Changing running status: 1 => 0.
2020-07-06T21:16:30.428Z| vcpu-0| I125: Tools: [RunningStatus] Last heartbeat value 2372 (last received 20s ago)
2020-07-06T21:16:40.184Z| vmx| I125: GuestRpcSendTimedOut: message to toolbox timed out.
2020-07-06T21:17:00.185Z| vmx| I125: GuestRpcSendTimedOut: message to toolbox timed out.
2020-07-06T21:17:10.262Z| vmx| I125: GuestRpcSendTimedOut: message to toolbox timed out.
2020-07-06T21:17:10.262Z| vmx| I125: Vix: [guestCommands.c:1946]: Error VIX_E_TOOLS_NOT_RUNNING in VMAutomationTranslateGuestRpcError(): VMware Tools are not running in the guest
2020-07-06T21:17:10.262Z| vmx| I125: VigorTransport_ServerSendResponse opID=dad1bd0d seq=14598: Completed GuestOps request with messages.
2020-07-06T21:17:20.188Z| vmx| I125: GuestRpcSendTimedOut: message to toolbox timed out.

====================

[BPry]

@wilgus,

I would reach out to TAC or your SE and see if they can tell you if PowerCLI is even supported. I just lapped this on one of my sandboxes and ran into the same issue, and it wouldn't surprise me to see this not supported.