VMware vSphere client fonts - any solutions?

[katit]

Didn't find solution, but here it goes..
I use Windows 8 and font sizes set to 150%, this is how I work. Well, when I start vSphere client - it looks bad. Text overlaps, not fits and so on. I tried Windows troubleshooter and it just doesn't work.

Anybody figured how to make it work? I almost feel like installing Win XP in VM just to run this thing...

 

[Entz]

Have you tried right clicking on the shortcut and selecting "Disable display scaling on high DPI settings" under compatibility. That should drop it down to 100% I believe. Might make it harder to read but things should be in the right place. Can you use the web client?

 

[katit]

Hi Entz! Yes, I tried pretty much ALL options available. Windows troubleshooter tries to set it just like you suggest. No luck.
I don't know if I can use web client. I just installed fresh ESXi 6.0, applied free license. It's just one server. Where do I get web client?

 

[Entz]

The web client is part of vSphere (separate product). You can download a trial appliance and use that (license is for 60 days IIRC).

Outside of that a VM may be your only choice.

 

[chinesestunna]

Didn't find solution, but here it goes..
I use Windows 8 and font sizes set to 150%, this is how I work. Well, when I start vSphere client - it looks bad. Text overlaps, not fits and so on. I tried Windows troubleshooter and it just doesn't work.

Anybody figured how to make it work? I almost feel like installing Win XP in VM just to run this thing...

Don't bother with XP, vShpere client post ESXi 5.1 won't run on it. I think a VM inside server or perhaps HyperV on win8 machine might be needed?

 

[katit]

I can install on Win7. Well, it really feels bad when leader in this industry have a tool thats basically not useable

 

[chinesestunna]

I can install on Win7. Well, it really feels bad when leader in this industry have a tool thats basically not useable

WinXP is EOL so I can understand they removed support. The free version has restrictions and isn't exactly meant for production systems. The tool works fine for most people. You can purchase vsphere license and get full support

 

[katit]

I think you missing my point. I have Win8 I'm using all day long. But because of my eyes I set scale to 150% (Display/Settings). All programs play nice. VMWare client fonts get big but UI does not scale and basically unusable. See attached. All other software I use works just fine. This is nothing to do with free vs commercial, etc. It's about how it was programmed.

I said "XP" just as an example of my possible workaround. To install cheapest OS in VM and use it ONLY to run VMWare client.

Point of topic was to see if I can fix it somehow..

 

[chinesestunna]

I think you missing my point. I have Win8 I'm using all day long. But because of my eyes I set scale to 150% (Display/Settings). All programs play nice. VMWare client fonts get big but UI does not scale and basically unusable. See attached. All other software I use works just fine. This is nothing to do with free vs commercial, etc. It's about how it was programmed.

I said "XP" just as an example of my possible workaround. To install cheapest OS in VM and use it ONLY to run VMWare client.

Point of topic was to see if I can fix it somehow..

I get your point, my point is the vSphere client is basically being deprecated as all new features are being moved to web UI through vShpere. The client is really for free users and while I would like to have better functionality and support, I also understand why VMware would not spend the $ or resource to make it work in all scenarios

 

[katit]

Got it. I didn't know client being deprecated. I thought it limits you to managing 1 server in free scenario.

 

[chinesestunna]

Got it. I didn't know client being deprecated. I thought it limits you to managing 1 server in free scenario.

That's true as well, basically they want you to get full vShpere to get the nicer features. The free client can't be "too" good and cannibalize sales

 

[katit]

"Too good" has nothing to do with what it is. I'm not complaining about features. It's basically unusable. I don't think I'm the one who runs windows with large fonts

 

[chinesestunna]

"Too good" has nothing to do with what it is. I'm not complaining about features. It's basically unusable. I don't think I'm the one who runs windows with large fonts

I don't disagree, would be nice if they had all scenarios covered but people/companies choose VMware for the more enterprise features. We're just piggybacking

 

[katit]

Well, I think we are important part of their business model. At leaset my customers on "free" plan treated not worse and sometimes even better than regular users. They are the ones who use a product to see if it works for them.. And it's those people who haven't decided if they buy or not. Cutting features is OK. Making product unuseable - not OK. Thats all I'm saying But again, I didn't pay so it's my problem. Well - will see how HyperV will work. If it wasn't for Linux I need to run I wouldn't even think about ESXi anymore..

 

[chinesestunna]

Well, I think we are important part of their business model. At leaset my customers on "free" plan treated not worse and sometimes even better than regular users. They are the ones who use a product to see if it works for them.. And it's those people who haven't decided if they buy or not. Cutting features is OK. Making product unuseable - not OK. Thats all I'm saying But again, I didn't pay so it's my problem. Well - will see how HyperV will work. If it wasn't for Linux I need to run I wouldn't even think about ESXi anymore..

HyperV can run Linux VMs, you can give that a try as well. Given your use case might be easier to run Win8.1 or Server2012R2 with HyperV role. Esp you get the nice array management tools for the raid card you got.
Regarding business model, opposite is also true though. If I were a paying customer and free users get same treatment as me, I wouldn't be happy at all and probably stop paying. Also enterprise sales works very differently than "tried" and like it based on free features also technically the free version does allow you to try the "full features" for 60 days which is reasonable for evaluations

 

[katit]

With HyperV I will run free one as well, so no Windows. Just bare hypervisor with command line, I don't think I can run LSI tools on it. But I don't need it anyway, BIOS is fine.

I don't even need 50% of what ESXi offers. I have VMWare Workstation license, can use that as well, but pay bigger "virtualization fee"

 

[NetWise]

So why not submit it as a bug? That's a legitimate problem I'd say.

Also I'm not sure I understand why so many users of the free product expect to be treated like paying customers ;(.

 

[Dawgdaze]

We pay for VMWare. There is a "difficult to configure in a secure environment extending across multiple do.ains and sub domains" web interface, but it is unsuitable for the task due to the difficulties configuring a web interface across multiple secure domains and sub-domains.