Summary: This script will automatically upgrade VMs from a textfile to hardware level 9. It was based on Script: PowerCLI: Upgrade VMs to New Tools and Hardware Level Version
Date: Around 2013
Refactor: 22 March 2025: Checked links and formatting.

# This script will upgrade the VMWare hardware level from VMs listed in a simple input file
# Input file should be a simple text file with one VM name per line
 
Function Connect-vCenter{
# Connect to vCenter
write-host -foregroundcolor yellow `n  "In which datacenter will you upgrade VMs? You will automatically be connected to the correct vCenter."
write-host -foregroundcolor yellow `n  "1: Site1"
write-host -foregroundcolor yellow `n  "2: Site2"
$vcenter = read-host
    while (($vcenter -gt 2) -or ($vcenter -lt 1)){
         write-host -foregroundcolor red "Not a valid choice. Please just enter a number from the list"
         $vcenter = read-host
    }
     if ($vcenter -eq 1){
          Connect-VIServer -server site1.getshifting.com -ErrorAction Stop}
    else {
          Connect-VIServer -server site2.getshifting.com -ErrorAction Stop}
}
 
 
Function VM-Selection{
   $sourcename = Read-Host "Give the name of inputfile (full path) with VMs you want to upgrade"
      if((Test-Path -path $sourcename) -eq $True){
         $abort = Read-Host "You wil now upgrade all VMs in: $sourcename, this is your last chance to abort by pressing <CTRL>+C. Press <ENTER> to continue."
         $list = Get-Content $sourcename | Foreach-Object {Get-VM $_ | Get-View | Where-Object {-not $_.config.template} | Select Name }
         $vms = $list
      }
      else{
         Write-Host "$sourcetype does not exist. Exit the script by pressing <CTRL>+C and try again."
      }
   return $vms
}
 
Function PowerOn-VM($vm){
   Start-VM -VM $vm -Confirm:$false -RunAsync | Out-Null
   Write-Host "$vm is starting!" -ForegroundColor Yellow
   sleep 10
 
   $toolsstatus = $null
   $teller = 0
 
   while (($toolsstatus -ne "toolsOk") -and ($teller -ne 10)){
      sleep 15
      $vmview = get-VM $vm | Get-View
          $toolsstatus = $vmview.Guest.ToolsStatus
 
      Write-Host "$vm is starting, toolsstatus is $toolsstatus, teller is $teller!" -ForegroundColor Yellow
      $teller ++
      }
 
    if (($toolsstatus -match "toolsOk") -or ($toolsstatus -match "toolsOld")){
       $Startup = "OK"
       Write-Host "$vm is started and has ToolsStatus $toolsstatus" -ForegroundColor Green
    }
    else{
       $Startup = "ERROR"
       Write-Host "The ToolsStatus of $vm is $toolsstatus. This is unusual." -ForegroundColor Red
       }
    return $Startup
}
 
Function PowerOff-VM($vm){
   $vmview = Get-VM $vm | Get-View
   $toolsstatus = $vmview.Guest.ToolsStatus
   if (($toolsstatus -eq "toolsNotInstalled") -or ($toolsstatus -eq "toolsNotRunning")){
      Stop-VM -VM $vm -Confirm:$false | Out-Null}
   else{
   Shutdown-VMGuest -VM $vm -Confirm:$false | Out-Null
   Write-Host "$vm is stopping!" -ForegroundColor Yellow
   sleep 10
 
   $toolsstatus = $null
   $teller = 0
 
   while (($powerstate -ne "PoweredOff") -and ($teller -ne 11)){
      sleep 15
      $vmview = Get-VM $vm | Get-View
      $getvm = Get-VM $vm
      $powerstate = $getvm.PowerState
      $toolsstatus = $vmview.Guest.ToolsStatus
 
      Write-Host "$vm is stopping with powerstate $powerstate and toolsStatus $toolsstatus! The teller is $teller." -ForegroundColor Yellow
      $teller ++
      }
 
   }
 
   $getvm = Get-VM $vm
   $powerstate = $getvm.PowerState
   if ($powerstate -eq "PoweredOff"){
      $Shutdown = "OK"
      Write-Host "$vm is powered-off"}
      else{
      $Shutdown = "ERROR"
      Write-Host "The Powerstate of $vm is $powerstate. This is unusual." -ForegroundColor Red
      }
   return $Shutdown
}
 
 
Function Check-VMHardwareVersion($vm){
   $vmView = get-VM $vm | Get-View
   $vmVersion = $vmView.Config.Version
   $v4 = "vmx-04"
   $v7 = "vmx-07"
   $v8 = "vmx-08"
   $v9 = "vmx-09"
 
   if ($vmVersion -eq $v4){
      $vmHardware = "Old"}
   elseif($vmVersion -eq $v7){
      $vmHardware = "Old"}
   elseif($vmVersion -eq $v8){
      $vmHardware = "Old"}
  elseif($vmVersion -eq $v9){
      $vmHardware = "OK"}
   else{
      $vmHardware = "ERROR"
      [console]::ForegroundColor = "Red"
      Read-Host "The Hardware version is unknown This is unusual. Press <CTRL>+C to quit the script or press <ENTER> to continue"
      [console]::ResetColor()
   }
   return $vmHardware
}
 
Function Upgrade-VMHardware($vm){
   $vmview = Get-VM $vm | Get-View
   $vmVersion = $vmView.Config.Version
   $v4 = "vmx-04"
   $v7 = "vmx-07"
   $v8 = "vmx-08"
   $v9 = "vmx-09"
 
   if ($vmVersion -ne $v9){
      Write-Host "Old Version of hardware detected." -ForegroundColor Red
 
# Update Hardware
      Write-Host "Upgrading Hardware on" $vm -ForegroundColor Yellow
      Get-View ($vmView.UpgradeVM_Task($v9)) | Out-Null
   }
}
 
Function CheckAndUpgrade($vm){
 
   $vmHardware = Check-VMHardwareVersion $vm
   if($vmHardware -ne "OK"){
      Write-Host "The hardware level is $vmHardware on $vm" -ForegroundColor Red
      $PowerOffVM = PowerOff-VM $vm
      if($PowerOffVM -eq "OK"){
         Write-Host "Starting upgrade hardware level on $vm."
         Upgrade-VMHardware $vm
         sleep 5
         $PowerOnVM = PowerOn-VM $vm
         if($PowerOnVM -eq "OK"){
         Write-Host "$vm is up to date" -ForegroundColor Green}
         else{
         Write-Host "The VM $vm is not turned on or there is something wrong. Please take a look at $vm" -ForegroundColor Red}
      }
      else{Write-Host "The VM $vm is not turned off. Skipping $vm." -ForegroundColor Red}
   }
   else{Write-Host "The hardware level of $vm is already OK. Skipping $vm." -ForegroundColor Red}
}
 
Connect-vCenter
$vms = VM-Selection
foreach($item in $vms){
   $vm = $item.Name
   Write-Host "Starting $vm"
   CheckAndUpgrade $vm
}
 
Disconnect-VIServer     * -confirm:$false