I recently installed Windows 2008R2 Server Core on a test vm to host DNS. Usually after I create a vm I install VMware Tools, but with no GUI in Core this has to be run via command line, syntax below:
msiexec.exe /i %CD_DRIVE%:”VMware Tools.msi” /qn
(/i = package options; qn =no UI)
You need to mount the VMware tools package prior to running the above command, i.e. select Install/Upgrade VMware Tools from the guest menu.