Install ESXi on desktop issues

Install ESXi 3.5 /4.0 on a desktop machine.
The key part of this is to check VMware whitebox list to see if your hardware is on the supported liet or not.
Google "ESXi on a whitebox".

How to copy (upload) file to ESXi server?
You can now copy files to and from the datastores with the Browse Datastore function in the VI client. On the Sumary or Configuration \ Storage page for the host, right click on the datastore and select Browse Datastore. On the Browse Datastore window you'll see icons to upload / download and move files.

How to enable SSH?
ESXi shipped with SSH but by default is disabled. You can enable it manually but please note this is not supported.
1.Logon to ESXi console unsupported mode
At the console of the ESXi host, press ALT-F1 to access the console window.
Enter unsupported in the console and then press Enter. You will not see the text you type in.
If you typed in unsupported correctly, you will see the Tech Support Mode warning and a password prompt. Enter the password for the root login.
2.Modify /etc/inetd.conf to clear the "#" that begin with #ssh and save.
3.Restart management service
command: /sbin/services.sh restart

Find more details from this link: 
http://www.vm-help.com/esx/esx3i/ESXi_enable_SSH.php

And this one: How to access the VMware ESXi hidden console
http://www.virtualizationadmin.com/articles-tutorials/vmware-esx-articles/general/how-to-access-the-vmware-esxi-hidden-console.html


How to import existing virtual machine created by VMware server v1.02 to ESXi?
Use the free VMware vCenter Converter (4.0):
http://www.vmware.com/support/converter/doc/releasenotes_conv401.html

locate source virtual machine file
setup destination: IP of ESXi 4.0

Setup network from Microsoft Virtual server 2005 R2

Setup network from Microsoft Virtual server 2005 R2

You can configure NAT on the host machine to share your local network with guest virtual machines so that they can be access Internet.With network address translation (NAT), you can configure one or more virtual machines to share the host operating system's Internet connection, as shown in the following table.
1.Install Microsoft Loopback Adapter on the host operating system
2.Enable Internet Connection Sharing on the physical network adapter that is connected to the Internet. Configure ICS so that the physical network adapter shares the connection with Microsoft Loopback Adapter.
3.Create a virtual network and configure it to use Microsoft Loopback Adapter
4.Connect one or more virtual machines to the virtual network that is configured to use Microsoft Loopback Adapter

DHCP server must be in the reserved IP list.An example:1. Host pc setting:Physical NIC: Realtek RTL8168/8111 PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet NICIP: 192.168.10.6subnet: 255.255.255.0Gateway: 192.168.10.1 DNS: 192.168.10.1
MS Loopback adapter is installed on the host pc. ICS is enabled on physical NIC and shares the connection with the loopback adapter.Loopback adapter IP: 192.168.0.1 (leave "default gateway" blank)
2. Guest virtual pc settingVirtual network setting:Start IP: 192.168.0.20End IP: 192.168.0.200DHCP server: 192.168.0.2Default gateway: 192.168.0.1
Note:a. You must leave 16 address as system reserved.For example, if your virtual network is 192.168.0.0, then the first available DHCP IP is 192.168.0.17.b. The virtual DHCP server's IP address must within the reserved IP range.

IE7.0 compatibility issue with IE8.0

Problem:

When use Virtual server admin web console, got error:

Message: 'document.getElementById(...)' is null or not an object

Reason:

IE8 seems to have some trouble to work normally with the js controls of Virtual Server 2005, but you can easily make it work by choosing IE8 to work in IE7 compatibility mode.

Just aside to the url you should have a button that seems like a "broken sheet of paper". Click on that and you will be in IE7 compatibility mode, and everything will work fine with Virtual Server.

VMX-CONFIG File explained

A very short vmx-file only needs 3 lines - I call them the identity-lines. This minimal vmx is enough to start a VM. It is the equivalent of starting a legacy-real-metal box with nothing more than the main-board with 32MB RAM and one CPU plugged in.



guestOS = "winxppro"
config.version = "8"
virtualHW.version = "4"

The version above can be used for VMplayer, Workstation 5.5 and VMserver.
For ESX 2.5 or WS 4.5 you need something like

guestOS = "winxppro"
config.version = "6"
virtualHW.version = "3"

It doesn't matter wether you use upper or lower cases - but always make sure to use " " for values.

If you forget one of this critical parameters or misconfigure it the VM will not start and give an error-message.



guestOS = "dos 397"

causes error-message

Guest operating system `dos 397' is not supported.
Please select a guest operating system from the General page on the Options tab of Virtual Machine Settings.



Autogenerated Identity-lines



Once you start such a minimal VM VMware generates another two lines to identify the virtual machine. Whenever you change the path to the vmx-file - either by renaming or moving to a different path VMware wants to update this lines.


uuid.location = "56 4d ee 3c 52 06 a3 de-be 4a 73 9c cc 99 15 1f"
uuid.bios = "56 4d ee 3c 52 06 a3 de-be 4a 73 9c cc 99 15 1f"


Memory



You can change the amount of RAM that a VM will use like this

memsize = "128"



If you don't assign a value for memory VMware will use the default-setting which is 32MB

memsize = "32"





Whenever you assign RAM manually make sure the value is a multiple of 4 - otherwise the VM will not start:

memsize = "255"

causes this error-message:

Memory size 255 not a multiple of 4
Displayname



You can assign a displayname for your virtual machine by adding

displayName = "VMX-Test"



If you don't assign a nicname VMware will autogenerate one- useing the path and name of the vmx-file

displayName = "X:\home\moon\Desktop\vmx.sammler\minimal.vmx"




PCI-slots



Lets populate the PCI-slots.

A VM has 6 PCI-slots.

The first slot is always used by the VMware-SVGA II.
You can fill the next 5 slots with these devices:


Buslogic-SCSI-controller

LSI-logic-SCSI-controller

AMD-ethernet
VMX-ethernet
e1000-ethernet
Soundcard


To add one of max. 4 Buslogic-SCSI-controllers add this lines:

scsi0.present = "TRUE"

scsi0.virtualDev = "buslogic" "vmxbuslogic" for ESX



To add one of max. 4 LSIlogic-SCSI-controllers add this lines:

scsi0.present = "TRUE"

scsi0.virtualDev = "lsilogic" "vmxlsilogic" for ESX



To add one of max. 4 AMD-ethernet-cards add this lines:

ethernet0.present = "TRUE"
ethernet0.virtualDev = "vlance"



To add one of max. 4 VMXnet-ethernet-cards add this lines:

ethernet0.present = "TRUE"
ethernet0.virtualDev = "vmxnet"





To add one of max. 4 e1000-ethernet-cards add this lines:

ethernet0.present = "TRUE"
ethernet0.virtualDev = "e1000"




To add a soundcard - either a Soundblaster or a ES1371 - add this lines:

sound.present = "TRUE"
sound.virtualDev= "sb16"

or

sound.present = "TRUE"
sound.virtualDev= "es1371"



What happens if I add more than 5 PCI-devices?
In case you order
scsi0.present = "TRUE"
scsi1.present = "TRUE"
scsi2.present = "TRUE"
scsi3.present = "TRUE"
ethernet0.present = "TRUE"
ethernet1.present = "TRUE"
ethernet2.present = "TRUE"
ethernet3.present = "TRUE"
sound.present = "TRUE"

you will get

scsi0.present = "TRUE"
scsi1.present = "TRUE"
scsi2.present = "TRUE"
scsi3.present = "TRUE"
ethernet0.present = "TRUE"

The free 5 PCI-slots are assigned following this priority-list:

1. Buslogic-SCSI-controller

2. LSI-logic-SCSI-controller

3. AMD-ethernet
4. VMX-ethernet
5. e1000-ethernet
6. Soundcard


In case you don't get the results you expect, please keep in mind that sometimes VMware uses silent-defaults.
If you order
ethernet0.present = "TRUE"
ethernet1.present = "TRUE"
ethernet2.present = "TRUE"
ethernet3.present = "TRUE"
sound.present = "TRUE"

you will get

scsi0.present = "TRUE"
ethernet0.present = "TRUE"
ethernet1.present = "TRUE"
ethernet2.present = "TRUE"
ethernet3.present = "TRUE"

The reason for this strange behaviour is simple: VMware assumes

scsi0.present = "TRUE"

for every VM. If you want no SCSI-controller you have to specify

scsi0.present = "FALSE"

Don't worry - the list with exceptions from the rule like is short.


IDE



A VMware-computer has the usual primary and secondary IDE-ports. To enable the primary port use this liine:

ide0.present = "TRUE"



To enable the secondary port use:

ide1.present = "TRUE


Actually IDE-ports are another example for silent defaults. This means you don't need to do anything if you want to use both ports.


Ports



To add one of max. 3 parallel ports add this line:

parallel0.present = "TRUE"



To add one of max. 4 serial ports add this line:

serial0.present = "TRUE"


To add 2 USB-ports (useing USB 1.1) add this line:

usb.present = "TRUE"






Syntax



You can use # for comments.
The sequence of line doesn't matter.
Parameters with *.present work like a main-switch.
If parameter scsi0.present is activated every parameter in the sub-category is used. So if you have

scsi0.present = "TRUE"

then lines like

scsi0.virtualDev = "lsilogic"

are used.
If you have

scsi0.present ="FALSE"

all lines starting with scsi0 are ignored.


ESX Server, by default, doesn?t allow NICs in guest operating systems to be in promiscuous mode.

The fix is this:

PromiscuousAllowed yes

Replace ?vmnic0? in this command with whatever virtual switch or NIC team the virtual machine in question is using.


What happens if you use unknown or mis-spelled lines? A line like
zoo.number_of_elefants = "387"

causes an error-message and VMware-player will not start - this doesn't mean that there are no VMversions that count the number of elefants. Maybe a future version will ignore this line or even use it. So don't count on it. Better go with the rule:

Unknown or mis-spelled lines are ignored or give error-messages.