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18,263 Views 10 Replies Last post: Oct 2, 2011 4:59 PM by ThompsG RSS
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pituran
6 posts since
Jul 17, 2008
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Sep 5, 2008 11:26 PM

How to mount the host cdrom in ESXi shell?

Hi all,

 

I want to use the cdrom drive at the ESXi host system but I have no idea how to mount it. I can't find the device for the mount command.

The cdrom is located at /dev/genide/vmhba0:0:0 and at VI Client I see it under vmhba0:0:0 as cdrom.

But how do I mount it within the shell? The command "mount /dev/genide/vmhba0:0:0 /folder4cdrom" doesn't work. ESXi says "use esxcfg-nas" but I have no idea how.

 

Anybody can help me with that?

RParker Guru
RParker
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Dec 6, 2006
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1. Sep 7, 2008 1:35 AM in response to: pituran
Re: How to mount the host cdrom in ESXi shell?

 

I think a better question would be, what are you trying to do?  What is the CD for?

 

 

You can't install anything in the 3i shell anyway, there is no installable command line.  So mounting the CD on 3i isn't going to allow to use the CD.  If you need some files, you can extract the contents and put them in the VMFS volume on the ESX host, in that case you can do this remotely using VI Client.

 

 

Leafy911 Expert
Leafy911
302 posts since
Aug 11, 2008
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2. Sep 7, 2008 4:03 AM in response to: RParker
Re: How to mount the host cdrom in ESXi shell?

 

You could also create an ISO from your cdrom, copy it to your vmfs volume and then mount it from there in VI client.

 

 

 

Regards

Leafy911

 

(Dont forget you recieve points when you award points)

Regards Leafy911 (Dont forget you recieve points when you award points)
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pituran
6 posts since
Jul 17, 2008
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3. Sep 8, 2008 12:07 AM in response to: Leafy911
Re: How to mount the host cdrom in ESXi shell?

 

Thanks for responses. I've got a Dell SC430 running with ESXi Server. The idea was to install the Dell hardware management tools onto ESXi to monitor the hardware.

 

 

Is there another way to install it or it's just not possible?

 

 

Dave.Mishchen… Guru User Moderators vExpert
Dave.Mishchen…
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Nov 15, 2005
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4. Sep 8, 2008 12:10 AM in response to: pituran
Re: How to mount the host cdrom in ESXi shell?

For ESX regular,  the management agent gets installed into the Linux based service console VM.    ESXi lacks that service console so you won't be able to add any management agents.   With ESXi the intent is to use CIM providers to manage hardware and what is available will come on the ESXi CD (or a version specific to the hardware vender).

bshimmin99 Novice VMware Employees
bshimmin99
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Jan 22, 2008
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5. Dec 18, 2008 4:25 PM in response to: Dave.Mishchen…
Re: How to mount the host cdrom in ESXi shell?

 

I'm working with a customer who has a requirement for prestaging windows.ISO files onto an ESXi  vmfs datastore before the server is shipped. They have some remote offices with serious low bandwidth.

 

 

They are looking to use an OEM integrator who will factory install ESXi, ship the server to site and install it on the network - then new virtual machines may be built from ISO files by the customer.

 

 

Our challenge is finding a way to have these ISO's available from which to build from. We had the idea of mounting from within the ESXi shell the IDE drive that would contain the ISO files - we could then copy then directly from the CDROM to the local vmfs datastore. This would be really handy.

 

 

Any one with any tricks or tips or the viability of doing this.

 

 

pekaynz Lurker
pekaynz
1 posts since
Aug 11, 2006
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6. Nov 25, 2010 1:46 PM in response to: RParker
Re: How to mount the host cdrom in ESXi shell?

 

Hello,

 

 

why cant you answer the question how to mount a CDROM in ESXi.

 

 

Simple question.

 

 

 

 

 

thanks

 

 

agodwin Lurker
agodwin
1 posts since
Oct 4, 2006
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7. Feb 3, 2011 9:42 AM in response to: pekaynz
Re: How to mount the host cdrom in ESXi shell?

To find the device reference of your CDROM:

 

esxcfg-mpath -l

 

Example output:

 

ide.vmhba32-ide.0:0-mpx.vmhba32:C0:T0:L0
   Runtime Name: vmhba32:C0:T0:L0
   Device: mpx.vmhba32:C0:T0:L0
   Device Display Name: Local TEAC CD-ROM (mpx.vmhba32:C0:T0:L0)
    State: active
   Transport: ide

 

Load the iso9660 module with this command:

 

vmkload_mod iso9660

 

Mount the CDROM using the device determined earlier with esxcfg-mpath -l:

 

/sbin/vsish -e set /vmkModules/iso9660/mount mpx.vmhba32:C0:T0:L0

 

The CDROM will be mounted under /vmfs/volumes/ [CDROM Label] /

justinsmith Enthusiast
justinsmith
114 posts since
Jul 23, 2010
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8. Apr 11, 2011 12:54 PM in response to: agodwin
Re: How to mount the host cdrom in ESXi shell?

I've done this in the past to install 10GBe NIC drivers and its worked... I just recently ran into an issue with a fresh ESXi install and this command:

 

/sbin/vsish -e set /vmkModules/iso9660/mount mpx.vmhba32:C0:T0:L0

 

It outputs a VSISHCmdSet(): Set failed: Not supported

 

Any ideas why?

Kryuk Lurker
Kryuk
1 posts since
Apr 6, 2010
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9. Apr 27, 2011 5:59 AM in response to: justinsmith
Re: How to mount the host cdrom in ESXi shell?

When i try to connect the CD-ROM gives the same error - VSISHCmdSet (): Set failed: Not supported.
Maybe because ESXi (4.1) installed on Usb flash drive?

ThompsG Expert
ThompsG
428 posts since
Feb 2, 2005
Currently Being Moderated
10. Oct 2, 2011 4:59 PM in response to: justinsmith
Re: How to mount the host cdrom in ESXi shell?

I know this thread is from long ago and people have probably answered it for themselves however in answer to your question:

It outputs a VSISHCmdSet(): Set failed: Not supported

 

Any ideas why?

 

In my case this was because there was not a recognizable CDROM in the drive or rather it was not in the location I had specified. The CDROM was mounted via iLO (HP) and therefore turned up as mpx.vmhba33:C0:T0:L0 - this only turned up after mounting an ISO via virtual media and therefore the following output was generated from esxcfg-mpath --list:

 

sata.vmhba32-sata.0:0-mpx.vmhba32:C0:T0:L0 ------------------> LOCAL CDROM drive
   Runtime Name: vmhba32:C0:T0:L0
   Device: mpx.vmhba32:C0:T0:L0
   Device Display Name: Local hp CD-ROM (mpx.vmhba32:C0:T0:L0)
   Adapter: vmhba32 Channel: 0 Target: 0 LUN: 0
   Adapter Identifier: sata.vmhba32
   Target Identifier: sata.0:0
   Plugin: NMP
   State: active
   Transport: sata

 

usb.vmhba33-usb.0:0-mpx.vmhba33:C0:T0:L0 ------------------> virtual CDROM drive
   Runtime Name: vmhba33:C0:T0:L0
   Device: mpx.vmhba33:C0:T0:L0
   Device Display Name: Local USB CD-ROM (mpx.vmhba33:C0:T0:L0)
   Adapter: vmhba33 Channel: 0 Target: 0 LUN: 0
   Adapter Identifier: usb.vmhba33
   Target Identifier: usb.0:0
   Plugin: NMP
   State: active
   Transport: usb

 

Trust this helps or at least doesn't hinder.

 

Kind regards,

 

Glen

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