Booting ESXi 5 from USB Stick

[Broonie27]

I have successfully created a USB boot device for ESXi 5 but it won't boot on the test PC I'm trying to use. I also installed ESXi 5 on the internal disk of the PC to test if it was compatible and the OS boots fine from that. But I really want to test the USB boot funtionality. If have set the BIOS to boot from USB first.

If I boot my laptop from the same ESXi USB device it works fine.

Any ideas?

[SteveA5000 · Accepted solution]

Try on another USB stick if you've got one. I've got the same problem in this thread;

http://communities.vmware.com/thread/404893?start=15&tstart=0

I'm trying to use the Sandisk Cruzer Fit 4Gb, but for the life of me, can't get it to work. It works with other USB sticks, just not this one.

Steve

[RanjnaAggarwal]

Check this link:-

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=200451...

[SteveA5000]

Thanks for the link, but i think he is talking about booting into an actual esxi installation that resides on a USB stick, not installing esxi from a USB stick.

Maybe steps 1-3 might be useful to make sure your USB is clean before you try installing onto it.

[Broonie27]

Cheers Steve. It wasn't a dodgy USB stick it was the BOIS on my motherboard wasn't GPT compatible so I added the formatwithMBR command and that sorted it.

[SteveA5000]

Could you elaborate please. Might be worthwhile trying with my own problem.

Thanks.

[Broonie27]

See this post:

http://communities.vmware.com/message/1824957#1824957

basically I just did a shift+o at installtion and used the formatwithmbr command. After the installtion completed the USB drive worked a treat.

[SteveA5000]

You're a legend! I owe you a beer. Ran that command with the install and it works.

Thanks a lot. I've been struggling with this for days.

[Broonie27]

Mine's is a Stella 😉