VMware Communities: Install ESX 3.x on Dell PE 200

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9 Replies Last post: Feb 3, 2009 2:21 PM by herve81

Install ESX 3.x on Dell PE 200

Mar 5, 2008 4:10 AM

SrinivasM 9 posts since
Mar 5, 2008

Hi,

I am planning to install ESX Server 3.x on a new Dell PE 200 machine, but when I boot with Dell Utility CD it shows me only Windows and Linux OS options to install.

Any help on this is appriciated.

Regards,

Srinivas M.

Reply Re: Install ESX 3.x on Dell PE 200 Mar 5, 2008 5:01 AM

gavinfitz 42 posts since
Apr 20, 2007

Hi,

You dont need to use the Dell CD to install ESX.

ESX installs below the OS level & therefore doesnt need the Dell Installation CD as it will only as you said work within a Linux or Windows O.S, ESX installs at the hypervisor level and therefore doesnt need such as install.

Instead boot from your esx 3.5 cd & follow the on-screen instructions,

Reply Re: Install ESX 3.x on Dell PE 200 Mar 5, 2008 6:54 AM

in response to: gavinfitz

SrinivasM 9 posts since
Mar 5, 2008

Hi Gavin,

It boot sucessfully with ESX CD but it asks for the ESX CD after selecting the drive (of vmware esx server packages) during installation even though it is already present in CDROM Drive. Any clues on this behavior?

Regards,
Srinivas M.

Reply Re: Install ESX 3.x on Dell PE 200 Mar 5, 2008 12:33 PM

in response to: SrinivasM

Fedde 31 posts since
Dec 20, 2006

Is that a Dell PowerEdge 2900 you're trying to install on?
If it is a new Dell PowerEdge 2900 and it is a SATA-attached CDROM drive and you're installing 3.02
then you have to use a USB-attached CDROM drive.

We have a couple of new Dell PowerEdge 2900 with SATA-attached CDROM drives and the installation starts ok
but after 3 or 4 steps it cannot find the CDROM drive.

According to Dell tech support SATA-attached CDROM drives are not supported in Esx Server 3.0x.
Also according to Dell tech support Esx Server 3.5 will support SATA-attached CDROM drives (and SATA-attached DVDROM drives).

I guess that this problem also applies to PowerEdge 2950 and PowerEdge 1950 if the CDROM drive is SATA-attached.

/Fedde

Reply Re: Install ESX 3.x on Dell PE 200 Mar 5, 2008 8:37 PM

in response to: Fedde

SrinivasM 9 posts since
Mar 5, 2008

Hi Fedde,

It is Dell PowerEdge R200 (not 2900).

I have the similar problem you face with your machines i.e. the installation starts ok, but it does not find the ESX CD inserted in the CDROM drive after 3 or 4 steps.

I have ESX 3.0.2 version. I am downloading the latest version i.e. ESX 3.5 and will let you if this solves my problem.

Thanks once again for your information.

Regards,
Srinvias M.

Reply Re: Install ESX 3.x on Dell PE 200 Mar 6, 2008 4:00 AM

in response to: SrinivasM

SrinivasM 9 posts since
Mar 5, 2008

Successfully installed ESX 3.5 on Dell PE 200

Regards,
Srinivas M.

Reply Re: Install ESX 3.x on Dell PE 200 Dec 1, 2008 10:02 AM

in response to: SrinivasM

maxi-m 28 posts since
Mar 10, 2006

SrinivasM,

I'm getting ready to install ESX server on a DELL R200 - have you had any issues with you installation. Our R200 is a Quad core with 8GB of RAM so I'm hoping that will have fairly decent performance.

Thanks,

Mike

Reply Re: Install ESX 3.x on Dell PE 200 Jan 4, 2009 12:49 PM

in response to: maxi-m

atbnet 287 posts since
May 26, 2008

What type of storage are these R200 using IDE, SAS or SCSI?

Andy, VMware Certified Professional (VCP), http://www.vmadmin.co.uk/

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Reply Re: Install ESX 3.x on Dell PE 200 Jan 12, 2009 3:24 AM

in response to: atbnet

SimonPainter 1 posts since
Jan 12, 2009

I am trying to install ESXi onto an R200 and it keeps complaining that it is unable to write to disk. I have turned off the RAID controller and am installing to the native disks. Have tried this with two different R200s in case there actually was a disk error and still get the same problem. Anyone got any ideas?

BIOS 1.2.1
VMware ESX Server 3i U3 Installable

Reply Re: Install ESX 3.x on Dell PE 200 Feb 3, 2009 2:21 PM

in response to: SimonPainter

herve81 1 posts since
Feb 3, 2009

I have the same problem with my R200 it seems that it appen only with SATA drive with the motherboard controler. Someone already succeed intalling ESXi without any raid controler ? directly with the motherboard controler.

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