Just wanted to add to the list that I also successfully installed ESX 3.5 straight out of the box on a HP DC7600 Desktop PC.

No special config was needed. It booted right after.

So I guess the following will work then

HP dc7700/ Intel Core 2 Duo E6400 2.13GHz/ 1GB RAM/ 160GB HDD/ CD-RW/ DVD-ROM Combo Drive/ 3 YR OS Warranty/ XP Pro/ Small Form

OK. I will stick to the dc7600. A bit pricey though, sure you can get a server for that price that works as well. We have a 4day holiday coming up, would like to get a system in before then. so I can have it setup.

I will see whats out there. thanks

Dont forget you can write ESX 3i to a USB and boot from that then it doesnt matter if it has any local disks at all or whether they work or not. You can then run the vm's off your desktop if you set up nfs sharing which windows server can do, or linux vm etc, etc.

Or just buy a cheap network NAS device with nfs support. Then you can do clustering, HA and all the nice stuff like storage vmotion etc too. No point just having one server

Info on making your own 3i is on the forum just search for "winimage 3i" or similar. Thats what Id do.

When my Tyan single server gives up the ghost thats what Id do. Three dualcore desktops with 8gb and nfs NAS for a cluster.

Hi,

right the 7100/7600 already confirmed on 2008/01/07.

i outranked you.

keep on testing... the more system we get to work the better for our labs....

thanks & greetings,

Reinhard.

Hi guys,

I've gone and set myself up a dc7100 ESX 3.5 box - works fantastically.  An issue I have is that ESX only sees 3.12GB of RAM, even though I have installed 4GB.  With a bit of googling I've been able to find that this is apparently to do with the chipset in the PC reserving a chunk of RAM up to 4GB for bus functions.   I'm going to update the BIOS tonight to see if that helps at all.  Has anyone else run into this problem?  Did you manage to get around it?