I'm running out of options. I desperately want to check out the new features in ESX 3.5 but I can't find a way to run ESX 3.5 in a virtual environment. I tried Workstation 6, VMware Server 2.0 and even VMware Player 2.0. The player starts ESX 3.5 in the blink of an eye but when I power on my first virtual machine I receive the same error I received in Workstation.

• VMware Player internal monitor error ***

vcpu-1:ASSERT vmcore/private/physMem_shared.h:38 bugNr=131897
Please report this problem by selecting menu item Help > VMware on the Web > Request Support, or by going to the Web page "http://www.vmware.com/info?id=8&logFile=C%3a%5cUsers%5cEric%20Sloof%5cAppData%5cLocal%5cTemp%5cvmware%2dEric%20Sloof%5cvmware%2dEric%20Sloof%2d2700%2elog&coreLocation=C%3a%5cVirtual%20Machines%5cESX35%5cvmware%2dcore%5b0%2d1%5d%2egz". Please provide us with the log file (C:\Users\Eric Sloof\AppData\Local\Temp\vmware-Eric Sloof\vmware-Eric Sloof-2700.log) and the core file (C:\Virtual Machines\ESX35\vmware-core0-1.gz).
If the problem is repeatable, please select 'Run with debugging information' in the Options panel of Virtual Machine Settings. Then reproduce the incident and file it according to the instructions.
To collect data to submit to VMware support, select Help > About and click "Collect Support Data". You can also run the "vm-support" script in the Workstation folder directly.
We will respond on the basis of your support entitlement.
We appreciate your feedback,
-- the VMware Player team.

News from Xtravirt:

Since VMware ESX 3.5 was released many of those in the community have found that the previous methodology to install and run ESX in a VM on Workstation 6 stopped working when a VM nested in ESX 3.5 was powered on. This short paper explores some of the background to this and makes some observations as to why this happens and the possible future of 'VI3 in a Box'.

Download it here.

http://www.xtravirt.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=120&Itemid=64

Did anybody already try this with the WS 6.5 beta ?

The current beta has debug symbols enabled so it runs pretty slow. The release candidate should include the ability to run ESX 3.5 plus VMs on it - http://communities.vmware.com/thread/117676?tstart=0.

ESX 3.5 is running on Workstation 6.5 Build 91182

Last night I received an anonymous tip from someone deep inside the VMware Workstation development team. The tip I received was all about running ESX 3.5 inside Workstation 6.5 and the possibility to power on a VM.

Try the latest Workstation 6.5 Beta 1 Refresh and you are in for a surprise...

This afternoon I downloaded the latest build of the Workstation 6.5 Beta and try to run ESX 3.5 on it.

Download VMware Workstation 6.5 Beta VMware Workstation 6.5 Beta
Latest Version: Beta | 5/12/08 | Build 91182

I created a standard (other Linux) VM with two CPU's, 1024 Gb mem and a 20 GB SCSI disk. I also added the following tree lines to the VMX file.

ethernet0.virtualDev = "e1000"
monitor.virtual_exec = "hardware"
monitor_control.restrict_backdoor = "true"