VMware Cloud Community
tdubb123
Expert
Expert

will this run esx 3.5?

OptiPlex 755

(System Identifier: EW7PRY9M)

  • OptiPlex 755 Mini-Tower: Intel Core 2 Duo Processor E6550 (2.33GHz, 4M, VT, 1333MHz FSB)

  • Genuine Windows XP Home

System Price

:

$349.00

|-----

Operating System

Genuine Windows XP Home -


Memory

2 GB DDR2 Non-ECC SDRAM 667MHz (2 DIMMs) -


Floppy Drive

1.44 MB Floppy Disk Drive -


Hard Disk Drive

80 GB SATA Hard Drive (7200 RPM) -


Media Bay

48X Max Variable CD ROM Drive -


Certified Refurbished

Certified Refurbished -


Base

OptiPlex 755 Mini-Tower: Intel Core 2 Duo Processor E6550 (2.33GHz, 4M, VT, 1333MHz FSB) -


Hardware Upgrade

No Internal Speaker

USB Keyboard

USB 2 Button Mouse -


Software Upgrade

Dell Energy Smart Enable

ASF Basic Hardware Enabled Systems Management

Reply
0 Kudos
40 Replies
jayolsen
Expert
Expert

I'd check here starting on page 21.

Don't forget your network card(s). Not sure if the disk you have will support running VMs or not, someone will probably answer that part.

Reply
0 Kudos
azn2kew
Champion
Champion

There are two solutions you can use for ESX testing. First, instructions from Xtravirt.com using VMware Workstation 6.0 under Windows XP machine and it only work with ESX 3.0.2 at this point. If you want to test ESX 3.5 in bare metal than you should load ESX 3.5 Update 1 CD in to see if it works or not that will quickly tells u the answer. You can consult on Compatibility guide but will likely not workable because the guide is towards server class type. You can check out David Mishchenko's website or search on here for "ESX sandbox" that should lead you to the link.

I would load the ESX 3.5 CD and know in 10 minutes instead of asking unless you can't format your system. SATA drives are support and its good if you use OpenFiler and FreeNAS as iSCSI SAN as well.

If you found this information useful, please consider awarding points for "Correct" or "Helpful". Thanks!!!

Regards,

Stefan Nguyen

iGeek Systems Inc.

VMware, Citrix, Microsoft Consultant

If you found this information useful, please consider awarding points for "Correct" or "Helpful". Thanks!!! Regards, Stefan Nguyen VMware vExpert 2009 iGeek Systems Inc. VMware vExpert, VCP 3 & 4, VSP, VTSP, CCA, CCEA, CCNA, MCSA, EMCSE, EMCISA
Reply
0 Kudos
azn2kew
Champion
Champion

What's your disk controller and NIC model? That's the two components need to be compatible or work with ESX 3.x the rest is fine since you have dual core + VT support and 2GB is kinda small but okay for testing.

If you found this information useful, please consider awarding points for "Correct" or "Helpful". Thanks!!!

Regards,

Stefan Nguyen

iGeek Systems Inc.

VMware, Citrix, Microsoft Consultant

If you found this information useful, please consider awarding points for "Correct" or "Helpful". Thanks!!! Regards, Stefan Nguyen VMware vExpert 2009 iGeek Systems Inc. VMware vExpert, VCP 3 & 4, VSP, VTSP, CCA, CCEA, CCNA, MCSA, EMCSE, EMCISA
Reply
0 Kudos
Dave_Mishchenko
Immortal
Immortal

As mentioned you'll want to confirm which SATA controller and NIC model this PC has. This link states that it should have the Intel Q35 chipset http://www.upenn.edu/computing/provider/docs/hardware/optiplex755.html and if that's correct you should have the ICH9 controller (http://download.intel.com/products/chipsets/Q35_Q33/317312.pdf). It'll also have an Intel 10/100/1000 NIC, but you may still have to add a NIC to the system - I use Intel Pro 1000/GT which are fairly cheap to get.

Other systems that have been testing with 3.5/3i - http://www.vm-help.com/esx/esx3.5/Whiteboxes_SATA_Controllers_for_ESX_3.5_3i.htm.

Reply
0 Kudos
tdubb123
Expert
Expert

just tried to boot from 3.5cd to install but will not work. any idea?

Reply
0 Kudos
Dave_Mishchenko
Immortal
Immortal

Is it stopping at a certain point? Have you tried with ESX 3i?

Reply
0 Kudos
tdubb123
Expert
Expert

for 3i, it does see the onboard nic. and for 3.5, it says it cannot find driver and prompts me to install driver from disk or make a selection from the storage controllers

Reply
0 Kudos
Dave_Mishchenko
Immortal
Immortal

Does 3i see a storage controller? With 3.5 there seems to be an issue with the installer not being able to use some CD-ROMs. I have the problem on a couple of whiteboxes and in those cases I have copied the install CD to a web server and I then choose to run the rest of the install from there. You could also use FTP as the source for the install.

This is the closest I've seen to an explanation of the problem.

-


CD_ROM - No drivers found http://communities.vmware.com/message/875606

I happen to be having the same problem. I think the user having the issue may have left out a very critical detail. the error message occurs just after the screen "Installation Method” where you answer the question "what type of media contains the packages to be installed" Options are "Local CD-ROM, Hard Drive, NFS, FTP, HTTP" When you select "Local CD-ROM" it says "No Drivers Found" however if you continue to read it says " Unable to find any devices for this installation type". ive done some research on Linux distros and there’s tons of people having the issue and all seem to b able to resolve it by specifying something like "linux all-generic-ide irqpoll pci=nommconf " something or other... it basically makes the installer use a generic IDE mode for the CD-ROM, this only happens when the CD-rom is a "SATA" cd rom... dunno why or how... im going to keep looking till I figure it out.. Or maybe I’ll just do the FTP thing... That’s not a bad idea... just wish I could ensure it actually see's the drives before I go through all that trouble.

Reply
0 Kudos
tdubb123
Expert
Expert

for 3i, it doesnt even see the sata controller. I added a intel 10/100 nic on it and was able to get 3i to boot and i could vc in. But cannot create or see any datastores

Reply
0 Kudos
Dave_Mishchenko
Immortal
Immortal

If you still have 3i running could you open a console session and run lspci. That'll tell you the model of SATA controller that you have and should tell you if you have a chance with ESX 3.5.

Reply
0 Kudos
tdubb123
Expert
Expert

it froze up on the console. alt-f1

Reply
0 Kudos
Dave_Mishchenko
Immortal
Immortal

Do you know the specific model of SATA controller that this PC has?

Reply
0 Kudos
tdubb123
Expert
Expert

As mentioned you'll want to confirm which SATA controller and NIC model this PC has. This link states that it should have the Intel Q35 chipset http://www.upenn.edu/computing/provider/docs/hardware/optiplex755.html and if that's correct you should have the ICH9 controller (http://download.intel.com/products/chipsets/Q35_Q33/317312.pdf). It'll also have an Intel 10/100/1000 NIC, but you may still have to add a NIC to the system - I use Intel Pro 1000/GT which are fairly cheap to get.

Other systems that have been testing with 3.5/3i - http://www.vm-help.com/esx/esx3.5/Whiteboxes_SATA_Controllers_for_ESX_3.5_3i.htm.

I think you said it has the Q35 chipset

Reply
0 Kudos
Dave_Mishchenko
Immortal
Immortal

It would be worth checking anyways and especially to get the PCI and vender ID for the controller. With that it is possible to check the PCI database files from ESX to see if it will recognize the controller. If you haven't already done so I would suggest downloading ESX 3.5 Update 1 and trying with that.

Reply
0 Kudos
tdubb123
Expert
Expert

I really cannot seem to run esx 3.5 update 1 on this optiplex 755. First of all it does not see the cdrom drivers. So I tried NFS install and it does not see the sata controller.

Then I purchased the promise tx300 controller and it still did not see it. any idea if this optiplex model is supported?

Reply
0 Kudos
nprior
Contributor
Contributor

Try using USB bootable for ESXi 3.5 U1 if just for testing... just downloaded ESX regular today to see if it would run on the 755, no go, so resorted to stick boot, booted fine apart from issue with network driver, by then it was time for beer, so next week will try a different NIC and see if it picks up the sata drive:

Stick Boot:

If you already got it running let me know

Reply
0 Kudos
TheKingNL
Contributor
Contributor

Hi guys,

I got it running on a 755 OptiPlex.

Pre-install:

  • Go into the Bios and change the SATA operation to "Legacy"

  • Enable Virtualization and VT for Direct I/O

  • Disable NIC, the NIC on the mobo will not work

  • Install a supported NIC. I installed an old HP 10/100 card for now. You can also buy a cheap, HP NC110T gbit card.

Reboot and insert the ESX CD. I used ESX 3.5 Update 1 (82663)

Install ESX and check if it loads and if you can open the website. Install the VI 2.5 and you will notice that you cannot create a datastore for the VM's.

Reboot the 755 and go into the Bios. Change the SATA operation to RAID Auto / ATA

Save changes, connect with VI to the ESX and you can now create a datastore. Create a datastore on the free disk space on the SATA disk. You can now create VM's!

I'm using a 755 DT with 8GB and a E6550 CPU. Again, you need another NIC as the other NIC is not supported by ESX.

Reply
0 Kudos
TonyJZX
Contributor
Contributor

have a 755dt which ran citrix xen fine but for some reason vmware thinks the Intel 1000 isn't a popular enough NIC

can't install until i find a slimline nic

Reply
0 Kudos
d1c1ple
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Thanks for the tip. Legacy SATA mode gets by and lets the install continue. I could not create a vmkcore or VMFS locally. Will give a shot post install after putting sata mode back to the default configuration.

Setting up a lab; this got me installed; however 3.5U2 did not find the integrated Intel 82566DM-2 NIC??? Any ideas? I'll check the IO guide but would think most Intel GigE nics would be supported.

Reply
0 Kudos