VMware Cloud Community
JackTinWNY
Contributor
Contributor

Configuring a virtual machine to run a VMware ESX guest operating system

I'm running a Windows XP virtual machine on ESX Server 4.0.0 Releasebuild-171294. In this virtual machine I'm running VMwarePlayer and trying to launch another virtual machine. VMware Player installed and launches correctly, but when I try to run a virtual machine, I get this error:

Running VMware Player in a virtual machine requies the outer virtual machine to be configured for running a VMware ESX guest operating system. You may not power on a virtual machine until the outer virtual machine is reconfigured.

I wasn't sure it would work, and it doesn't say that it won't work. The message would seem to indicate that this would actually work. My question is: How do I configure the outer virtual machine to run VMware ESX guest operating system? I've been through the settings and permissions, and I don't see anythin like this. Is it a manual update to the configuration?

Configuration info (as requested):

  • What exact version of VMware Player: 3.0.0 build-203739

  • What is your host OS and include if it is 32-bit or 64-bit OS. Windows XP 32-bit with latest patches

  • What is the guest OS and include if it is 32-bit or 64-bit OS. Not applicable

  • Are VMware Tools installed in the guest OS: No (not applicable)

  • Are VMware Tools installed in the outer virtual machine: Yes

  • How often you see the problem (e.g. all the time, sometimes, rarely, etc.), and if it had previously worked in the same setup (e.g. same virtual machine, same computer): All the time - it has never worked

  • What seems to trigger the problematic behavior: Starting a virtual machine in VMware Player

  • If there are any conditions where it does work: It never works

In case you are wondering why I would want to run one virtual machine inside another, I am running an application on Linux that I want to virtualize and make available through RDP. Once this application is running, I could telnet to it, but it would be nice to be able to see the machine boot, rahter than just pinging it until it comes up.

Reply
0 Kudos
4 Replies
J1mbo
Virtuoso
Virtuoso

Why not run the guest ESX(es) directly on ESXi? See here:

And for console, use ESXi's built in vnc capabilities:

Please award points to any useful answer.

Reply
0 Kudos
JackTinWNY
Contributor
Contributor

Thank you, this worked. It was a simple configuration file change.

Under Options: Advanced -> General -> Configuration Parameters (button), I made the following changes:

(change) deploymentPlatform from "windows" to "vmkernel"

(add) monitor_control.vt32 = "TRUE"

(add) monitor_control.restrict_backdoor = "TRUE"

VMware Player now launches the inner virtual machine inside the outer virtual machine.

I'll see how it goes, performance wise. As for your other suggestions, that may ultimately be what I have to do. I didn't try the VNC thing. I need to convert the VM I have to an OVF format, and I just got the link to the converter. Haven't tried it yet.

Thanks for your help. I'm afraid that I don't know how to award points...

Jack

Reply
0 Kudos
J1mbo
Virtuoso
Virtuoso

Re points - just click on the buttons next to each post "helpful answer" etc Smiley Happy

Reply
0 Kudos
khouston53
Contributor
Contributor

Your suggestion worked for me - but you "may" need to "ADD" the first option:

Under Options: Advanced -> General -> Configuration Parameters (button), I made the following changes:

(ADD) deploymentPlatform = "vmkernel"

(add) monitor_control.vt32 = "TRUE"

(add) monitor_control.restrict_backdoor = "TRUE"

Thanks for your comment, very helpful!

Reply
0 Kudos