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1 2 Previous Next 19 Replies Last post: Nov 6, 2009 11:26 AM by michael.custa…  

upgrade from esx3.5 to esx4i posted: Nov 6, 2009 10:35 AM

Click to view michael.custance's profile Enthusiast
michael.custa…
110 posts since
Feb 27, 2008

I have an esx 3.5 host with local VMFS storage. CUrrently I am using the full blown esx 3.5 installed on a dedicated pair of local disks. I want to upgrade to esx4i using an internla usb key.

What will happen if I simply plug in the usb key and change to the boot order? will I lose all the data on the current vmfs stores? will it pick up the vmfs stores and then just a case of manually registering the VM's?

Re: upgrade from esx3.5 to esx4i

1. Nov 6, 2009 10:40 AM in response to: michael.custa…
Click to view DSTAVERT's profile Virtuoso
DSTAVERT
2,418 posts since
Nov 30, 2003
Install to USB is an install option from the CD. I install to new keys and move back and forth from 3.5 and 4 quite frequently.

Re: upgrade from esx3.5 to esx4i

2. Nov 6, 2009 10:42 AM in response to: DSTAVERT
Click to view michael.custance's profile Enthusiast
michael.custa…
110 posts since
Feb 27, 2008
what happens to the local vmfs storage? Does it just pick it up?

Re: upgrade from esx3.5 to esx4i

3. Nov 6, 2009 10:54 AM in response to: michael.custa…
Click to view Troy Clavell's profile Guru
Troy Clavell
6,238 posts since
Oct 12, 2007
question: You are trying to upgrade from classic ESX to ESXi? If so, there is no upgrade path

Re: upgrade from esx3.5 to esx4i

4. Nov 6, 2009 10:55 AM in response to: Troy Clavell
Click to view michael.custance's profile Enthusiast
michael.custa…
110 posts since
Feb 27, 2008
not really an upgrade, I would call it a migration. The only thing I want to keep is the local vmfs storage

Re: upgrade from esx3.5 to esx4i

5. Nov 6, 2009 10:57 AM in response to: michael.custa…
Click to view Troy Clavell's profile Guru
Troy Clavell
6,238 posts since
Oct 12, 2007
I don't think you are going to be successful in what you are trying to accomplish. There is no migration/upgrade path from classic to i.

....but, I have been wrong before.

Re: upgrade from esx3.5 to esx4i

6. Nov 6, 2009 11:08 AM in response to: Troy Clavell
Click to view DSTAVERT's profile Virtuoso
DSTAVERT
2,418 posts since
Nov 30, 2003
It will pick up the datastore just fine. You will be missing the partitions that ESX were installed on.

Re: upgrade from esx3.5 to esx4i

7. Nov 6, 2009 11:10 AM in response to: DSTAVERT
Click to view michael.custance's profile Enthusiast
michael.custa…
110 posts since
Feb 27, 2008

as the drives for the esx 3.5 console are dedicated im guessing I can jsut reassign them as vmfs data stores


Re: upgrade from esx3.5 to esx4i

8. Nov 6, 2009 11:11 AM in response to: DSTAVERT
Click to view DSTAVERT's profile Virtuoso
DSTAVERT
2,418 posts since
Nov 30, 2003
In ESX 4 to ESXi 4 you can remove the COS vmdk. I switch back and forth for testing between ESX, ESXi and 3.5 and 4.

Re: upgrade from esx3.5 to esx4i

9. Nov 6, 2009 11:14 AM in response to: michael.custa…
Click to view DSTAVERT's profile Virtuoso
DSTAVERT
2,418 posts since
Nov 30, 2003
3.5 is different than 4. I don't recall what 3.5 looks like once the VMFS store is mounted. I won't have time to look but perhaps you can..

Re: upgrade from esx3.5 to esx4i

10. Nov 6, 2009 11:15 AM in response to: DSTAVERT
Click to view Troy Clavell's profile Guru
Troy Clavell
6,238 posts since
Oct 12, 2007
I learn something new everyday, Thank you SIR!

Re: upgrade from esx3.5 to esx4i

11. Nov 6, 2009 11:17 AM in response to: DSTAVERT
Click to view michael.custance's profile Enthusiast
michael.custa…
110 posts since
Feb 27, 2008
no worries. Ill post what I find here. Hopefully thr ESX4 image will just see the old ESX 3.5 as unused space and allow me to format it as a new vmfs datastorge

Re: upgrade from esx3.5 to esx4i

12. Nov 6, 2009 11:18 AM in response to: Troy Clavell
Click to view michael.custance's profile Enthusiast
michael.custa…
110 posts since
Feb 27, 2008
Its all about the learning :) As you said im sure this isnt a supported migration method

Re: upgrade from esx3.5 to esx4i

13. Nov 6, 2009 11:19 AM in response to: Troy Clavell
Click to view DSTAVERT's profile Virtuoso
DSTAVERT
2,418 posts since
Nov 30, 2003
Troy
I think the ratio is several thousand to one in the learning part. Glad I now have one.

Re: upgrade from esx3.5 to esx4i

14. Nov 6, 2009 11:19 AM in response to: michael.custa…
Click to view Troy Clavell's profile Guru
Troy Clavell
6,238 posts since
Oct 12, 2007
it makes sense for ESX4 and ESX4i, since the COS is a VM, but I would be curious as well to see how it works if you have ESX3.5
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