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richard6121 Enthusiast
richard6121
137 posts since
Feb 15, 2005
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Jan 5, 2007 9:26 AM

Ability to run ESX as a Workstation guest

...for educational purposes.

 

Who wants a screaming DL380 in their den? 

DaveP Master
DaveP
1,457 posts since
Aug 30, 2003
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1. Jan 6, 2007 6:05 AM in response to: richard6121
Re: Ability to run ESX as a Workstation guest

Well VMware actually do this, but not in release version. You can set the guestOS setting in the VMX file to be "vmkernel" , but it doesn't work in Workstation 5.5.3.

 

 

Dave

richard6121 Enthusiast
richard6121
137 posts since
Feb 15, 2005
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2. Jan 8, 2007 9:59 AM in response to: DaveP
Re: Ability to run ESX as a Workstation guest

I just tried it....  6.0 beta doesn't like it either.  Crashes with NOT_IMPLEMENTED.

MayurPatel Expert
MayurPatel
321 posts since
Mar 20, 2006
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3. Jan 12, 2007 3:23 AM in response to: richard6121
Re: Ability to run ESX as a Workstation guest

For those who want to know.

 

For anyone wanting to develop their Altiris or similar automated installation of ESX You can use VM Workstation to test the install procedures before moving it to physical hardware.

 

I have needed to test unattended builds of ESX 2.x and VI3.x using Altiris and I used my standard Workstation 5.5.x. to do the PXE booting etc You will be able to install both versions but you will not be able to do much.

 

For 2.5.x version you will be able to even load the vmkernal but without storage available you can't do much. Whearas with VI3 the VMkernal will not load at all making the installation useless.

 

Hope this helps.

 

MP

VirtualEntity Hot Shot
VirtualEntity
195 posts since
Jan 29, 2007
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4. Jan 29, 2007 12:55 PM in response to: richard6121
Re: Ability to run ESX as a Workstation guest

You have a screaming DL380 to spare?  I'll take it....

continuum Guru User Moderators vExpert
continuum
23,520 posts since
Dec 18, 2003
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5. Jan 29, 2007 1:36 PM in response to: richard6121
Re: Ability to run ESX as a Workstation guest

Has anyone tried if ESX runs (crawls) in Parallels or VirtualBox ?

By the way - VirtualBox can run inside a VMware session

richard6121 Enthusiast
richard6121
137 posts since
Feb 15, 2005
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6. Jan 29, 2007 2:18 PM in response to: continuum
Re: Ability to run ESX as a Workstation guest

I've heard that ESX will run inside a certain unnamed VM product written by a certain unnamed company in the northwest.

saxa Master
saxa
1,338 posts since
Jun 2, 2006
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7. Jan 29, 2007 4:03 PM in response to: richard6121
Re: Ability to run ESX as a Workstation guest

It doesn't... Workstation and VMware Server don't run, too.

saxa Master
saxa
1,338 posts since
Jun 2, 2006
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8. Jan 29, 2007 4:02 PM in response to: continuum
Re: Ability to run ESX as a Workstation guest

>>VirtualBox can run inside a VMware session

 

The XEN demo CD also runs inside the VMware Workstation guest; I could even start 2 VMs

petr Champion VMware Employees
petr
7,225 posts since
Jul 10, 2003
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9. Jan 29, 2007 4:04 PM in response to: richard6121
Re: Ability to run ESX as a Workstation guest

With WS6.0 if you have right hardware (and enable couple of undocumented options to force WS to use 32bit VT) then you should be able to run ESX in a VM.  Just note that it will be really slow once you'll start running VMs inside ESX, and you need to disable backdoor in "outer" VM as otherwise vmware-vmx on virtual ESX will refuse to poweron saying that powering on VM inside VM is not allowed.

DaveP Master
DaveP
1,457 posts since
Aug 30, 2003
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10. Jan 29, 2007 11:40 PM in response to: petr
Re: Ability to run ESX as a Workstation guest

So would I be getting close with these in the VMX file:

 

guestOS = "vmkernel"

isolation.tools.getPtrLocation.disable = "TRUE"

isolation.tools.setPtrLocation.disable = "TRUE"

monitor_control.vt32 = "TRUE"

 

This is from memory as not at a PC with my notes at present.

DaveP Master
DaveP
1,457 posts since
Aug 30, 2003
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11. Jan 30, 2007 9:43 AM in response to: DaveP
Re: Ability to run ESX as a Workstation guest

Ok there is obviously a setting missing. ESX 3.0.1 vmkernel starts but then seems to loop waiting from something. The log file has these messages:

 

Re: Ability to run ESX as a Workstation guestJan 30 17:40:33.886: vcpu-0| SEG_SS 1254 count=93

Jan 30 17:40:33.981: vcpu-0| SEG_SS 1254 count=94

Jan 30 17:40:34.092: vcpu-0| SEG_SS 1254 count=95

Jan 30 17:40:34.188: vcpu-0| SEG_SS 1254 count=96

Jan 30 17:40:34.299: vcpu-0| SEG_SS 1254 count=97

Jan 30 17:40:34.505: vcpu-0| SEG_SS 1254 count=98

Jan 30 17:40:34.601: vcpu-0| SEG_SS 1254 count=99[/code]

 

Same issue with other VMware products e.g. Player 1.0.3

 

Any chance of a final clue??

 

Dave

ksc Expert VMware Employees
ksc
515 posts since
Sep 21, 2005
Currently Being Moderated
12. Jan 30, 2007 1:38 PM in response to: DaveP
Re: Ability to run ESX as a Workstation guest

Don't set the guestOS; "other 32-bit" is close enough.

 

Is the hardware correct?  ESX requires 2 processors, SCSI (use lsilogic), and networking (use e1000).

 

There are more isolation options, but those shouldn't show up until you start up nested VMs.

jmattson Virtuoso VMware Employees
jmattson
2,209 posts since
Mar 29, 2006
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13. Jan 30, 2007 1:59 PM in response to: DaveP
Re: Ability to run ESX as a Workstation guest

Sorry, but the mptscsi_2xx driver in ESX 3.0.1 has some incompatibilities with the virtual lsilogic device in VMware products.  It's just not going to work.

DaveP Master
DaveP
1,457 posts since
Aug 30, 2003
Currently Being Moderated
14. Jan 31, 2007 2:52 AM in response to: jmattson
Re: Ability to run ESX as a Workstation guest

Shame about that!

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