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1 2 Previous Next 23 Replies Last post: Mar 28, 2008 8:03 AM by Randy_B  

How to enter the BIOS of a VM? posted: Mar 19, 2007 9:54 AM

Click to view okeedokee's profile Enthusiast
okeedokee
60 posts since
Jun 28, 2006
I am powering on a VM, clicking in the console and then repeatedly trying F2 or Esc, but no luck getting to the BIOS. The OS loads each time.

Are there any other keystrokes for this?

Regards

Re: How to enter the BIOS of a VM?

1. Mar 19, 2007 10:00 AM in response to: okeedokee
Click to view jdaunt's profile Enthusiast
jdaunt
60 posts since
Sep 12, 2004
F2 is definitely the correct keystroke. Try rebooting the OS and repeatedly pressing F2. I have run into an issue where the console does not appear until the VM has been "Powered On", but the delay between Virtual Center confirming the power on and the actual power operation is to large..

Re: How to enter the BIOS of a VM?

2. Mar 19, 2007 10:01 AM in response to: okeedokee
Click to view Chris_S_UK's profile Expert
Chris_S_UK
598 posts since
Feb 20, 2006
I have found that there can be a very small window for pressing the function key and that consequently it can be difficult to get into the bios.

I suppose you could restrict your VM's cpu to a few Mhz only so that it boots really slowly and gives you more time to press f2!

I don't think there's any other 'magic' way...

Chris

Re: How to enter the BIOS of a VM?

3. Mar 19, 2007 10:05 AM in response to: okeedokee
Click to view mittell's profile Champion
mittell
3,096 posts since
Apr 25, 2006
I find that if you power on, then quickly hit reset, it gives you a couple more seconds to hit F2 or ESC. Definitely a better approach than power off - power on as that seems to make the console take a few moments to become active, longer than the BIOS screen is shown for!

They're definitely the right key-presses, it's just really really fast at booting past the BIOS screen.

Re: How to enter the BIOS of a VM?

4. Mar 19, 2007 10:09 AM in response to: mittell
Click to view RDPetruska's profile Guru User Moderators vExpert
RDPetruska
15,886 posts since
Jan 11, 2005
Or, click in the VM's window to give it focus, and hit Ctrl-R to reset the guest while still keeping the guest in focus - should let you hit F2 or Esc then.

Re: How to enter the BIOS of a VM?

5. Mar 19, 2007 10:13 AM in response to: okeedokee
Click to view grasshopper's profile Master
grasshopper
1,459 posts since
Jul 1, 2004
What version of esx? Worst case you may be able to delete the VM's nvram file. Upon power up it will create a new one, with the default first boot order (CD first).

Re: How to enter the BIOS of a VM?

6. Mar 19, 2007 10:29 AM in response to: Chris_S_UK
Click to view vmjoe's profile Novice
vmjoe
14 posts since
May 17, 2006
This is a f***ing bug! On our HP DL585 ESX3 hosts with 4 dualcore Opterons the VMs are booting sooo fast that it is virtual impossible to hit ESC in the right fraction of a second... :-(

Re: How to enter the BIOS of a VM?

7. Mar 19, 2007 10:32 AM in response to: vmjoe
Click to view RDPetruska's profile Guru User Moderators vExpert
RDPetruska
15,886 posts since
Jan 11, 2005
vmjoe - please see my reply above and see if that workaround works for you.

It's a bit harsh to call extreme performance enhancements a "bug" - I certainly would expect a circa 1996 BIOS running on an Intel 440BX chipset to absolutely scream on a quad-core hardware. Just think about running your DOS apps on a Pentium chip - it's at least that much performance improvements.

Re: How to enter the BIOS of a VM?

8. Mar 19, 2007 10:40 AM in response to: RDPetruska
Click to view esiebert7625's profile Guru User Moderators vExpert
esiebert7625
6,795 posts since
Oct 23, 2006
I had posted a question a while back and never received any replies. I was hoping there was a way to change the amount of time that the BIOS screen displays. It would be nice if they put a parameter in the vmx file to let you control it. Perhaps in a future release...

Re: How to enter the BIOS of a VM?

9. Mar 19, 2007 11:34 AM in response to: grasshopper
Click to view okeedokee's profile Enthusiast
okeedokee
60 posts since
Jun 28, 2006
This is ESX 3.0 and VI Client 2.0.

Regards

Re: How to enter the BIOS of a VM?

10. Mar 19, 2007 1:32 PM in response to: okeedokee
Click to view chrisbuzby's profile Enthusiast
chrisbuzby
66 posts since
Jan 27, 2005
connect directly to the ESX server opposed via VC, also ensure no one else is "connected" to the remote console.

Re: How to enter the BIOS of a VM?

11. Mar 19, 2007 1:43 PM in response to: chrisbuzby
Click to view Jae Ellers's profile Master
Jae Ellers
1,097 posts since
Feb 6, 2004
I've also had better luck connecting directly to the ESX server it's on. Unfortunately with DRS it also results in disconnection since when you start the vm up it loads the host. But it is easier to get the keystrokes thru to the VM.

Re: How to enter the BIOS of a VM?

12. Mar 19, 2007 11:32 PM in response to: vmjoe
Click to view VTorque's profile Enthusiast
VTorque
55 posts since
Oct 9, 2006
Takes skills hey!

:-)

Personally I find the reset option helps when needed.

Re: How to enter the BIOS of a VM?

13. Mar 20, 2007 12:49 AM in response to: vmjoe
Click to view grasshopper's profile Master
grasshopper
1,459 posts since
Jul 1, 2004
if one gets desperate, you could temporarily remove the disks from the guest, which will let it hang at the pxe boot for a while.

Re: How to enter the BIOS of a VM?

14. Mar 29, 2007 8:43 AM in response to: grasshopper
Click to view okeedokee's profile Enthusiast
okeedokee
60 posts since
Jun 28, 2006
I've tried deleting the VM's nvram file and reducing the CPU Mhz but it still tries to network boot. Esc, F2, F8 and F12 get me nowhere.

When resetting the VM, there does seem to be a delay on the VMware boot screen that shows a moving progress bar, but pressing any keys still does nothing.

Regards
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