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jvanzeir
Contributor
Contributor

How to install windows 8 on esxi 4.1 ?

Hi

I would like to install windows 8 on my current esxi 4.1 environment, of course without success. I receive the error about that

HAL_Initialization_Failed

I've found serveral forums that only workstation 8 and new esxi5 with patch2 is able to install Windows 8.

Is there any solution regarding windows 8 on esxi 4.1 ?

It would be great, because I must not upgrade to esxi 5

Thanks in advance

Regards

Juergen

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rickardnobel
Champion
Champion

Moved thread from vSphere Networking to ESXi 4.1 forum.

Regards / Rickard

My VMware blog: www.rickardnobel.se
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Nikhil_Patwa
Expert
Expert

Hi,

What I can see is Windows 8 is a pretty recent OS which is not released yet and ESXi 4.1 is an old version not supporting the current OS and Windows 8 is only supported in latest VMware versions - Workstation 8 and ESXi 5 as these are the versions most people will be using or upgrading to.

I suggest you have a separate ESXi 5 in your environment for Windows 8 VM (any specific reason for Windows 8 installation since its not yet released, trials?)

Nikhil

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Que2
Contributor
Contributor

  • VMware ESX 4.1 Build 260247 (13 July 2010)
  • VMware ESX 4.1 Update 1 Build 348481 (10 February 2011)
  • VMware ESX 4.1 Update 2 Build 502767 (27 October 2011)
  • VMware ESX 4.1 Update 3 Build 800380 (30 August 2012)

-from wikipedia

I do not understand why there are so many appologists not willing to ask or answer hard questions.

Googling I could not find any other answer, only it is not supported and to move to ESX 5.

ESX 4.1 is not terribly old and most folk tend to upgrade every other major version.

What I would like is a technical explaination as to why Server 2012 does not work. It can not just be because there is no profile for it; there is the "Other" catch all profile as well.  I really want the reasons "Why" VMWARE can not implement this in ESX 4.

I guess my expectation was too great; I expect ESXi to work like little hardware "virtual" machines.  I can install Server 2012 on a old Acer Aspire with a Atom processor and installation is fine.

I have a hard time wrapping my head around why it can not run on Vmware ESXi 4.1... just upgrade to ESX 5 because it is supported is not enough.  VMware's offical explanation is not enougth.  I do not expect them to rearchetect ESX 4.1 to support this but I want a more detailed "technical" explaination as to WHY IT IS NOT SUPPORTED.

I am left thinking that the real reason that Server 2012 it is not supported in ESX 4.1 is to make the ESX 5 upgrade compelling.  With the licensing changes and etc. it just did not seem a compelling upgrade for us at the time; now they are pushing the move by saying it is not supported but not really saying why.

Perhaps I should learn to be a sheep.

continuum
Immortal
Immortal

If I remember right jmattson gave a technical reason why Windows 8 does not run in unpatched 5.0 or older versions.


________________________________________________
Do you need support with a VMFS recovery problem ? - send a message via skype "sanbarrow"
I do not support Workstation 16 at this time ...

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Que2
Contributor
Contributor

I did a search here:

http://communities.vmware.com/people/jmattson?view=overview

I also looked at jmattson blog and I did not come up with the post that speaks to this.

I know that the decison has been made on this but I wanted to find out the technical reason why because they do not discuss this in the vmware offical answer on this.  The blame is probably microsofts but I have been so much an esx fan/cheerleader, I guess I expected a bit too much.

If jmattson could chime in it would be wonderful.

thx

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admin
Immortal
Immortal

If I recall correctly, Windows 8 has dropped support for the PIIX4 that we virtualize.  I do not believe that Windows 8 will install on physical hardware with a PIIX4 either.  The virtual BIOS included with current VMware products has a WAET entry that fixes this issue.  It's possible that you may be able to get Windows 8 to boot by using a newer virtual BIOS and some additional configuration file settings.

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admin
Immortal
Immortal

If you'd like to give it a shot, download the attached file and add the following options to your configuration file:

bios440.filename = "<full path to rom image>"

mce.enable = TRUE

cpuid.hypervisor.v0 = FALSE

vmGenCounter.enable = FALSE

Que2
Contributor
Contributor

Oh this is that same that can be found in  .rsrc\BINRES\   .:smileylaugh:

You are my hero. Heart

This works, smooth as butter. I just remember to make sure I use the built in Windows Driver and stay away from the vmware driver, which I did not install. I did install the other pieces, especially the mouse driver.

Thanks a whole bunch.

I would award points but I am not the original thread starter.

If you are ever in the DC area I will buy you a case of your favorite drink. Smiley Wink

continuum
Immortal
Immortal

http://sanbarrow.com/gifs/clapping.gif

with that settings I can run Windows 8  on Workstation 6.5.4 - good bye WS 9


________________________________________________
Do you need support with a VMFS recovery problem ? - send a message via skype "sanbarrow"
I do not support Workstation 16 at this time ...

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MikeKeller
Contributor
Contributor

I'm having some trouble pointing the configuration parameter to the full path of the filename. can anyone help me? I don't know much about what the path should look like.

my path for my ISO, copied directly is:

[datastore1 (7)] SW_DVD5_Win_Pro_8_64BIT_English_MLF_X18-16134.ISO

The .rom file in is the same folder, so in the configuration parameters I added a row:

bios440.filename

and made the value

"[datastore1 (7)] bios.440.rom"

but when I attempt to power on the machine, it says

Could not open "[datastore1 (7)] bios.440.rom" (2 (No such file or directory)).

any help would be greatly appreciated.

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Que2
Contributor
Contributor

MikeKeller,

I put the bios file in my VM directory so I did not need to set a special path; the BIOS file was located without a path.

I would try to copy the bios to your VM directory and omit the [datastore1 (7)] path that you assigned to it.

thx

MikeKeller
Contributor
Contributor

That worked wonderfully. Thanks for the help.

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Que2
Contributor
Contributor

np

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MarcosRepiso
Contributor
Contributor

Thanks jmattson!

Works great!!

Thanks for the support.

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virtualhudak
Contributor
Contributor

Worked great for me as well!  One question, did you go ahead and install VMware tools to get all drivers loaded, or did you leave them off?

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Ra2707
Contributor
Contributor

Doesn't work for me ...

I get following BSOD message:

SYSTEM_THREAD_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED

No tools installed and i also tried it with the rom file from the vmware player ...

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admin
Immortal
Immortal

Can you post your vmware.log file?

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Ra2707
Contributor
Contributor

The log...

thx 4 your time

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admin
Immortal
Immortal

This is a shot in the dark, but try changing "usb.present" to TRUE in the .vmx file.

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