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smrehan
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[Resolved] - VMware ESXi v6.7.0 (VMKernel Release build 8169922)

Hello Experts,

I have run into a funny situation. I had previously tested VMware ESXi v6.7.0 (VMKernel Release build 8169922) and it was working fine.

I had registered for it.

Now after a couple of months I was informed by my colleague that it wasn't working anymore.

I tested it and found out that it boots fine from the USB (I used rufus to create bootable usb) but the installer doesn't start instead it just loads the following screen.pastedImage_0.png

To me it seems that the its running from the usb or loading into RAM just like linux OS which can be run directly without installing.

Does anyone have any idea why this is happening? Has anyone encountered this problem?

Oh by the way the hardware I am using is a whitebox solution I bought from Pondesk.

- Intel Atom E3845 quadcore processor

- RAM 8 GB DDR3

- 2.5" 500 GB HDD

- 4 Gigabit Intel i211at ethernet ports

Regards,

Syed Maaz Rehan

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smrehan
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One more thing I realized was the fact that if you don't fulfill the minimum requirements of esxi the installer won't start at all.

This is the conclusion I have reached.

Regards,

Syed Maaz Rehan

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a_p_
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Welcome to the Community,

I cannot see anything really unusual in what you write.

Can you explain "Now after a couple of months I was informed by my colleague that it wasn't working anymore."

What exactly doesn't work? Can you confirm that you've entered a license key, i.e. that it's not an issue with an expired 60-day evaluation period?

André

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smrehan
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Hello Andre,

As far as I remember I downloaded it on "2019-04-01" by registering on the website and was given a license key as well.

I installed and tested it on my device and it worked fine. Since then we formatted the drive on the device and started using it as a firewall (pfsense).

Since yesterday my colleague has been trying to install esxi v6.7.0 and it just runs as I explained in my original post.

pastedImage_0.png

As far as I remember when using the license key it gave me a couple of years of use? Doesn't it? I don't remember correctly or it expires even when its ISO image is not used?

As per the date mentioned I believe the trial expired.

Regards,

Syed Maaz Rehan

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a_p_
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To me it seems that the its running from the usb or loading into RAM just like linux OS which can be run directly without installing.

What I could think of, is that you've either created an installation USB stick, and installed ESXi on this same stick (Yes, this is possible!), or that ESXi is installed elsewhere and the boot order picks another boot device.

André

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smrehan
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If thats the case then why in the world did it work previously. I used the very same method I used the very first time.

Lets see if we can get more information on this.

Regards,

Syed Maaz Rehan

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smrehan
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Here is how I burned the image to the usb drive.

pastedImage_0.png

Regards,

Syed Maaz Rehan

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smrehan
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Hey Andre,

I just tested the same in vmware workstation pro and the installer works fine. I was hoping I would be able to replicate the process but turns out the installer ran correctly.

Now I am really confused.

The device on which I mentioned I was doing the test had smoothwall installed and it still is.

Any recommendations?

Regards,

Syed Maaz Rehan

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smrehan
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Hey Andre,

I went home last night thinking of what could be the issue and the resolution for this and today I tested with a fully formatted single partition drive(ntfs) and tried booting with the USB drive. To my surprise I was able to view the installation screen at first but then the same thing happened again. I got the same thing again but then I rebooted the machine from the esxi menu (f11) and then I was able to get the installer up and running again.

pastedImage_0.png

Regards,

Syed Maaz Rehan

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smrehan
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One more thing I realized was the fact that if you don't fulfill the minimum requirements of esxi the installer won't start at all.

This is the conclusion I have reached.

Regards,

Syed Maaz Rehan

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