VMTN

Yes it was correct and went back to the "other" setting as well. Seems like the LSILogic implementation in guest isn't adequate for the job.

However, the same error happens with Player when running a nested guest. It is obviously possible even if slow as I saw a new vmx parameter "vmx.allowNested". Actually what I am doing is writing utilities for VMware products, primarily hosted, and just want to see whether I can get a guest running (simple FreeDOS one). Previously I had a machine with about 20 different boot options, but wasn't exactly portable.

Hey, if it is so secret then don't worry but it is just frustrating knowing that something is possible, and not quite getting it right.

Dave

What about using buslogic then ?

Wow - I just started a WS6 VM in a WS 5.5 guest

Haven't tried yet. Will try again tomorrow.

Did it complete the boot? If so can you post your VMX, just for cross-reference.

Did it complete the boot?

Haven't tested yet - to me passing the "No VM in a VM" - barrier is already a milestone - have been looking for this for two years now.

Now I can run full tests of my VMware-LiveCDs in a VM !

Now I can have a working copy of older versions ready at hand - for reference and support - fine.

I am sure there is some headroom for performance tuning - consider something like loading the ESX-system disk into RAM ...

OK. I actually want to get it to a point where a guest runs inside the guest. Also to run a VMware product without guests working just use the 2 isolation options. Basically stops the tools from getting the VMware tools backdoor.

Message was edited by:

        DaveP

I don't believe ESX supports buslogic.

That's correct. ESX hasn't supported the BusLogic adapter since 1.x.

Even then, it was pretty flaky.

Joe

?

I thought I had an ESX 2.5 in a VM that used buslogic and was able to create vmfs on it ... ?

I was able to install esx 3.0.0 not 3.0.1 inside VMware 6 beta running on a Win2k3 server on SATA drives.

Now after the install went fine the machine booted and was able to start the VMkernel.  However it took nearly 20 mins to boot, but it was not really done. I left it overnight and the webeconsole worked so that was cool, but the Virtual Infrastructure client failed to connect.

Pressing ctrl alt F1 I believe showed that some services had not yet completed loading. I could post my vmx file, but since it took 12 hours to start and even then it was not started this is hardly success. 

There has got to be something that is missing in the VMX file that the ESX server would like to see hardware size.

I still have several attempts with 3.0.0 and 3.0.1 if you have ideas that I should put in the VMX file and I will try to boot them up again.

Please as this would be a great eduction tool and I could finally test VMotion as currently we only have a single ESX server in our company, but it would be cool to just see this feature in action.

Well...

After a week of research i've actually booted a ESX 3.0.1 inside the last build of Workstation 6 on Windows XP SP2, it's quite slow but not as ihsurf described above, the boot is fast and the vmkernel load flawlessy.

Using some undocumented isolation option is even possible to boot a virtual machine inside the virtual ESX, i'm trying right now to build a test system with 2 virtual ESX 3.0.1 and a virtual center to try vmotion.

FYI i've done my tests on a Macbook Core 2 Duo, if it's not a problem for the vmware guys i'll post my vmx here.

Fabio

Fabio,

Please post your VMX file so I can retry on the same system I was using before!! I am very excited from your findings.

I have this working as well, but help came from VMware so not sure if I should post the details.

Dave

My work was based totally on information found on this thread and google, so if the vmware guys have nothing to say i'll post my vmx this evening as i get back home from work.

Fabio

Just FYI, i've tested vmotion between two virtual esx 3.0.1 and it didn't worked, it's probably a matter of time sync, tonight i'll try with some other parameters to get a more accurate timer in the virtual machine.