ESXI 6.0 install stock MacPro 6,1

[PaSavICT]

Hi,

I just received my MacPro 6,1. Want to install ESXI 6.0 on it, but the installer is not seeing any storage.

It is a stock MacPro, so it is in the supported hardware list of VMware.

Any idea how to proceed now ?

I used the installer success full on a MacMini with a custom install SSD. So the installer is good.

I tryed both the 6.0 installer and the 6.0 build 30x installer from september.

[grasshopper]

Hi PaSavICT ,

If your ESXi host has internet access (i.e. route and name resolution) you can simply paste the following 3 lines in (i.e. via an SSH session to the host).  If not, simply download the bits manually from Andreas site linked below in the Supporting Information section.

The Fix (until next ESXi release):

esxcli software acceptance set --level=CommunitySupported

esxcli network firewall ruleset set -e true -r httpClient

esxcli software vib install -d http://vibsdepot.v-front.de -n sata-xahci

Reason:  The latest batch of Apple Mac Pro 6,1 (same model number) contains an updated Samsung SSD.  A future release of ESXi will support this (just as 5.5 and 6.0 supported the initial device that Apple released).

Supporting Information:

Heads up: ESXi 5.x & 6.0 unable to detect newer Apple Mac Pro 6,1 local SSD Device | virtuallyGhetto

http://www.v-front.de/2013/11/how-to-make-your-unsupported-sata-ahci.html

[PaSavICT]

I started from the install iso. Can i then do this ? There is no install base on it.

I could not make a usb stick of the iso, so i burned it to CD.

[grasshopper]

Can you install ESXi to USB at boot time?  This is the most common use case as this leaves the SSD dedicated to run VMs if desired.

[PaSavICT]

I will try, but i want ESXI installed on my SSD internal, i think it is not save to install it on a external usb disk.

Can i alter the iso image on a way so it is working ?

[RichardBush]

How i have done this in the past for driver issues is, install ESX onto a USB device, find all the drivers required and confirm they work on the USB install.

Once you have them, you can use the ESX Image Builder to inject these drivers into the ISO, then use that to install to the internal SSD. Alternativly use the ESXi Customizer VMware Front Experience: ESXi-Customizer

Rich

[PaSavICT]

I have made a custom install with ESXI customizer.

Only have a problem to make a bootble USB disk. Tried Rufus, but the stick is still not bootble

[PaSavICT]

Never mind the install USB, think it was a defectUSB stick, now it is working.

And the patched ESXI installer is also working. Up and running for now.

[RichardBush]

What OS is the machine you are using to create the bootable USB ?

There are a number of tools, I normally use the diskutil method from a mac.

R

[RichardBush]

Great news.

R

[PaSavICT]

The diskutil under OS X was not working for me. Maybe the wrong how-to.

The less i need to use Windows for this the better. For now i have a ESXI installer USB Disk with the patch.

[TomKalabis]

There are many ways to do it, but I highly recommend you use a free tool UNetbootin that works regardless of whether you have Windows, Linux or Mac. Using UNetbootin have created a bootable USB in a few seconds.

http://tomaskalabis.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Untitled-Time-0_00_3222.png

After launch, we are interested box "disc image" ISO and select the path to .isu VMware vSphere and equipment from which we make bootable USB, once we're done press OK.

# Format the USB drive to FAT

## Beware of USB 3.0, not every server is booted from it

[kalina288]

Hi, could you please share your custom ISO for MacPro 6,1? My previous MacPro worked just fine with ESXi6 but this appears to have a different SSD.

Thank you!

[kalina288]

Can anyone help with this, please?

esxcli software vib install -d http://vibsdepot.v-front.de -n sata-xahci

[MetadataDownloadError]

Could not download from depot at http://vibsdepot.v-front.de/index.xml, skipping (('http://vibsdepot.v-front.de/index.xml', '', '[Errno 4] IOError: <urlopen error [Errno 110] Connection timed out>'))

        url = http://vibsdepot.v-front.de/index.xml

Please refer to the log file for more details.

[grasshopper]

hi kalina288,

Please make sure you have DNS configured for the ESXi host.  For example, you can log into the DCUI (ALT + F2 from the console) and configure the management network to use google DNS (8.8.8.8).  Alternatively, if you are only using google DNS and that is blocked in your environment, then use a proper local DNS server.

Please confirm that you can ping things by name (i.e. ping google.com) as expected from the host then try again.  If the problem persists, please share the relevant logs.

[kalina288]

I installed file manually, by copying it to the esxi /tmp and the trick worked.

I also opened a case for vmware, but for now, all they say is that my BIOS (HCL) version isn't what the vmware hardware compatibility shows. And there's no way to downgrade, in fact I got the whatever version Apple ships with this generation of MacPro 6,1.

Would you advise calling Apple? I don't have any paid support from them..

[grasshopper]

The version of the BIOS is often important, although in this case it's not the source of your issue.  The latest BIOS is just fine, it purely the different SSD hardware that Apple ships (Samsung M.2) in the latest Mac Pro (black).  As we know, the code name of the hardware release has not changed, it's still considered Mac Pro Late 2013.  Although the support technician you spoke with may not be fully aware, VMware Engineering is fully engaged on the topic and this will be fixed in a future release.

[kalina288]

Truly appreciate your detailed answer.

Cheers,

[bfrizek_MM]

Everyone I have made this easier for you.

If you are running a MAC PRO 6,1 Late 2013 Model or newer (i just got mine new from apple 12/2015)

Please use the link I will provide in this markup.

This does have the ESXiBase of: VMware-VMvisor-Installer-6.0.0.update01-3073146.x86_64.iso

The Driver was obtained here: https://vibsdepot.v-front.de/wiki/index.php/Sata-xahci

With the following Community Supporte SATA - xAHCI Drivers that allow the ESXi 6 install process to locate and install to the Newer SSD drive in your MAC Pro.

***Also the file name is ID's as ESXi 5 (ignore this It is actuall ESXi 6)

This is posted AS-IS, and is again community sponsored.

I used the Package Identified in this post to inject the drivers and create the bootabler ISO image.

Simply download and burn to CD, then install away.

I will keep the ISO on my google Drive for a time, but will eventually remove it so this link may go dark after some time.

Link is here.