ESXi 5.5 on Mac Pro 6,1

[trodemaster]

This system is not on the HCL but I'm still looking at getting ESXi installed on it... I have used unebootin to create a bootable USB installer from VMware-VMvisor-Installer-5.5.0-1331820.x86_64.iso Booted from this and see a list of modules load. Then it gets stuck at "Relocating modules and starting up the kernel..." Is there some way to get a more verbose set of boot logs?

[dl2121]

Installing ESXi 6.0 Beta on MAC Mini 6.0 and it's stuck on "Initializing Scheduler" it did that even with 5.5U2.

[hkannapell]

I'm having a slightly different problem. I am trying to install ESXi 5.5 on a Mac Pro 6,1. It goes through the first parts of the installation, and then gets to the "Welcome to the VMWare ESXi 5.5.0 Installation".

At this point, I can't hit enter to move on or esc to cancel. I can't tell if the computer is dead or whether the keyboard is just being ignored. I tried running with 'runweasel enablePCIEHotplug=FALSE' based on some of the previous comments - although it looks like it is not necessary - and still doesn't install.

It passed that point with the same CD on a MacPro 5,1, so I am assuming the disk is OK.

Any suggestions?

Thanks

[grantgrismore]

For those that run a cheap lab at home, I managed to install the ESXi 6.0 beta without a fuss on top of a 2006 Mac Pro. That said, does anyone know when there will be a release of vSphere hypervisor 6.0 (free verison)?

Other community members have been pulling their hair out trying to to run any vSphere hypervisor (5.0 - 5.5) on older Mac Pro's.

See here -> Re: Mac Pro compatibility with installing ESXi 5.0

[GParker72]

Hi hkannapell,

Did you get past the keyboard issue ?

Having the same problem when trying to install ESXi 5.5 on a Mac X Server

Thanks !

[hkannapell]

Yes, I did. I found through some other discussion posts that an Apple Wireless keyboard will work, if it has been paired with bluetooth. Rather amazing that it will work but not the USB keyboard but there you are. Mine was Apple model A1314. I also have in my notes that a Windows keyboard will work, but I didn't write down which one. Most of ours are HPs.

[grasshopper]

Not sure if this is relevant for the X Server, but for the Mac Pro 6,1 it prefers having the USB extender connected that comes with the Apple USB keyboard.  I know it seems funny, and you may not need the extra distance provided by the USB extender, but try and see if that helps.

[MisterIT]

It seems that Apple has recently made some changes to the Mac Pro 6,1. The SATA controller in the newer models is different from the first batch of Mac Pro's that were released. Due to the difference in this controller ESXi 5.5 update 2a until 2d won't work on this Mac Pro. You will notice the installer cannot find any local storage.

It took me quite a while to find this out and to get ESXi working on the new Mac Pro we received. You will need to create a custom ISO and add a different driver for the SATA controller. The process on how to do that can be found here: Heads up: ESXi 5.x & 6.0 unable to detect newer Apple Mac Pro 6,1 local SSD Device | virtuallyGhetto

Cheers,

Eelco

[HPReg]

That is correct. The fix will be in the next update for ESXi 6.

[tateconcepts]

VMware Community and Team,

It appears the Apple has bricked the Mac Pro 6,1 recently where VMware vSphere 6.5u1 will no longer install properly (yes I know of @lamw - no reply from him on if anyone recently was successful). Upon installation, it seems that the usual message on the nfs41client fails but as it completes, one is presented with a message that there are no network adapters present.

Oddly enough, I then went into shell and ran dmesg and lspci - it appears that the BCM577xx series is indeed being presented to the hypervisor (including the same vendor and hardware ID for the thunderbolt to gigabit ethernet adapter) but the driver for them is not. I did check the HCL and what I found was a specific EFI or Boot ROM version that is much older than what is currently available today. After reading into Duo Security's white paper regarding "Apple of my EFI" it seems they have been unwilling or more likely, less concerned with providing VMware as a partner any updates to your HCL regarding changes made at ring 2 that affect you at ring 1. I can only speculate that the amount of PR from that incident in SEP-2017 is the result of this. This update seems to be applied only if one has or did apply macOS 10.13 High Sierra - which permits this EFI to be presented as a security update. If applied (for which the majority of supply today that exists) by any previous owner or by the OEM (Apple of course) then you will most certainly encounter a failure of installation.

I also tested this in the Apple Store on a display model which had 10.13 no less. It failed of course in the same manner. Please see here for my details to William Lam (Apple Communities have them too but they are either too ignorant or more likely unconcerned with this issue). https://www.virtuallyghetto.com/2017/01/esxi-6-5-support-for-apple-mac-pro-61.html (I am the last of those comments with Boot ROM version).

Does anyone here have a Mac Pro 6,1 that they can confirm this issue and provide the Boot ROM listed (boot off MacOS installed to an external disk to test unless you just have one with High Sierra for giggles)?