How to change block size ESXi 4.x installation

[zadrian]

I really need help as this information does not seem to be available on the Internet except for subscription based support sites.

By default, the EXSi installer goes into a menu and installs ESXi on to a server with very few prompts and sets the block size to 1MB (max file size is 256GB).

I need to create a server with a drive that is approx 650GB. That means that I need to format and re-install the ESXi server to use 2MB or 4MB block size.

1. Please advise on how do I install ESXi server with 2mb or 4mb block size ?

2. The workaround, if I choose to use RAID to create 2 logical partitions on re-installation (esxi o/s + datastore) , what is the recommended size for the ESXi O/S partition ?

[zadrian]

No way to change. just have to install, then delete the default one and recreate it.

[Basheer09]

Hi,

Please refer below link for Installing ESX with large VMFS block size  ..

http://www.yellow-bricks.com/2009/11/11/changing-the-block-size-of-your-local-vmfs-during-the-instal...

Kindly consider awarding points if this info is useful.

[zadrian]

Does not really help.

The bottom like is : Must install ESXi, delete datastore then re-create datastore.

[pchoi94 · Accepted solution]

I was a little confused when I first read this, but then it clicked.  For some of you this may be obvious, but for me it wasn't at first.  For those of you who are a bit confused as I was: You need to use the vSphere client to manage the ESXi host once it's installed, and delete datastore1, then recreate it with the new block size, as zadrian suggested.  I didn't realized that the vmfs partition that it created (for datastore1) was independent of the partitions created for the ESXi kernel, since it resides on the same disk, so I assumed the block size formatting had to be done at the time of install somehow, but this is not the case.

[bulletprooffool]

Zadrian,

The simple solution is to install ESXi to USB key / SD card leaving the all disk space for your datastore and no dependecny on it for your installation.

If it does not appear as available after the installation (due to it already having been formatted by a previous build) you could have a look at :

http://www.get-virtual.info/2011/02/09/adding-datastores-to-esxi-hosts-that-have-already-been-built/

Good luck and post back please.

[zadrian]

I think I got confused as I usually do installations for Windows Servers where C:\ (o/s) and D:\ (data) is often created.

But when installing the ESXi, the ESXi O/S is actually "hidden" and the Data location is pre-created for "non-linux" users like myself who relied a lot of menus.

So I installed ESXi, then deleted and recreated the data store.