How to install new NIC in ESX 4 without having to rebuild?

[trotter]

I have a running ESX 4.0 (u1) server with a dual port gig nic card.

I need to replace the dual port nic with a quad port nic.

I would prefer to install the new NIC card and not have to reinstall ESX for it to see the card.

Can someone give me any tips or point me to the documentation that describes how to do this?

Thank you for your help.

[gary1012 · Accepted solution]

If the new NIC is on the HCL, simply power off and install the NIC . No reinstallation is required.

Community Supported, Community Rewarded - Please consider marking questions answered and awarding points to the correct post. It helps us all.

[trotter]

It is on the HCL. I remember back in ESX 2.5 days when you had to run a utility from the CLI to be able to see it. I assume that is not the case in ESX 4.0?

[glynnd1]

That is not the case any more. However, anything hanging off the dual port NIC is going to need to be re-assigned, and if the Service Console is one of them, then you are going to have to do it from command line. I think you could avoid this by having both the dual and quad port NICs in the machine at the same time, and moving things over, I think. You won't know until you try.

[trotter]

Great. Thanks for the help!