How to get ESXi working under Workstation running inside a Windows Server 2008 Virtual Machine

[hc_andy]

Hi There,

I am trying to set up a VMware lab with the following setup..

Windows Server 2008 R2 Virtual Machine

|--- VMware Workstation 10

      |------ Vmware ESXi 5.0

At work, I've created myself a nice beefy virtual machine running Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise (64 bit). I then installed VMware Workstation 10 on it. I created a VMware ESXi 5.0  VM under Workstation but when I go to power it on, it's complaining that "The host does not support Intel VT-x".

From vCentre, I then went back to the Windows Server 2008 R2's "edit settings" and change the "CPU/MMM Virtualization" to use Intel VT-x. Still I can't get it to work and I can't power on the ESXi VM under Workstation. Just wondering if there's anyway to make this work based on my set up at work...

Thanks.

[rcporto]

Your Windows Server 2008 R2 virtual machine is running on ESXi ? And you want run a ESXi on top of VMware Workstation installed on your Windows Server 2008 R2 virtual machine ?

If yes, why not just create a new VM on your ESXi to run the nested ESXi VM ?

[admin]

Edit the VM settings for the ESXi virtual machine, go to the Processors tab and check the box next to  "Virtualize Intel VT-x/EPT or AMD-V/RVI."  (Note that this box only appears for virtual hardware version 9 and later.)

[hc_andy]

Hi Richard,

Yes that is another option but I don't really want to touch our production vCentre by deploying a test ESXi host on it. I might try to get access to our vCentre in the lab.

Thanks for the suggestion.

Cheers.

Andy

[hc_andy]

Hi jmattson,

I tried your suggestion but the same error keepings popping up.

Preferred mode unavailable. Using binary translation instead.

The host does not support Intel VT-x.

Thanks.

[admin]

Since you are running Windows Server 2008 R2 Virtual Machine under ESXi, you will also have to enable virtualized hardware-assisted virtualization for that VM.  For the necessary steps, depending on the version of ESXi you are running on your physical host, see Running Nested VMs.

Note that you will probably not be able to effectively nest any deeper than the ESXi guest of the Windows Server 2008 guest of ESXi.