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cmarkus
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Trying to start a build of Windows guest OS via a .iso file

I can't seem to boot to the .iso file for a Windows Server 2003 Enterprise install I'm trying to accomplish. I know the .iso image is good, as I have used it elsewhere. As far as the virtual machine settings are concerned I have the CD/DVD mapped to a "Datastore ISO file" and browse out to the file to select it. I have checked the boot sequence in the BIOS, which is set to CD-ROM first, Network boot, Removable Devices, and Hard Drive.

This is a Dell PowerEdge R200 host.

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JeffDrury
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Hmmm, it looks like the ISO is located on an NFS share. Could you move the ISO to a local datastore and retry the connection? I'm not 100% sure but the NFS share may not be able to connect until after the VM is booted into an OS. Moving the ISO to a local datastore would confirm that.

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JeffDrury
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Are the 'connected' and 'connect at boot' options checked in the CD/ROM settings for the VM? If not the boot sequence will go straight to network boot.

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cmarkus
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"Connect at power on" is checked, the "Connected" radio button is greyed out. I attached a doc that illustrates what my CD/DVD setting currenlty look like.

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JeffDrury
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Hmmm, it looks like the ISO is located on an NFS share. Could you move the ISO to a local datastore and retry the connection? I'm not 100% sure but the NFS share may not be able to connect until after the VM is booted into an OS. Moving the ISO to a local datastore would confirm that.

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cmarkus
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Thanks Jeff, that did the trick. So, I need to have all .iso images local to the host to build from them? This is somewhat limiting.

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JeffDrury
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They don't need to necessarily be on local storage, just storage that can be presented to the VM reguardless of the boot state. I have booted from .iso's on iSCSI or FC datastores just not NFS shares. I would think you could store and use .iso's on any .vmdk formatted device.

Don't forget to give points if this was helpful.

Thanks,

Jeff