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DevryStudent09
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ESX 3.5 on a ASUS P6T system with an i7 processor

Hi,

I am trying to install the ESX 3.5 u4 on my system to convert it to a data center. And here are the specs of my system as it stands. (Please also note is am a student at Devry and I am just wanting to use this software for my senior project and so I don't have the funds to purchase a full blown server much less purchase the full software for learning purposes.

Spec:

Mother Board:

-ASUS P6T

--LGA1366 CPU

--X58 + ICH10R

--SYSTEM BUS UP TO 6.5G/Ts

--OCZ Reaper HPC 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 2000 (PC3 16000)

--Western Digital VelociRaptor WD3000HLFS 300GB 10000 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM

--ASUS EAH4870 DK/HTDI/1GD5 Radeon HD 4870 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card

--Intel Core i7 920 Nehalem 2.66GHz 4 x 256KB L2 Cache 8MB L3 Cache LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor

--The motherboard has a build in 1000G ether NIC by Realtek

I have tried to start the install process for the ESX 3.5 update 4 on the system and keep getting stuck at the very beginning stating, "it can not find the supported network devices" and then press ok to reboot.

So my question is what is the work around to get ESX to work on the system?

Also if you need any other Spec information just let me know. Thanks

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mikelane
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Off the top of my head I don't remember exactly but the specific feature(s) would be things like VMWare Consolidated Backup or HA, DRS or VMotion i.e. not features that will impact running a virtual machine on your server.

My hunch is that it is VCB if my memory serves me correctly.

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mikelane
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VMWare maintains a hardware compatibility list for hardware that is supported by ESX (which was never designed to support as wide a range of hardware as a Desktop Operating System might, for example).

It used to be a pdf but now you can actually search the HCL online:

I bought Intel Pro Gigabit Ethernet Adapters on EBay for my ESXi 3.5 server at home, if that helps.

I would check the HCL to be sure though.

VMentor
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You can buy an extra supported network card to run ESX on your system. Useful server cards with two ports starts at 150 dollars (e.g. Intel PRO/1000 PT Server Adapter, 2x 1000Base-T, PCIe x4 (EXPI9402PT) - with only one port for the half.

DevryStudent09
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I have already looked in the compatablity HCL for the systems. i am currently looking into pruchaseing a NIC for my system hopefully this will help in geting VMware ESX to work on my system.

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DevryStudent09
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OK, i have installed the ESXi 3.5 u4 onto my white box server. Now that i see that the Eval count down has started how do i stop the count down? i don't want to pay for support i have no need for it as i am not a business i am a student and using this product to learn from. or is there a why to get it truely free? or am i just dreaming?

I have found the place where i input my serial number. but once i start to go through the process is asks me "Would you like to release your current licencses and proced?" because it says" the license source you selected does not inclde all the licensed features you are currently using."

Any ideas.

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mikelane
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You will need to release your current ESXi license and use the one that you got from VMWare that came with ESXi.

You can think of the initial install as a trial version which you license (for free) with the provided license if you want to use it (for free) beyond the trial period.

If you "lose" features that is because you are licensing the product with the free license. If you needed to you could always purchase license(s) for additional features if you needed to.

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DevryStudent09
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Is there a list of those features that I would be losing? I and looking to keep the six virtual servers that i have now on my white box. but i am afraid that once i click to release those "features" i would lose my vservers.

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mikelane
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Off the top of my head I don't remember exactly but the specific feature(s) would be things like VMWare Consolidated Backup or HA, DRS or VMotion i.e. not features that will impact running a virtual machine on your server.

My hunch is that it is VCB if my memory serves me correctly.

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DevryStudent09
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Great i did it an that looks like that was the only thing i lost was the backup... so i am happy for now... Thanks.

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cesarale
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Raid function work fine ?

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