Need to assign 4 CPUs

[lavinl]

I have an esx server running V3.5 latest update, and has 2 duo-core CPUs for 4 logical processors.

I am trying to assign all 4 logical processors to one single VM and the selection is not there. Should I assume the only way I can assign 4 processors is to use quad-core CPUs? The box is a Dell Poweredge 2950...

[Troy_Clavell]

you should be able to assign 4 vPU's, although probably not needed. Is the option grayed out? What is the guest OS your trying to assign the vCPU's to?

[lavinl]

I am give a choice of 1 or 2, there is no selectable 4... I am trying to add CPUs to a Windows 7 VM

[Troy_Clavell]

if you edit settings of the guest and go to options, the correct Guest Operating system version is set? Also, you may try to see if you can add it in using PowerCLI, something like

$VMname = "<VMname>"
$VM = Get-VM $VMname
Shutdown-VMGuest -VM $VM -Confirm:$false
$VM = Get-VM $VMname
While ($VM.PowerState -ne "PoweredOff") {
  Start-Sleep -Seconds 5
  $VM = Get-VM $VMname
}
$VM | Set-VM -NumCpu 4 -Confirm:$false
Start-Sleep -Seconds 5
Start-VM -VM $VM -Confirm:$false

[a_p_]

Even with editing the configuration manually, you won't see more than 2 CPUs in Windows 7, because Windows 7 only supports 2 CPUs.

ESX(i) 4.1 supports virtual multi core CPUs, that would probably work, however there's nothing you can do on ESX(i)3.5

André

[Troy_Clavell]

missed the Vi3 reference, indeed, as Andre stated this is by design. However, I was unaware that W7 only supports two physical CPU's(learn something new everyday) I would have to assume you can have a multi-core CPU and W7 (depending on the version) would see all cores.

[Troy_Clavell]

after a bit of searching I found this chart

[lavinl]

Thanks for all the info... Windows 7 on a physical machine works with 8 CPUs.. Silly me for thinking VMware could...

Would Vsphere help?

[Troy_Clavell]

as stated, the below method would probably work in vSphere4.1

http://www.yellow-bricks.com/2009/06/04/per-processor-licenses-for-your-application/