Win Srv 2008 R2 support

[DAbowitt]

I setup a Windows Server 2008 R2 VM and had an issue with a couple of screens freezing such as the security configuration wizard.

Opened case with VMWARE and was told the Srv 2008 R2 is not officially supported yet and will be in a future patch fix to ESX 3.5.

Anyone can tell me when this will be supported as I want to roll out a migration from 2003 Domain Controller to Srv 2008 R2 DC's. Don't want to spend money on consultating to go to Srv 2008 SP2 and then have to spend again on R2 migration.

Also, anyone else try deployment of R2 and had success.

My config is 1VCPU, 4GB RAM, Enhanced VMXNET adaptor.

Thanks,

David Abowitt, VCP

[AntonVZhbankov]

Wait a couple of weeks till official 2008 R2 support

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MCSA, MCTS, VCP, VMware vExpert '2009

http://blog.vadmin.ru

[mike_laspina]

Hi,

Are you aware of the ASLR function that is enabled as a default in 2K8R2

It was created as a security feature (That is not required by 99.9999% of shops) to prevent some types of memory snapshot image vulnerabilies. The issue is that memory address ramdomization kills the memory optimization features of VMware. Some are saying this was a deliberate move by Microsoft. The feature can be disabled by way of the registry.

"MoveImages"=dword:00000000

Who knows but maybe it 's the cause of your issue.

Regards

Mike

vExpert 2009

[DAbowitt]

Mike, I will test out your suggestion tomorrow.

On the other hand even if fixes will wait until VMWare builds the fix into their ESX 3.5 environment as I don't believe 'hacking the default install of an OS is good practice.

Also, what I don't understand is that if Microsoft randomizes their Memory addresses how the heck does a Microsoft 2K8R2 Virtual Machine work inside a Microsoft 2K8R2 Server setup for virtualized machines.

It would seem that same randomization would mess-up their own environment also unless they capture the random addres and normalize it before it is submitted back to the underlying MS OS.

I will update on testing by tomorrow night.

[DAbowitt]

Forgot to add; I see the ASLR function is also in Windows Vista so wouldn't this have been an issue already present for those who tried to virtualize Vista for client VM deployment?

[mike_laspina]

Microsoft does not have the memory optimization features that VMware has developed. Vista does have the same issue. Have you checked how much memory the ESX host reports is in use for Vista machines?

Im not saying this is the definitive reason for this specific problem I'm suggesting you observe the memory consumption which could lead to the symptom you are experiencing.

vExpert 2009

[DAbowitt]

Mike, is this a key that is added as the key is not showing in the registry.

Also, we do not have a Vista VM as we are not running any VDI solutions. I only have an XP VM just for test.

Also specifically when I run System Configuration Manager if I select a selection box no issue but if I select the arrow to open up a description the system freezes completely. Other aspect about using R2 seem fine at this time.

[mike_laspina]

Yes you would need to create the key to change the default behavior.

I am using R1 so I can not verify this issue on R2 however I don't see this issue on R1.

vExpert 2009

[DAbowitt]

NO luck same issue present - don't know if this is just a bug in R2 that MS needs to resolve or not.

I also do not see this issue in R1 as I'm running a number of them in the ESX environment.

[DAbowitt]

OK, found something interesting - if I RDP into the server and run the Security Configuration Tool no problems but as soon as I try to perform the same task from the VI Client the server freezes. I tried reinstalling the VMWare tools and this didn't solve the issue.

[mike_laspina]

Try removing the tools, this sounds like a video driver issue.

vExpert 2009

[DAbowitt]

That was it!

Ok, I'm running 3.5 Build 158874

I know VMWare tools has an update released on 8/31 Build 184236 but the the bulletin details make no reference to OS issues and the issue resolved I'm not experiencing.

May have to wait until VMWare releases new tools to resolve this issue.

[mike_laspina]

It could be any low level driver component in the VMware tools package.

It's a show stopper fault so I would definitely concur on waiting for a fix.

vExpert 2009

[DAbowitt]

Any update from VMWARE when they are going to formally support R2 on ESX 3.5?

[Propach]

There seems to be some confusion: The Guest-OS Guide (which References ESX3.5) says it is supported GuestOS_Guide

But the Compatibility-Guide says: Only ESX4 U1.

[DAbowitt]

Yea know! Need update to VMWARE tools and probably some other areas to officially support R2. I need timeline as I can't rollout R2 with current issues when running on ESX 3.5.

[VMmatty]

I'm reviving this thread because of the reference to ASLR. I honestly haven't seen the impact to page sharing that people feared about ASLR. In fact, I deployed two identical Server 2008 R2 VMs and disabled it on one and not the other. The amount of memory shared, as observed in ESXTOP, was practically identical. I didn't see a large reduction in memory sharing as a result of ASLR.

If others have, I'd love to see how you replicated that scenario.