Converting VMware Server 1.06 guest to ESXi 3.5, balooning don't work and swaps out to disk

[d_groth]

Dear NG,

I have convertet 3 Win 2003 Guests runing on a VMware Server 1.06 to a newer ESXi 3.5. Because of the weak DAS in the old Server (1.06) the values "sched.mem.pshare.enable=false" and "MemTrimRate=0" were set. After converting (Stanaloneconverter 4.0.1) these settings are still set.

The ESXi is running now slow because it swaps (so I gues); Counter: Memory Swap Used count over 1.3GB(!)and has nearly zero "Memory Shared Common".

After seting "sched.mem.pshare.enable=false" it looks a bit better, shared Memory comes up to 400MB and Swap stays below 300MB.

The Server has a Raid 10 DAS (SATA, 10'000rpm) and 8GB Ram (Guest 1: 3.75GB, Guest 2: 1.5GB, Guest 3: 2GB).

Now my Questions:

1. What to do with MemTrimRate, I found no documentaion in ESXi 3.5 about this, does it has any functionality and what to set? (Whats the default vaue: 30?)

2. Why ESXi does not start "balooning"? What else to set therefore?

Kind regards, Daniel

[DSTAVERT]

Unless there is some reason (you found by actual testing or it is required by a specific piece of hardware) changing default settings will probably cause you more problems than solving any.

Many of your settings will have come from your VMware server vmx file and don't necessarily conform to what would be needed or used for ESXi.

If you made changes to your vmx settings in server and especially server 1.x you might want to get a fresh start. Create new virtual machines that correspond to your current/converted (OLD) VMs. Create the new VMs without disks. Copy the disks from your OLD VMs to the new VM directory. Edit the new VM settings in the VI client and add existing disks (the ones you copied).

[d_groth]

Thank you,

But this is a workarround I allready have done before, but does not anwer my questions...

I want to learn and understand how things are going... please dont't let my die stupid

Daniel

[DSTAVERT]

It may have been a workaround but if it was a workaround for server 1.06 it may have no significance to ESXi. I am NOT considering you stupid. Many of the VMX entries can have significant impact on performance in a detrimental way.

http://sanbarrow.com/vmx.html

[avlieshout]

Just a quick thought.

have you updated the Vmware tools. Ballooning is implemented as a driver and is installed as part of the vmware tools install.

-Arnim van Lieshout

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[d_groth]

Dstavert, I am sorry, I didn't want to offend you, and I don't feel offended too. My English is not so good as should be...

I am just wondering when I am using a VMware tool (of course it is free) it does not remove the "old stuff" when upgrading from VMware Server to VI3 or vSphere. And I know that are some undocumended Options in vmx files...

Thank you for the link I will study this in quiet hour.

[d_groth]

Hi Arnim, Yes I have updated them to 3.5.0 build 176894.

[DSTAVERT]

Absolutely not offended. Just wanted to make sure you understood I didn't consider you stupid.