How do i install esxi 4.0 update 1 on Dell PE 710 R

[ferozsh]

How do i install esxi 4.0 update 1 on Dell PE 710 R ??? on esxi we want to create vm's for windows 2008 r2 .

can we use Dell Open manage and will it gives options to use esxi 4.0 or we need to boot directly from esxi 4.0 update 1 CD and run the setup.

Plz suggest the easiest way to configure esxi 4.0 on dell server 710R.

[phykell]

I've only ever used the ESXi boot CD myself but it's as straight-forward as it can be really.

Good introduction here:

http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r40_u1/vsp_40_u1_esxi_i_get_start.pdf

Remember to check the hardware compatibility list for your hardware as well.

[ferozsh]

Hi phykell...

consider myself a very new with vmware...is it workable to install esxi 4.0 update 1 on dell server poweredge 710 with quad core with 4 Gb RAM & RAID 5 and create 2-3 VM's of windows 2008.

have u ever used dell Open manage to install esxi????

[phykell]

I didn't even know that OpenManage could install ESXi 4.0 for you. If it were me, I'd just use the ESXi 4.0 CD anyway - if you haven't done it before, you'll be amazed at how quickly ESXi 4.0 is up and running - just a matter of minutes! Incidentally there's a version of ESXi 4.0 which is customised for Dell hardware though I've no experience of using it. The standard installation runs on Dell 9th generation (1950/2950) servers just fine though.

I think you need at least 2GB of RAM to run ESXi 4.0 and two or three Windows Server 2008 VMs are going to need a fair amount of RAM. 4GB physical is almost certainly going to be a very limiting factor but I imagine getting the host up and running, then linking to it using the vSphere client and finally installing at least one guest OS, is your main task right now. See how WS2K8 runs and add more RAM as you add VMs.

[ferozsh]

Hi phykell,

Thanks for ur message. I am UP and running with esxi 4.0 on Dell 710R through esxi update 1 boot disk....its really pretty easy to run and configure...i am also able to connect and configure esxi 4.0 through vsphere client.

How do i configure to install windows 2008 R2 on esxi since it gives errors on win2k8 r2 that CPU doesnt support 64bit. what kind of CPU setup is required for 64 bit OS but 32 bit OS just works gr8...

[phykell · Accepted solution]

If you're on Dell hardware, you need at least generation 9 hardware so, for example, a Dell PE 1850 or 2850 won't support a Windows 2008 R2 64 bit O/S. If you're on later hardware, where the CPU supports Intel's Virtualisation Technology (VT), you can enable it in the host's BIOS.

Please note that R2 support is "experimental" - you'll need ESXi 4.0 Update 1 installed for full support.

Hope that helps

[ferozsh]

u made my day.....enabled VT from dell bios and it works just fine...

[phykell]

You're welcome - glad it's all up and running!

[ferozsh]

Hi Phykell,

Its fun to see how covertor converts physical machine to vmware and whole system UP and running..but i am not able to figure out why almost in all Virtual memeory Network card shows 10Mbps although in our dell 710R we have Gig lan card but swtich is 100 mbps.

It should show atleast 100 mbps instead all Vm's shows only 10 mbps.