Can Windows Home Server be installed on a VM using ESXi?

[ClassActionAdmi]

I am looking to create a virtual machine on my home server using Windows Home Server. I was wondering if anyone has successfully used this operating system on a virtual machine?

[Jasemccarty]

It will run on Workstation.

That being said, it may run on ESX(i).

Make sure to set the Guest Type to "Windows 2003 Server 32-bit"

I don't remember if I used a BusLogic or LSILogic SCSI controller, but you will most likely require a driver disk (.flp). ESX(i) doesn't support IDE for vmdk's.

Make sure that the vmdk is at least 60GB, and the guest's memory is 512MB or more.

Jase McCarty

http://www.jasemccarty.com

Co-Author of VMware ESX Essentials in the Virtual Data Center

(ISBN:1420070274) from Auerbach

[Dave_Mishchenko]

Your post has been moved to the VI: Virtual Machine and Guest OS forum.

Dave Mishchenko

VMware Communities User Moderator

[Craig_Baltzer]

Yup, works fine on ESXi. Its based on Windows Small Business Server 2003 (32bit) so that's the best OS type choice on ESXi. You'll need 512MB of RAM and at least a 66GB hard disk for the installation to proceed. Select LSI as the SCSI adapter

The LSI drivers you want are for the LSI 20320R adapter, and you'll need the WHQL version for Windows 2003 Server 32-bit (version 1.20.18); the newer LSI drivers (1.28.x) do not appear to work. You can get the correct version at

You'll also need to make a floppy image (.flp file) with the LSI drivers which you can create using WinImage ()

[Jasemccarty]

I tried those drivers, and it doesn't work on my ESXi 3.5 U3 box.

Of course, setting it to BusLogic still works...

Jase McCarty

http://www.jasemccarty.com

Co-Author of VMware ESX Essentials in the Virtual Data Center

(ISBN:1420070274) from Auerbach

[ClassActionAdmi]

Thanks. I will be giving it a try in the next week or so. I appreciate the ideas!

Matt

[Craig_Baltzer]

The only set of LSI drivers that I found that worked were the WHQL ones (they show up as symmpi as opposed to LSI when you put in the floppy); the other LSI drivers would install but didn't make the disk available after installation. Definitely works here for me on ESXi 3.5 U3...

[ClassActionAdmi]

I am a complete novice on ESXi. We use it at work, but my outside IT staff takes care of it there. So, some of these questions will likely be very basic.

I am able to create the virtual matchine. I am trying to use the BusLogic SCSI controller setting, as I am not sure how to create the .flp file per the other responder. I was able to download the LSI drivers and the WinImage software, but I am not sure how to now create the .flp file. Anyway, since I hit a dead end on that approach, I went back to the BusLogic approach with 100 GB hard disk space and 2048 MB memory.

I go to the Console for this VM and am able to get it to read the DVD with the Windows Home Server software. It starts up fine, but gets stops and gives me the message: "Hard drive capable of hosting Windows Home Server was not found. Would you like to load additional storage drivers?"

This is similar to the error messages I have been getting each time I try to install a Windows OS (e.g. XP), so I am pretty sure I am missing a step along the way.

I appreciate all of your patience!

[Craig_Baltzer · Accepted solution]

The "missing piece" is that Windows Home server (and Windows XP) do not have any disk drivers that work with ESX in the default install (they have IDE disk drivers and ESX only supports SCSI (either LSI or Buslogic). So in Windows XP you have to hit "F6" during the "blue screen" part of the install to add a driver from floppy. On Windows Home Server they've spiffed it up so that it stops and asks you for a disk driver so you don't have to furiously press F6 during the boot :-). So part one is you need a floppy image with the necessary drivers on it

So to create a floppy image with WinImage:

1. Start WinImage

2. Goto File, New and select 1.44MB format and hit Ok

3. Open the ZIP file containing the drivers you downloaded. For the LSI drivers from my link open up the zip you downloaded, then open the "symmpi_w2003_1201800.zip" that's in the zip. Extract those files to a folder on your hard disk

4. Open the folder where you put the files in step #3, select all 6 files and drag them into the right pane of WinImage that you opened in step #2. You'll get a pop-up asking if you want to inject 6 files occupying 110,275 bytes. Say Yes

5. Goto File, Close Image, answer "Yes" when asked if you want to Save, select Virtual floppy image (.vfd, .flp). Then type in a name for the floppy image including the .flp extension (i.e. WinHomeLSI.flp)

Now you've got a floppy image on your workstation that can be attached to the VM. Open the VI Client, start the VM and open a console (pick Open Console under Actions so you get a sepearate console window) for the VM where you're installing WIndows Home Server. Click the Connect Floppy button at the top, and pick the .flp file you created in step 5 above. Roll on through the install from DVD, and when the "Would you like to load additional storage drivers" prompt appears during the install, say "Yes", navigate to the "A" drive and pick the symmpi driver (it will be the only one shown). Click ok and the install should continue and complete successfully...

[ClassActionAdmi]

Thanks. I think that was it!

Matthew E. Pohl

President

Class Action Administration, Inc. (CAA)

720-540-4422

mpohl@classactionadmin.com

[JesterJeff69]

i know this is old.. but just wanted to say..

Craig Baltzer suggestion still works on winimage for floppy and driver location...

am able to install WHS at this moment on vSphere 4.1.0 builds 260247

[Krash1030]

Where is his link for the download? 

Thank you 

Dave