Convert LSI Drivers to a floppy image to use for WinXPsp2 Install?

[dbullion]

I am attempting a VM WinxpSP2 install on a ESX Server connected to a iSCSI Volume. When it gets to the place to install it sayd no hard drives found. I probably need the LSI drivers installed. D

I have the drivers download to desktop on the same network. How do I turn these driver files into something that will be seen as a floppy drive by VM I am building.

Thanks for any help.

[Dave_Mishchenko · Accepted solution]

If you have any existing VM that is running, you can edit the settings for the floppy drive and set to "create new floppy image in datastore". Then copy the driver files to VM's floppy and you'll have your floppy image.

This app is nice for integrating drivers into the install ISO if you prefer http://www.nliteos.com/ or I have a virtual floppy drive app I can send you.

[kamphor]

There are a couple ways to do this. First, format a blank floppy (vfat or fat16) and copy/uncompress the lsi drivers to this disk. Then, startup the esx client and log into the esx server. You can configure your guest virtual machine to use the floppy drive of the machine running the esx client software.

Another way would be:

After formatting a floppy disk (vfat or fat16) and copying/uncompressing the lsi drivers, put the floppy disk into the esx server. Then login to the esx server (console or ssh) and do a:

dd if=/dev/fd0 of=lsidrivers.img

to grab a disk dump. you can then copy this file to the /vmfs/volumes/"whatever_storage_volume" location or where ever it is accessible. Then reconfigure your guest vm to use this disk dump as the floppy image.

When you start up the Windows install, make sure to hit F6 when it displays the message to load other drivers.

good luck!

-kamphor

[jhanekom]

Yet more ways of doing this:

A very popular commercial program for doing this is WinImage. There is also a free product called Virtual Floppy Drive, which is a bit like Daemon Tools for floppy drives (if you're familiar with that.)

[dbullion]

I just wanted to say to everyone thanks so much for your quick responses. I am going to log into the offie in an hour to two and give all of these a shot. I will let you know how it works out and I will be sure and give credit for the right answers.

Thanks again. And am I the only one that thinks this is early on a Saturday? 7am here.

[jhanekom]

GMT+0200 here.