Windows 2008 "guest" type

[NJKwork]

Hi,

We just installed the lastest and greatest version of VC 2.5 (Update 1). I was expecting to see "Windows 2008" as a guest OS type for when building a new VM, but it is not there. Can someone tell me the "official" OS I should be using for Windows 2008. I am guessing Vista, but I was not sure if Windows 2003 was more suitable. Or does it even really make a difference?

Thanks

SB

[markrez]

What version of ESX are you connecting to? I have the same version of VC connecting to an ESX server 3.5 update 1 that is fully patched and Win2K8 is one of the choices.

You can see it listed in the Guest Operating System Installation Guide. Page 25 lists 2008 as the first OS on the supported list, page 31 has more specific information.

http://www.vmware.com/pdf/GuestOS_guide.pdf

Windows Server 2008

This section contains product support, installation instructions, and known issues for the Windows Server

2008 operating system.

32-Bit Version

This operating system has experimental support as a guest operating system on the following VMware

products:

VMware Workstation 6.0.1, 6.0.2, 6.0.3, 6.0.4 Experimental support for 2‐way Virtual SMP on Workstation 6.0.1, 6.0.2, 6.0.3, 6.0.4

VMware ACE 2.0.1, 2.0.2, 2.0.3, 2.0.4

VMware ESX Server 3.5, 3.5U1—Windows Server 2008

Experimental support for Virtual SMP

64-Bit Version

This operating system has experimental support as a guest operating system on the following VMware

products:

VMware Workstation 6.0.1, 6.0.2, 6.0.3, 6.0.4 Experimental support for 2‐way Virtual SMP on Workstation 6.0.1, 6.0.2, 6.0.3, 6.0.4

VMware ACE 2.0.1, 2.0.2, 2.0.3, 2.0.4

VMware ESX Server 3.5, 3.5U1—Windows Server 2008

Experimental support for Virtual SMP

[NJKwork]

Hmmm...that is strange. We have not upgraded our ESX hosts yet - they are still at version 3.02. Would the ESX server dictate what VC sees as Guest OS options? I would think VC would be independant of that, but maybe it is smart enough to know what version of ESX supports Win2008 and hides that option if not running 3.5. Can anyone confirm?

SB

[markrez · Accepted solution]

It does depend on the version of ESX. Here is something to try, connect directly to your ESX server using the VI Client, and initiate a new VM creation. The choices there should be the same as in VC.

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[NJKwork]

Makes sense to me. Thanks for the quick reply.

SB