Windows Vista Enterprise (official release) install issues on ESX 3.0.1

[jrr001]

Anyone got any helpful hints with getting this running or when official support with VMware (32-bit) version is available.

It it not seeing the disk drive for the install (LSI) is my problem right now. Have the disk at 16GB.

The betas worked okay for me.

[street011]

i'm looking for the 64-bit cdrom drivers for vista too...

anybody has them?

[TAE]

I know this thread is a little old and my response is separated from the post above me, but I just wanted to throw out the fact that the driver that PaulVCP posted above (reposted here for convenience) did work for me, with one small tweak.

I'm installing Vista on ESX 2.5.3 (I know - it's not supported) and ran into the CD-ROM Driver issue that started this thread. Using the driver provided via the link, I still had a problem because a compatible driver wasn't found on this floppy image.

When this error occurs, uncheck the box that reads "Hide incompatible hardware drivers" to reveal five more .inf files. I used the bottom one - Mitsumi (or something similar to that) and I'm now installing.

PaulVPC's Driver: http://www.drivehq.com/file/ShowFolder.aspx?G=1&shareID=752687

Props to Paul for taking the time to create this floppy image.

[kzabbott]

Thanks for posting that! The floppy with the CD-Rom Driver was exactly what I needed to get my installation going. You all ROCK!

[MikeTedescucci]

Hello,

Does anyone have the 64bit drivers????

Mike

[J-H]

The DVD/CD ROM issue also occurs on the recent Longhorn builds. I use the x64 version and I'm still unsuccessful to use the CDROM inside the guest.

The install procedure for Vista and Longhorn could be significantly easier if VMware would provide a working driver. This issue is annoying since months. I hope that VMware and Microsoft collaborate to solve this problem as soon as possible.

[delid]

To simplify for everyone, here is a link where you

can download the file:

http://www.drivehq.com/file/ShowFolder.aspx?G=1&shareI

D=752687

The download quota is limited so I had to pay $0.55 to get the download.

I think that my fileprovider site is free how ever so try out

http://denli.diinoweb.com/files/GrayconDrivers.flp

[handsomepete]

It should be noted that this floppy image works just fine on the beta 3 Longhorn release that came out this week.

[seacret]

I have same issue for installation of VISTA Enterprise Edition (EE) 64bit on ESX 3.0.1, and I found this thread.

I see we have no way to solve this issue at the moment.

...

It seems nobody succeed to install VISTA EE 64bit on ESX 3.0.1.

I wonder why we can't create a virtual machine works well with VISTA EE 64bit, even thought we can choose "Microsoft Windows VISTA 64bit" on creating a virtual machine. How did vmware development team test this feature ?

The other side, I can't find any document describe ESX 3.0.1 supports VISTA EE 64 bit. Only "Guest Operating System Installation Guide" has a topic for VISTA BETA, which also describe ESX 3.0.1 support VISTA Server beta experimentally.

I think VMware have to make ESX 3.0.1 support VISTA 64bit or to remove the list item "Microsoft Windows VISTA 64bit" from virtual machine wizard.

[Michelle_Laveri]

For those interested - I had the experience with Vista Business Edition not recognising the NEC CD-ROM... The flp file on this post fixed the problem...

Nothing on VMware's website about this issue...???

Regards

Mike

[admin]

I've tried it with Business, Enterprise and Ultimate and got the same results across the board.

[MikeTedescucci]

64bit?!?!?!?!?!?

I can't get it to work with ANY drivers I have tried from earlier posts.

[Michelle_Laveri]

This issue with the CD-ROM driver - does it affect EVERYONE (as suspect it does) or just particular people/vmware platforms...

I'm trying to get a feel how "big" this problem has been...

Regards

Mike

[admin]

Sorry don't know about 64-bit haven't got a 64-bit ESX server to try it on.

I believe it affects everyone using ESX, not sure about Server, however it installed without any issues on my version of Workstation (5.5.3).

[chooper]

I see the problem with Vista Enterprise on ESX 2.5.3.

Cathy

[Michelle_Laveri]

OK...

Sounds like I will putting this issue into the book, esp if affects everyone. It's been on my list to install Vista just once in a VM to see if there were any special gotchas.

I also noticed vista didn't like the sync driver in VMware Tools. Just said no. I wonder if this is a driver signing issue...

As for 64-bit - I have a 64-bit server but I don't have the 64-bit version of Vista, just the 32-bit version. I imagine the CD-ROM issue plays out the same there - I guess you would need a 64-bit version of the NEC CD-ROM driver?

Regards

Mike

[RParker]

You can add 1 more to this list. I downloaded this file 3 times, tried it on 2 different VM's, 1 won't stay connected, like it's not a real *.flp image. The other VM with the Longhorn install, won't recognize there is anything in the A: drive AT ALL.

So I don't know what you people are doing, but this file does NOT work.

[RParker]

me either...

[Michelle_Laveri]

worked for me...

i was a london vmware UG the other day - and the irish vmware guy from Cork present typical support issues. They has been a massive number of SR about this CD issue. Apparently, its not virtual machine related but a window problem. Not that helps us...

What amazes me is why there's is no kb article if is such a big issue - and no published work-around todate...

Regards

Mike

[lightfighter]

why would M$ care about some thing that effects VM, I'm sure they planned it that way

[Michelle_Laveri]

why would M$ care about some thing that effects VM,

I'm sure they planned it that way

Well, I'm sure we will never know one way or the other. There are other devices in a VM from VMware for which windows does not possess a driver on the Windows CD. For example the lsilogic controller (which is the default) used in WindowsXP. There's no driver on the Windows CD for it - instead you have to download a driver from lsilogic's website and hit the old F6 button to provide the driver to the installer...

There is one way to aviod these kinds of situations - which is for VMware, Xen and MS to get together and agree a vendor standard for the virtual hardware presented to the virtual machine. I kind of industry standard definition of what VMware calls the "monitor". Unfortunately, I think the chances of these parties argreeing to such a "standard" whether vendor or industry is slim to nothing. I believe the vendors privately/secretly depend on properity "lock ins" to keep & maintain their market share.... of course, some companies abuse their market share more than others. I don't need to name any names here do I?

We shouldn't exagerated the importance of this CD issue. You provide the driver once, and then duplicate the VM using templates. I believe it's more of annoyance, than a show stopper....

Regards

Mike