vcenter 4.1 does not support windows server 2008 R2 even though the docs say it does.

[dirtdevil01]

Every time I try to install vcenter on windows server 2008 R2, vcenter says it only supports windows server 2008, 2003 and XP pro yet the docs...

http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r40/vsp_compatibility_matrix.pdf

Say it does support it. I did a lot of googling and found a lot of tutorials on how to get it to support it but thats only getting it to use a 32bit db connector and a few other things but nothing that gets me past the initial install.

[a_p_ · Accepted solution]

You will usually get this message, if you installed roles like "Domain Controller" on the Server.

André

Forum Upgrade Notice:

VMware will be upgrading VMware Communities systems between 10-12 December 2010. During this time, the system will be placed in READ-ONLY mode.

[Jasemccarty]

vCenter 4.1 does work on Windows Server 2008 R2. I have installed it several times on Windows 2008 R2 Standard Edition.

Update Manager for 4.1 does require a 32bit ODBC connection, while vCenter Server 4.1 requires a 64bit ODBC connection.

What version of Windows 2008 R2 are you using?

Jase McCarty

http://www.jasemccarty.com

Co-Author: VMware ESX Essentials in the Virtual Data Center (ISBN:1420070274) Auerbach

Co-Author: VMware vSphere 4 Administration Instant Reference (ISBN:0470520728) Sybex

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[dirtdevil01]

But why would that matter? Why would vcenter care if it's a domain controller or not. Sorry I'm a linux guy whos beginning with windows so please bare with me.

[dirtdevil01]

I'm using standard edition of windows server 2008 R2.

[a_p_]

vCenter requires functions, which do not work when you installed a DC on the server (e.g. ADAM)

André

Forum Upgrade Notice:

VMware will be upgrading VMware Communities systems between 10-12 December 2010. During this time, the system will be placed in READ-ONLY mode.

[Jasemccarty]

André is right.

If Windows 2008 R2 is acting as a Domain Controller, vCenter Server 4.1 cannot be installed. This is because vCenter Server uses Active Directory Application Mode (ADAM), which cannot coexist with an instance of Active Directory.

Jase McCarty

http://www.jasemccarty.com

Co-Author: VMware ESX Essentials in the Virtual Data Center (ISBN:1420070274) Auerbach

Co-Author: VMware vSphere 4 Administration Instant Reference (ISBN:0470520728) Sybex

_{Please consider awarding points if this post was helpful or correct}

[dirtdevil01]

OH, ok that makes sense. So would it be better practice to install vcenter on windows server but not one thats acting as a domain controller? So I would have some other computer as my domain controller but the one that vcenter is on, just install vcenter on it.

[Jasemccarty]

Exactly.

Jase McCarty

http://www.jasemccarty.com

Co-Author: VMware ESX Essentials in the Virtual Data Center (ISBN:1420070274) Auerbach

Co-Author: VMware vSphere 4 Administration Instant Reference (ISBN:0470520728) Sybex

_{Please consider awarding points if this post was helpful or correct}

[a_p_]

... Sorry I'm a linux guy ....

In Linux this would proably compare to something like:

Error: Transaction Check Error:

file /usr/share/man/man1/xdelta.1.gz from install of xdelta-1.1.4-1.el5.rf.x86_64 conflicts with file from package xdelta-1.1.3-20.i386

André

Forum Upgrade Notice:

VMware will be upgrading VMware Communities systems between 10-12 December 2010. During this time, the system will be placed in READ-ONLY mode.

[gregb_ka6max]

I was using a domain controller for my vCenter 2.5/3 setup and it worked fine. Since I had read the warnings about not installing vCenter 4.1 on a DC, I took the advice of some of the guys on the forum and installed it on a VM. The VM is running Windows 2008 R2 Standard 64-bit, and it works fine. There is one little problem that I have seen, and that it that I cannot open a console window if I am logged into vCenter using the vCenter Client on a remote PC. If I log into the VM that hosts vCenter, or use MS Terminal Services (mstsc), it works perfectly.

Hope you have good luck with your installation like I did.

Greg