How to install vCenter Server 5.1 components on Windows 7 64-bit

[#1]

Hi all,

I published solution "How to install vCenter Server 4.1/ 5.0 on Windows 7 64-bit" some time ago,

you can find it here: http://communities.vmware.com/docs/DOC-16950

Now I come with guide "How to install vCenter Server 5.1 components on Windows 7 64-bit",

because this OS again is not supported for this applications. Unfortunately.

It isn't supported but it works. Fortunately.

Preamble warning: this hacking is not supported by VMware !

1/ extract iso image of vCenter Server (e.g. in 7zip) to any folder in destination machine

2/ download application for editing msi file e.g. Insted from http://www.instedit.com/download.html and install it

3/ run Insted and open this files to make changes:

..\Single Sign On\vCenter Single Sign On.msi

..\vCenter-Server\VMware vCenter Server.msi

..\updateManager\VMware vSphere Update Manager.msi

Invertory Service and Web client can be installed without modification.

4/ in Tables click on item "LaunchCondition"

5/ on the right find row with text, for example:

   Installed Or ((MsiNTProductType = 3) And (VersionNT > 502 Or (VersionNT = 502 And ServicePackLevel >= 2)))

and modify it simply to:

   Installed Or VersionNT => 501

and in Update Manager modify it to:

   VersionNT => 501

because here is not supported/ possible direct upgrade UM.

After that save and close

9/ download 64-bit version of Microsoft AD LDS (new name for ADAM) from:

http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=14683

and install it

10/ run ..\autorun.exe to install vCenter Server components (standard installation)

Notes:

- tested only on Windows 7 Professional SP1 EN

- Power Settings in Windows 7 setup on High Performance or do turn off sleeping in Power Options

- if OS Windows 7 is member of domain, one thing is important: person doing all that installations must be signed as domain administrator not as local administrator

- I have UAC disabled

- I believe that it will work on Windows Vista or Windows 2008 Foundation

but maybe you will need another AD LDS

- this procedure was successfully tested for upgrade from vCenter Server 5.0 U1 too

Optimalizations (optional):

- disable IP6 if is not need (and service IP Helper)

- disable unnecessary services as Desktop Window Manager Session Manager, Security Center, Superfetch,

Themes, Windows Audio, Windows Audio Endpoint Builder, Windows Defender, Windows Search

If backup is realized at the VMware level, you should enable Auto Shrink for database VIM_VCDB in SQL Server 2008 Management Studio Express.

Good luck.

[miwokblue]

Question:     Would your instructions work on Windows 8 as well?

Answer:     Yes.

The only difference is that the Microsoft AD LDS is a Windows 8 feature that simply needs to be turned on in Programs and Features: .

[ericsmith]

This is for the author: thanks! One thing, it's not exactly clear in this section when you say:

5/ on the right find row with text, for example:

   Installed Or ((MsiNTProductType = 3) And (VersionNT > 502 Or (VersionNT = 502 And ServicePackLevel >= 2)))

and modify it simply to:

   Installed Or VersionNT => 501 - does that mean take everything else out and just leave this or only edit this portion to read Installed Or VersionNT => 501 and leave the rest in place?

and in Update Manager modify it to:

   VersionNT => 501 - same goes for this, take everything else out and just leave this or only edit this portion to read VersionNT => 501 and leave the rest in place?

because here is not supported/ possible direct upgrade UM.

[vlho]

Hi,

do everything out and just leave:

"Installed Or VersionNT => 501"

and

"VersionNT => 501"