I want a copy of TargetFilter.py

[Sigmoid]

Well, I want to make a hacked version of the ESXi 4.1 installer, putting a modified TargetFilter.py into the oem.tgz file. This seems like a more sure-fire way than switching over to the console during installation, and hotfixing the file by hand.

However, the installer vgz files are a proprietary format, and I don't know where (and if) I can find this in the open source downloadables. Can anyone point me to a download location I may have luck with?

As a last option, I may re-type it from screen, but I'd feel silly doing that. XD

[lamw]

You can actually create your own .vgz which are just vmtar files on an ESXi host, here is an article posted by someone on how it works - http://osdude.wordpress.com/2010/10/04/esxi-working-with-tar-vmtar-vmtgz-and-ramdisks/

I'm also working on an article (part 2) that'll be published soon that might be helpful - http://www.virtuallyghetto.com/2011/08/how-to-persist-configuration-changes-in.html

[lamw]

Here's an article with more details on how you can accomplish this task - http://www.virtuallyghetto.com/2011/08/how-to-create-and-modify-vgz-vmtar.html

[Sigmoid]

While sort of useful, this does leave one piece of fact unattended. I don't have access to the vmtar utility, nor have I any idea how to get access to it. (If I had, I'd have copied TargetFilter.py over from the installer ramdisk already.)

There should be some way though. The installer uses mtools to access ks.cfg in the install media (usb stick) filesystem root, but I couldn't figure out how I could use mtools to actually copy something FROM the ramdisk TO the physical media.

Unfortunately I also failed at mounting anything, mount doesn't work. At least I didn't figure out how it would work.

[lamw]

Eaiest way is to get this working without too much hassle is build yourself a quick virtual ESXi instance, this will give you access to the toolset to modify the installer.vgz which you can then simply replace.

Good Luck

[Sigmoid]

I actually managed to copy it out of the vmware installer by using mcopy.

mcopy -i /dev/vfatpartition TargetFilter.py ::