Run 64 bit OS in vSphere Hypervisor 5 in Player 3.x on Windows 2008 R2 64 bit

[LucID]

Dear Community,

I have a server based on two Intel Xeon E5405 CPUs.

VT-x is enabled in a BIOS, and BIOS is updated up to the latest version. Server has been powered off completely and power cord has been diconnected for a while.

It runs Windows Server 2008 R2 x64.

Inside it runs VMWare Player 3.x, a latest version availables.

Inside Player, I run vSphere 5 Hypervisor as Other 64 bit OS with the following configuration:

.encoding = "windows-1252"

config.version = "8"

virtualHW.version = "7"

numvcpus = "4"

scsi0.present = "TRUE"

scsi0.virtualDev = "lsilogic"

memsize = "4388"

ide0:0.present = "TRUE"

ide0:0.fileName = "vSphere 5.vmdk"

ide1:0.present = "FALSE"

ide1:0.deviceType = "cdrom-image"

floppy0.startConnected = "FALSE"

floppy0.fileName = ""

floppy0.autodetect = "TRUE"

ethernet0.present = "TRUE"

ethernet0.connectionType = "nat"

ethernet0.virtualDev = "e1000"

ethernet0.wakeOnPcktRcv = "FALSE"

ethernet0.addressType = "generated"

sound.present = "TRUE"

sound.startConnected = "FALSE"

sound.fileName = "-1"

sound.autodetect = "TRUE"

pciBridge0.present = "TRUE"

pciBridge4.present = "TRUE"

pciBridge4.virtualDev = "pcieRootPort"

pciBridge4.functions = "8"

pciBridge5.present = "TRUE"

pciBridge5.virtualDev = "pcieRootPort"

pciBridge5.functions = "8"

pciBridge6.present = "TRUE"

pciBridge6.virtualDev = "pcieRootPort"

pciBridge6.functions = "8"

pciBridge7.present = "TRUE"

pciBridge7.virtualDev = "pcieRootPort"

pciBridge7.functions = "8"

vmci0.present = "TRUE"

roamingVM.exitBehavior = "go"

displayName = "vSphere 5"

guestOS = "other-64"

nvram = "vSphere 5.nvram"

virtualHW.productCompatibility = "hosted"

gui.exitOnCLIHLT = "FALSE"

extendedConfigFile = "vSphere 5.vmxf"

ethernet0.generatedAddress = "00:0c:29:17:86:11"

tools.syncTime = "FALSE"

uuid.location = "56 4d 9f 5e b2 56 6c 43-78 6d 78 d8 96 17 86 11"

uuid.bios = "56 4d 9f 5e b2 56 6c 43-78 6d 78 d8 96 17 86 11"

cleanShutdown = "FALSE"

replay.supported = "FALSE"

replay.filename = ""

ide0:0.redo = ""

pciBridge0.pciSlotNumber = "17"

pciBridge4.pciSlotNumber = "21"

pciBridge5.pciSlotNumber = "22"

pciBridge6.pciSlotNumber = "23"

pciBridge7.pciSlotNumber = "24"

scsi0.pciSlotNumber = "16"

ethernet0.pciSlotNumber = "32"

sound.pciSlotNumber = "33"

vmci0.pciSlotNumber = "34"

vmotion.checkpointFBSize = "16777216"

ethernet0.generatedAddressOffset = "0"

vmci0.id = "-1776843247"

scsi0:0.present = "TRUE"

scsi0:0.fileName = "vSphere 5-0.vmdk"

scsi0:0.redo = ""

monitor.virtual_mmu = "software"

monitor.virtual_exec = "hardware"

monitor_control.restrict_backdoor = "TRUE"

isolation.tools.hgfs.disable = "TRUE"

ide1:0.autodetect = "TRUE"

ide1:0.startConnected = "FALSE"

vmi.present = "FALSE"

The vSphere 5 runs one Windows XP 32 bit and one Windows Vista 32 bit very well.

When I tried to install Windows 7 x64 bit I got the following error:

This virtual machine is configured for 64-bit guest operating systems. However, 64-bit operation is not possible.

Longmode is disabled for this virtual machine.

For more detailed information, see http://vmware.com/info?id=152.

Continue without 64-bit support?

What should I do to be able to run my Win 7 x64 in specified configuration?

Beste Regards,

Alex

[a_p_]

There's nothing you can do. Since VT is not passed through to the virtual machine (ESXi) you will not be able to run nested 64-bit guests. If you need 64-bit guests you can only run them on VMware Player directly.

André

[LucID]

Are there any unofficional tricks to pass VT to ESXi?

[a_p_ · Accepted solution]

Sorry, no. The only product which can pass VT to the guests (usually used for testing or training) is ESXi 5.0.

André

[Nick66]

VMWare Workstation 8 pass VT to the guests ??

If guests are ESXi5 or ESXi4 , pass VT to guest nested inside them ??

There's  a way/configuration/tips in this configuration Windows2008R2 --> Workstation 8 --> ESXi4/5 --> Windows7 x32 for enable/test FT ??

Or is technical impossible ??

[Dave_Mishchenko]

With Workstation 8 you can pass VT through to a guest hypervisor which will enable you to run 64 bit guests.  For setup information see this document - http://communities.vmware.com/docs/DOC-8970.

You don't need to pass through VT for FT or 32 bit guests - http://vinf.net/2009/06/07/vsphere-cannot-enable-ft-for-a-nested-vm/

[a_p_]

@Nick66

As mentioned by Dave, with Workstation 8 things changed. At the time this discussion was started, VMware Workstation 8 was not available.

André

[Nick66]

After enable in Workstation 8 the Virtualize ... AMD-V/RVI support , in nested ESXi5 i need to add the

vhv.allow = TRUE

to enable also in ESXi HV , right ??

For other OS i need to add inside each vm the line referred to cpu ....  , right ??

At this point all vm created inside Workstation 8 has HV enable/available , right ??

Other step is FT .

After above implemented settings in lab test environment , i need to test FT in a vm windows 7 x32 nested inside ESXi5 ( inside Workstation 8 ).

I need to add only the line suggest inside vsphere-cannont-enable-... doc or i need to do other things / settings ??

[admin]

Nick66 wrote:

After enable in Workstation 8 the Virtualize ... AMD-V/RVI support , in nested ESXi5 i need to add the

vhv.allow = TRUE

to enable also in ESXi HV , right ??

For other OS i need to add inside each vm the line referred to cpu ....  , right ??

No.  In Workstation 8, checking the box next to "Virtualize VT-x/EPT or AMD_V/RVI" is sufficient to enable virtualized hardware-assisted virtualization for the guest hypervisor (assuming you have appropriate hardware).

Other step is FT .

After above implemented settings in lab test environment , i need to test FT in a vm windows 7 x32 nested inside ESXi5 ( inside Workstation 8 ).

I need to add only the line suggest inside vsphere-cannont-enable-... doc or i need to do other things / settings ??

I believe the only thing you have to add to enable fault tolerance is:

replay.allowBTOnly = TRUE

This only works for 32-bit nested guests, and it should work regardless of whether or not you have enabled virtualized hardware-assisted virtualization.