Can't create my first VM

[GeorgeSchweitze]

I have successfully installed ESXi 4.0.0 Build 244038 on a small desktop HP Pavilion s5110t.(Pentium Dual-Core :e5200 @ 2.50GHz, 3GB memory and 460+GB available vmfs3 disk) I also succcessfully loaded the license key. This is set up strickly as a study tool in learning VMware and settiing up multiple VM's in preparation for take my MCITP Server Administration exam 70-640.

I also installed vSphere Client v4.0.0 Build 208111 on my laptop running Vista Home Premium 64 SP2. I successfully connect to my ESXi server using vSphere Client. Everything looks great. EXCEPT when I go into File>New...the "Virtual Machine" is grayed-out. When I attempt to use the VMware GO website to create a new VM, it accepts all of my entries, goes away for about 30 seconds and comes back with a vague error message of " * An error occurred creating the virtual machine ".

I can't figure out what I'm missiing?

Any assistance would be most appreciated.....

George

[schepp]

Make sure the ESXi knows about the datastore to put VMs on. Maybe it's not formatted?

[jkumhar75]

After the installation of ESXi, The local disk needs to be added as a datastore and formatted with VMFS3.

You need to check, wheather you have any datastore available or not?

Jay

VCP 310,VCP 410,MCSE

[PaulSvirin]

As a first approach check whether you can see at least one of the datastores and it is not read-only .

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iSCSI SAN software

[GeorgeSchweitze]

Thanks for the responses. I've looked using vSphere Client. I have one datastore names "datastore1". On displaying properties, it's listing: Total Capacity - 460.75gb: Formated using File System - VMFS 3.33 , Maximum File Size - 256GB , Block Size - 1MB. There is a single extent listed: "Local ATA Disk(....) Capacity 460.88GB.

Also, it does not appear to be Read-only.

I've attached some of my screen shots within the vSphere Client session, in hopes it may assist in shining light on my problem.

Thanks again for your assistance!!

George

[golddiggie]

If you have your host server selected within the vSphere Client, is the "New Virtual Machine" item in the Commands section available (not greyed out)? How about right clicking on the host server and selecting "New Virtual Machine"??

VMware VCP4

Consider awarding points for "helpful" and/or "correct" answers.

[GeorgeSchweitze]

Both are greyed-out. The last screen shot item in the document that I attached in my previous reply does show it greyed-out.

[golddiggie]

Which account are you using to log into the vSphere Client? What happens if you log in using the root account?

VMware VCP4

Consider awarding points for "helpful" and/or "correct" answers.

[a_p_ · Accepted solution]

George,

right click your host and select "Exit Maintenance Mode", that should be all.

André

[GeorgeSchweitze]

golddiggie .....I'm only using the root account because I've only just started and wanted to at least get the basics down before moving into setting up secondary items. Thanks George

[golddiggie]

As Andre pointed out, you cannot be in Maintenance Mode and create VM's (as well as a lot of other things)... I didn't even look in that section, assuming you wouldn't be in maintenance mode and try to create a VM (or anything)...

VMware VCP4

Consider awarding points for "helpful" and/or "correct" answers.

[GeorgeSchweitze]

André....Thanks for the suggestion. I'll try it as soon as I return home and will post the results. George

[GeorgeSchweitze]

golddiggie ... lessons learned the hard way are always those that you remember the longest...It just goes to show that I have a long journey ahead of me....Thanks again for the assistance and I'll post my results later and hopefully close my question at that time. George

[GeorgeSchweitze]

André....That worked perfectly!!!

I worked very late into the night for the past two nights searching for the answer. It's very exhilarating when you learn something new!! It's also very reassuring to know what a great support group the VMware Communities are at helping and assisting new users to learn the details of VMware.

Once again, my THANKS to André for the solution, golddiggie for futher clarification, and the other responders for their help and assistance.

George

[a_p_]

George,

glad I could help. Sometimes "A picture says more than thousand words".

Seeing that you seem to be very interested in learning and understanding ESX I' d like to recommend a great book on VSphere 4 which is a really great resource, Scott Lowe's "Mastering VMware VSphere 4".

Also (if you don't know this link already) VMware has a complete online documentation. VMware VSphere Online Library

André

[mcasekar]

Hi,

I appreciate your answer, i learned a vital point from you.

Regards

Rajasekar

[GeorgeSchweitze]

Rajasekar,

I am glad that my question and the answer posted by AP and golddiggie were of help to you. I was a GREAT help to me!!! Now I can move forward in creating a few VM's. Given the configuration of the equipment that I'm using as a platform, I'm sure that my response times will be slow, but that's OK because I'm just using it as a training station in preparation to sit for my MCITP tests.

Good luck to you,

George

[GeorgeSchweitze]

André,

Thanks for the suggestions. Scott Lowe's book was the first VMware book that I purchased when I realized that the first project at my new position was to virtualize the organization's data center. I did not realize the availability of the complete VMware on-line documentation library web site. That is a very valuable and useful piece of information.

Thanks again for your help in solving my novice issue! I saw that another novice was helped by my question and your response.

Take care,

George