Can't deploy VM

[activation111]

I am new to VMWARE. Please be patient with me.

Installed vSphere on a Dell server. Installation went smoothly. It shows Press AltF1 and AltF11.

Installed vSphere Client on a Dell workstation with Windows XP SP2. Installation went smoothly.

Can connect to vSphere server from vSphere Client.

Tried to deploy Windows Server 2008 from vSphere Client to vSphere, but File --> New --> Virtual Machine is grayed out. Please see below screen shoot:

How can I create a new VM?

Also, where should I insert Windows Server 2008 CD, in the vSphere (Dell server) or vSphere Client (Dell workstation)? What's the proper procedures? I am really confused right now.

Thank you for your help.

Larry

[whynotq]

welcome to the virtual world..! my first thought is "have you created a datastore?" if no storage then you can't deploy a VM to it.

[activation111]

Thank you for replying promptly.

I don't know if I have created a datastore. How can I check? If not, how/where should I create the datastore?

Thank you.

[whynotq]

go to the esx host- configuration tab- storage, if there is no datastore configured it'll say on the landing page, there'll be a wizard prompt for you.

[activation111]

I don't have any datastore listed. I am going to create one.

Thank you so much whynotq.

[whynotq]

you're welcome, enjoy...

[activation111]

I created a datastore on the Dell server, which has around 1.8 TB of space. I would like to allocate 400 GB of space for a virtual server, SERVER04, but vSphere came back with an error saying I don't have enough spaces. Please see below:

Thank you for your help.

Larry

[whynotq]

Ok, there is a limit due to block size. when you create a datastore and configure it one of the option steps through the wizard is to select from the drop down the block size for the volume, it defaults to 1MB and this allows a maximum individual file size of 256Gb, to create a vmdk of the size you want you'll need to reformat the datastore at the 2Mb size to allow up to 512Gb, the other options are 4Mb for 1Tb or 8Mb for 2Tb. to reformat you will need to remove the datastore then go through the "add storage" option again.

regards

Paul

[activation111]

Thank you very much whynotq. I will give it a try right now.

Larry

[activation111]

I can't remove the partition because this is the partition that ESX is running from, and vSphereClient reports the partition is in use.

I tried to re-install vSphere server, but during installatioin vSphere doesn't prompt me to change block size.

[whynotq]

when you went into the storage tab earlier in the configuration did it prompt you to create a datastore? this is the only time you can change the partition block size, it doesn't give you an option during the install only when adding the datastore.

[activation111]

Storage2 is the primary storage, and it has 1.8 TB. I would like to format Storage2. I don't know what I did, but vSphere Client doesn't allow me to delete Storage2, nor does it allow me to add any more storages. Please see below:

[whynotq]

so the only option, if it is where esx is installed, would be to partition it at the array level. i take it there is an internal array controller, go into the config on boot, create 2 volumes making the first one smaller to install esx in and the second one larger. then install esx to the smaller partition and when you are up and running you should have the option to create a datastore and select block size.

other than that you are making vm's with smaller disks

[activation111]

Thank you so much whynotq. I will give it a try later.

I have created a VM, how can I install guest OS (Windows Server 2008) on this VM?

[activation111]

I tried to set CD/DVD to Connect at Power on, but the option is grayed out.

[whynotq]

what you selected is the "client cd" which is your local cd drive, with this option you have to select to open the console then and after you power on the vm there is an icon at the top of the screen to connect to local cd drive. the middle option is the Host CD drive, esx server, this will allow the conect at boot option, the 3rd one is local datastore iso, at which point you create an iso image and attach it in a local datastore.