How to down grade ESXi 5.1 to ESXi 4

[Xironet]

Hi,

I have installed ESXi 5.1 on my system. I managed to install VM server 2008 with no problem. However, when I try to install XP or Windows 7 the system fails to see the SATA hard drive. I consulted with motherboard manufacturer (Gigabyte) and they said ESXi 5 does not support Intel ICH7 (my motherboard) . ESXi only support ICH9 and above.

Since I do need to install Windows 7 in order to create a simple network in order to prepare myself for Microsoft exam, I do need to remove ESXi5.1 and replace it with ESXi 4.

I don't see any facility within vSphare client to remove my ESXi5.1. How do I do this?

Thank you for any help in advance.

Hamid

[Linjo]

Its most likely not due to your hardware, how did you configure the Windows machines?

// Linjo

[Josh26]

In general, hardware support gets better with each version. I'm unsure why downgrading would help.

If your talking about storing a VM on a local SATA HDD, this was never supported on any version.

[Xironet]

Hi,

Thank you for your responce. I have a dual core system with 4G RAM on which i run XP pro for normal / usual use.

Because i am in the middle of getting MS qualification I felt I needed to setup a server / client network to do my practices. So I added a seperate 1TB SATA har drive, replced the SATA cable from my old hard drive to the new one and installed ESXi 5.1. Then I installed a number of server 2008 as VM machines. Then when I tried to install clients such as Windows 7 and XP, the Windows installation stoped saying "it could not find any mass storage device". So I got stock. I contacted Gigabye asking them to supply me a driver for SATA har drive, they did not. Instead they said your motherboard (GA-945GCM-S2L) comes with Intel chipset ICH7 while ESXi 5.1 only supports ICH9 and above.

So I recond if I downgrade to ESXi 4, then it should be able to pickup my hard drive. Unfortunatly I could not install ESXi4 and i removed version 5 as well. I tried to install XenServer but the problem now is that XenServer does not boot. So i am not getting anywhere and I am wasting my time.

Any idea how I can do what I need to do?

Many thanks.

Hamid

[Xironet]

Thank you for your responce. I invite you to read my responce to Linjo, then you will get the picture as what my problem is.

Thank you.

Hamid

[jdptechnc]

The fact that you were able to get Windows 2008 installed on VMs tells me the physical hardware is just fine. 

I think it is one of two things:

1) I think whatever virtual storage controller you are using in the VMs you created for Windows XP and Windows 7 do not have drivers included in the base install for those versions of Windows.   Thus, the Windows install is unable to see the storage contoller.  Did you use the recommended controller for Windows 7 and Windows XP?  Did you correctly set the version of the operating system when you defined the VM?

In this case, you need to hit F6 during the text-based part of setup for Windows XP, and install the VMware drivers for the scsi controller.  If you edit the floppy drive in the VM's properties, you can link the drive to an image located in a datastore.  Select this option, navigate to the folder /vmimages, and select the vmscsi image.

For Windows 7, I don't remember where you add drivers during the install, but there should be an option to do the same.

2) You didn't add a virtual hard disk to the VM. 

[Xironet]

Hi,

It was in fact hard drive problem, changed it and the problem disappeared.

thank you.

[Xironet]

Hi,

Actually there was a problem with the brand new 1TB Samsung hard drive. I took it back and replaced it with a Toshiba version and everything sorted.

Thank you for your help.

Hamid