Resetting a host to evaluation mode

[peter79]

I installed ESXi 5.0 a few months and applied the free license.  Since then I've upgraded to 5.1.  I want to try and "reset" the license so I can get the 60 days eval while retaining the VM's on the local disk.  Is it possible to re-install esxi 5.1 while preserving the VMFS volumes and resetting the license to eval at the same time?

[a_p_ · Accepted solution]

You can run an installation with preserving the VMFS datastore(s), which however will require that you re-configure networking, ... and re-add all your VMs to the inventory after installation.

André

[peter79]

Loosing the host config's isn't a big deal as long as I wont loose the VM's and the host is in eval mode after the install.

[a_p_]

If the interactive installation (as of ESXi 5.x) finds an installation on the disk, it will give you the option to

( ) Upgrade ESXi, preserve VMFS datastore

( ) Install ESXi, preserve VMFS datastore

( ) Install ESXi, overwrite VMFS datastore

Depending on which ESXi version is installed the first option could also be named "Force Upgrade, ...".

André