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Samsonite801
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Upgraded to ESXi 5.5 free, upgraded one machine to vmx-10 and now am unable to edit VM settings

As said in the title, I upgraded to ESXi 5.5 free hypervisor (from 5.1), then upgraded one of my VMs to vmx-10 and now am unable to edit that VM's settings using the traditional C# -based VSC client.

Research says I need to use the vSphere Web Client to edit vmx-10 VMs, so I grabbed the Eval version of vCenter Server Appliance (ova) and got it all up/running.

However, once I go into vSphere Web Client I am not able to add my single ESXi host to the virtual datacenter as it complains that my free vSphere Hypervisor licence will not work with this vCenter Eval.

Since this is not the ultra-fancy setup we have at my work (where they have the big bucks for the enterprise virtual datacenter), but rather is my home server setup with standalone ESXi running (just to consolidate multiple appliances into one machine and save a little electricity), I am starting to wonder if VMware does not want free guys to be able to play with vmx-10.

Did they really NOT make a way for home users / students of ESXi 5.5 to realistically be able to edit vmx-10 VMs? Do I have to learn how to manually edit the vmx files on only vmx-10 machines and not older ones?

Surely there has got to be a way. Don't they have any kind of free stripped down version of vSphere Web Client to allow ESXi standalone to be managed from there as well?

24 Replies
pbraren
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

This dilemma noted in this recent forum post as well:

Re: Esxi 5.1 pci passthrough broken

TinkerTry.com
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jbollinger
Contributor
Contributor

If you want to manage vmx-10 vms you'll need the web client or vmware workstation.

From VMware workstation click File->Connect to Server.  From there you can enter the server and login info for your standalone host.

JarryG
Expert
Expert

Unfortunatelly, neither web-client nor vmware-workstation is free. So we still do not have solution...

But does this problem apply only to vmx-10 VM? Can we still edit vmx-9 VM using stand-alone client, as in 5.1?

And one more question: what vmx-version does new VM have, if I create it now in ESXi 5.5 using stand-alone client? vmx-10 or vmx-9?

_____________________________________________ If you found my answer useful please do *not* mark it as "correct" or "helpful". It is hard to pretend being noob with all those points! 😉
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Rubeck
Virtuoso
Virtuoso

And one more question: what vmx-version does new VM have, if I create it now in ESXi 5.5 using stand-alone client? vmx-10 or vmx-9?

vmx-8 :smileymischief:

/Rubeck

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pbraren
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

Agreed.

I created a Windows Server 2012 (64-bit) virtual machine, using the wizard with default "Typical Configuration", and it shows as VM Version: 8

First 3 lines of vmx file:

.encoding = "UTF-8"

config.version = "8"

virtualHW.version = "8"

Screenshot of this "test" VM shown  below, using vSphere Client logged into to ESXi host directly.

10-2-2013 9-27-43 AM.png

TinkerTry.com
tpatterson
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

You can always "convert" the VM from the newer hardware version to an older version.  This procedure is detailed in this KB article:  VMware KB: Downgrading the virtual machine hardware version

Timothy J. Patterson VCAP5-DCA, VCAP5-DCD, VCP5-DCV, Novell CLE @PcProfessionals
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SuperMick
Contributor
Contributor

I had upgraded the Virtual Hardware on a Win7 VM to version 10.  And ran into the problem where I could not edit settings anymore.  To get around this, I downloaded the .vmx file (using vSphere client).

I edited the .vmx file,  the line

virtualHW.version = "10"

and changed it to

virtualHW.version = "8"

Then uploaded the .vmx file back to the VM folder on my datastore.  I then removed the VM from the inventory (be careful not to Delete from Disk).  I went to the .vmx file on the datastore, and clicked it with the wrong mouse button, and chose 'Add to Inventory'.

Now, I the VM shows up as Version 8, and I can 'edit settings'.  🙂

Nikhil_Patwa
Expert
Expert

Hi Samsonite801,

Am facing the same dilemma on my ESXi 5.5 licensed with free license, cannot edit VMs upgraded to virtual hardware 10.

Looks like VMware wants all to purchase vCenter and thereby manage all your ESXi hosts via the vCenter and web client, looks like vSphere client will eventually be removed in the future releases going by the current trend and all management will be carried out from the web client.

I want to know the benefits of upgrading the VM virtual hardware to version 10

Regards,

Nikhil

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tomtom901
Commander
Commander

One of the enhancements is the support for 62 TB VMDK's, more vCPU's per VM etc. A list can be found here:

vSphere 5.5 Documentation Center

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dmc
Contributor
Contributor

Hi Samsonite801,

This issue is documented in the following KB. The KB provides PowerCli commands which you can use to edit the settings and mange the VM using PowerCli.

VMware KB: Editing virtual machine settings fails with the error: You cannot use the vSphere client ...

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Gav0
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

dmc wrote:

Hi Samsonite801,

This issue is documented in the following KB. The KB provides PowerCli commands which you can use to edit the settings and mange the VM using PowerCli.

VMware KB: Editing virtual machine settings fails with the error: You cannot use the vSphere client ...

Unfortunately the free ESXi hypervisor only supports Read-Only commands with PowerCLI

Please award points to your peers for any correct or helpful answers
PatrickdaHays
Contributor
Contributor

The solution by SuperMick worked for me!

Thanks Mick...ur Super!

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Prashit
Contributor
Contributor

The solution by SuperMick worked for me !

Thanks Mick mate

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happyuser1337
Contributor
Contributor

Thanks, this hack worked like a charm.

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JJustino
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Good Morning,

     Not a problem and can not edit hardware version 10, VMware vSphere 5.5 from the VMware administrator is preparing for is culture change, from the release of vSphere 6.0 will no longer have the option of installing the vsphere-client to access the vCenter, we will only have interaction with vCenter through the web-client.


    We will only have the option from vSphere 6.0 to install the client to access standalone host.

The change primarily due and culture


1-For the vCenter Client WEB-interface features we have many more today who can access the vCenter vsphere-client often does not know these features more than the web-client provides.


2-Let's have less work, it will not be necessary to be installing client to access your vCenter, from anywhere that has internet access and a web browser will be possible to access your environment (vCenter)

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thornburgt
Contributor
Contributor

Thank you SuperMick this worked great!

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Samsonite801
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Attn all,

BTW, Vsphere Client 5.5u2 allows you to edit the settings on a VMX-10 VM. You can only edit the older settings found in older VMX versions, but at least you can do it now without modding the VMX file.

Using vSphere 5.5U2 Client to edit the settings of virtual machines of version 10 or higher | VMware...

If you go here you can download just the 5.5u2 Client here (you don't need to upgrade ESXi to get the fix): http://www.virtuallyghetto.com/2014/09/edit-virtual-hardware-10-vms-using-vsphere-5-5-update-2-c-cli...

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pastephens
Contributor
Contributor

Oh! You da man... or woman if that's appropriate 😉 Thanks@

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omostan
Contributor
Contributor

Thanks! I did exactly as you've written and I can edit the virtual machine again.

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