ESXi install.

[Blairskimo]

Hi Guys . 

Newb here . I have a acer Veriton M4660G with the following profile :

===============================
System Type x64-based PC
Processor Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-9700 CPU @ 3.00GHz, 3000 Mhz, 8 Core(s), 8 Logical Processor(s)
BIOS Version/Date Acer R01-B3, 10/29/2019
SMBIOS Version 3.2
Embedded Controller Version 1.03
BIOS Mode UEFI
BaseBoard Manufacturer Acer
BaseBoard Product Veriton M4660G(DCH)
BaseBoard Version V:1.0
Platform Role Desktop
Installed Physical Memory (RAM) 32.0 GB
Total Physical Memory 31.9 GB
Available Physical Memory 24.3 GB
Total Virtual Memory 36.6 GB
Available Virtual Memory 28.9 GB
Page File Space 4.75 GB
Virtualization-based security Running
Virtualization-based security Required Security Properties
Virtualization-based security Available Security Properties Base Virtualization Support, Secure Boot, DMA Protection, UEFI Code Readonly, SMM Security Mitigations 1.0, Mode Based Execution Control
Virtualization-based security Services Configured
Virtualization-based security Services Running
Device Encryption Support Elevation Required to View
A hypervisor has been detected. Features required for Hyper-V will not be displayed.

======================

Three hard drives :

1) Western Digital PC SN520 NVMe SSD - 500 gb 

2) Western digital sata ssd - 1 tb 

3) Western digital sata ssd 500 gb

I am trying to set up a home lab and  the installer recognizes  the Western digital sata ssd - 1 tb  and the Western digital sata ssd 500 gb but not the Western Digital PC SN520 NVMe SSD - 500 gb 

Is there a way around this .

Thanks 

B 

 

[dstadelmann]

So you try to install ESXi on the NVMe. Try to install it on one of the recognized drives. And start the troubleshooting process there.

I think the driver for this drive is missing. The drive is connected to M.2 slot - right? Can you see it in BIOS?

[Blairskimo]

Hi 

''The drive is connected to M.2 slot - right? Can you see it in BIOS? Re: ESXi install."

Yes that's correct .I have 2.5 GB of SSD storage but its a shame my NVME cant be used as that came with the system I bought. But what ever . It is what it is .

I have windows 11 on there now with the nvme hosting the OS ( windows 11) but I want to install ESXI ( even went out and bought compatible NIC , ) and now I see that the NVME drive isn't compatible .

I am thinking I can get past this . Just my NVME may just have to sit on a shelf . It will probably come in handy some day .

ESXI is pretty particular about hardware .

That being said I can just turn off the m2 controller and install ESXI on the recognized drives ? I am not familiar how boot loaders work .

[dstadelmann]

For ESXi 7.0 installation you need 32GB of disk storage (persistent). So I would recommend to use a drive which fullfill this requirements.

https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-vSphere/7.0/com.vmware.esxi.upgrade.doc/GUID-DEB8086A-306B-4239-BF76-E354679202FC.html

You should be able to change the boot order of the drives. So the drive with ESXi will be selected before the NVMe with Windows. When ESX is installed, check if you can see the NVMe disk is shown as device. If not check this blog post: https://williamlam.com/2019/05/quick-tip-crucial-nvme-ssd-not-recognized-by-esxi-6-7.html

Simply copy nvme.v00 VIB from the ESXi 6.5 Update 2 and replace it on ESXi 7.0 system (either live under /bootbank or part of the installer) but rename the file to nvme_pci.v00 which is the new filename for NVMe driver.

If this works and your M.2 NVMe is shown, you can deleted the windows 11 partition from ESXi and create a datastore on it to host your virtual machine. Boot device/esx core installation will reside on the other drive.