Simulation of hardware on VMWare ESX Server (is it possible???)

[vdiener]

Hello i'm student and writing my Bachelor Thesis.

The theme of my thesis is "Comparison of VMWare ESX Server and Citrix XenServer".

After i have installed XenServer on Hardware, i was able to simulate the hardware and got the Possibility to

install OEM-Versions of MS Operating Systems as VMs on XenServer. With that feature our customers can save

money, because they can use the OEM-Versions of MS products supplied by us.

Now my question! Is it possible to simulate Hardware on VMWare ESX Server and install the OEM-Versions

or are there some other ways how i can install OEM-Versions on VMWare ESX Server??

[khughes]

So are you saying that you were not able to install the MS operating system on a VMware setup? Or have you not tried yet? I have been able to load up OEM os's on Workstation so I'm not seeing why it wouldn't work in ESX/ESXi. Have you thought about using trial versions of MS Windows?

-- Kyle

"RParker wrote: I guess I was wrong, everything CAN be virtualized "

[vdiener]

I have tried but without success!

[MentholMoose]

I don't know if it is still applicable in vSphere, but you can try setting the "SMBIOS.reflectHost" parameter on the VM to "TRUE", as described here:

ESX 3.0.2, ESX-1001907, SMBIOS Fix; PRE-enablement Support for AMD and Intel CPUs

This would be set in the VMX file, which you can edit on the VM Properties Options tab, in Advanced > General > Configuration Parameters.

---

Kirk Kosinski

VCP 4, MCITP: EA/VA/EDA7

[vdiener]

@ MentolMoose

It seems to be the answer to my question, I'll check it out!

[vdiener]

I am using ESX 4.1.I have tried to add the SMBIOS.reflectionHost = TRUE but i get still the same error:

[MentholMoose]

Try downloading the ISO again and verify the MD5/SHA1 checksum if one is available.

The application or DLL \Sources\SPWIZENG.DLL is not a valid Windows image, The file 'autorun.dll' could not be loaded or is corrupt.

If you're using a burned DVD, use the ISO instead, or try re-burning it with a different DVD burner.

---

Kirk Kosinski

VCP 4, MCITP: EA/VA/EDA7

[vdiener]

I don't think that this is the problem here! The DVD is original. And it is possible to install it everywhere (on every hardware, and on XenServer) but not as VM on the ESX Server.

[amvmware]

I have seen this type of problem before as well and it is the media. Try downloading a eval version of the software as an ISO and see if that works.

I know you will say it worked with xenserver so why not with esx - i can't answer that question i can only tell you want i found worked.

[vdiener]

The DVD's are delivered to us with licenses from MS so we can sell them to our customers, i don't think that this is a problem but i'll try to do that. And like i said it's working not only with xenserver, it also works on every other hardware!

[MentholMoose]

And like i said it's working not only with xenserver, it also works on every other hardware!

If it's working on other hardware, then the hardware it's not working on probably has a bad DVD drive.

---

Kirk Kosinski

VCP 4, MCITP: EA/VA/EDA7