VSphere: How to create a vm with IDE disks using powercli

[GhislainL]

I'm looking for a powercli script to create a VM with multiple IDE disks. It seams the "new-VM creates disks in SCSI mode...

Thanks.

[LucD]

You will have to use the API, see Re: How to create an IDE hard disk instead of SCSI?

[GhislainL]

I have read that article... for 1 disk is working just fine but how about 2 or 3 more disks?

[LucD]

You could run that script 2 or 3 times.

[GhislainL]

Here is my script:

Connect-VIServer –Server 'vcentersrv01'

$vmName = "vm-iso-creator2"

$hdSize_os = 50 * 1GB

$hdSize_app = 50 * 1GB

$hdSize_arch = 50 * 1GB

$hdSize_db = 100 * 1GB

$hdSize_vip = 50 * 1GB

new-vm -name $vmName -vmhost 'esx14' -datastore 'ant_esxds01' -diskGB 10 -cd  -MemoryGB 16 -numcpu 2 -networkname 'VM Network'

$spec = New-Object -Type VMware.Vim.VirtualMachineConfigSpec -Property @{"NumCoresPerSocket" = 2}

(get-vm $vmName).ExtensionData.ReconfigVM_Task($spec)

get-vm -name $vmName | get-cddrive | set-cddrive -isopath "[ant_esx_iso01] ISO\RHEL76.iso" -StartConnected $true -confirm:$false

$vmConfigSpec = New-Object VMware.Vim.VirtualMachineConfigSpec

$vmConfigSpec.Tools = New-Object VMware.Vim.ToolsConfigInfo

$vmConfigSpec.Tools.ToolsUpgradePolicy = "UpgradeAtPowerCycle"

(get-vm $vmName).ExtensionData.ReconfigVM_Task($vmConfigSpec)

#IDE DISK

$vm = Get-VM -Name $vmName

$spec = New-Object VMware.Vim.VirtualMachineConfigSpec

# Check if there is an IDE COntroller present

$ideCtrl = $vm.ExtensionData.Config.Hardware.Device | where {$_.GetType().Name -eq "VirtualIDEController"} | select -First 1

if(!$ideCtrl){

    $ctrl = New-Object VMware.Vim.VirtualDeviceConfigSpec

    $ctrl.Operation = "add"

    $ctrl.Device = New-Object VMware.Vim.VirtualIDEController

    $ideKey = -1

    $ctrl.Device.ControllerKey = $ideKey

    $spec.deviceChange += $ctrl

}

else{

    $ideKey = $ideCtrl.Key

}

# Remove SCSI disk

get-harddisk -vm $vmName | remove-harddisk -confirm:$false -deletepermanently

# Get next harddisk number

$hdNr = 0

$vm.ExtensionData.Config.Hardware.Device | where {$_.GetType().Name -eq "VirtualDisk"} | %{

    $nr = [int]$_.DeviceInfo.Label.Split(' ')[2]

    if($hdNr -lt $nr){

       $hdNr = $nr    }

if($hdNr -eq 0){$hdNrStr = ""}

else{$hdNrStr = "_" + $hdNr}

# Get datastore

$dsName = $vm.ExtensionData.Config.Files.VmPathName.Split(']')[0].TrimStart('[')

#

# Add IDE harddisk for OS

$dev = New-Object VMware.Vim.VirtualDeviceConfigSpec

$dev.FileOperation = "create"

$dev.Operation = "add"

$dev.Device = New-Object VMware.Vim.VirtualDisk

$dev.Device.backing = New-Object VMware.Vim.VirtualDiskFlatVer2BackingInfo

$dev.Device.backing.Datastore = (Get-Datastore -Name $dsName).Extensiondata.MoRef

$dev.Device.backing.DiskMode = "persistent"

$dev.Device.Backing.FileName = "[" + $dsName + "] " + $vmName + "/" + $vmName + $hdNrStr + ".vmdk"

$dev.Device.backing.ThinProvisioned = $true

$dev.Device.CapacityInKb = $hdSize_os / 1KB

$dev.Device.ControllerKey = $ideKey

$dev.Device.UnitNumber = -1

$spec.deviceChange += $dev

$vm.ExtensionData.ReconfigVM($spec)

#

# Add IDE harddisk for APP

$hdNrStr = "_2"

$dev = New-Object VMware.Vim.VirtualDeviceConfigSpec

$dev.FileOperation = "create"

$dev.Operation = "add"

$dev.Device = New-Object VMware.Vim.VirtualDisk

$dev.Device.backing = New-Object VMware.Vim.VirtualDiskFlatVer2BackingInfo

$dev.Device.backing.Datastore = (Get-Datastore -Name $dsName).Extensiondata.MoRef

$dev.Device.backing.DiskMode = "persistent"

$dev.Device.Backing.FileName = "[" + $dsName + "] " + $vmName + "/" + $vmName + $hdNrStr + ".vmdk"

$dev.Device.backing.ThinProvisioned = $true

$dev.Device.CapacityInKb = $hdSize_app / 1KB

$dev.Device.ControllerKey = $ideKey

$dev.Device.UnitNumber = -1

$spec.deviceChange += $dev

$vm.ExtensionData.ReconfigVM($spec)

When running it, the VM gets created but with only one disk.... When trying to create th 2nd disk, I'm getting an error saying already exist.  But I have set hdNrStr = "_2" and the first disk has "_1"

[LucD]

That might be because the same UnitNumber is used for both HD.
Can you try with different numbers?
I'll do some testing on my side as well.

[GhislainL]

OK, I have found my issue. First, only 2 devices per IDE controller... 2nd, I was trying to install RHEL and I was not able to do it with scsi controller when the vm was created from the command line. So I thought it was because of the type of disk... but if I create the vm from the web interface... it's working fine. So I compare both VM to find out the from the command line, the type os SCSI controller was different & preventing the RHEL installation of working because no disk was found. So I change the SCSI controller type to "paravirtual" and BINGO... it's working now.

Thanks for your help!!!