IT Answers » VMware ESXi 3.5

Virtual Machine running Win 2000

graybeard52 — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 17:07:38 +0000

I have converted an old Win2K Pro machine. Convertion went well, but for a couple of issues.
1. VM Tools will not install
2. The OS keeps looking for a driver for a VGA compatable display.
The tools aren’t a big deal, but without the display driver I get very poor resolution and color. Where can I get a “VGA-compatable” driver for Win 2000 Pro ? The system can’t find one at Microsoft. (I am stuuck with an old application that cannot be upgraded – not yet, anyway). BTW, I am using ESXi 3.5 standalone host.

Any suggestions?

HDDs for VMWare ESXi 3.5

TheITChick — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 06:34:37 +0000

I’m about to purchase a new server to run VMWare ESXi 3.5
The specs are:
Intel SR2500 Server with RAID SR2500ALLXR
2x Intel Xeon Quad 5420 CPU
12GB DDR2 667 ECC REG RAM
2 extra Intel SR2500 Server with RAID SR2500ALLXR @$ 3,850 +GST
1x Intel Xeon Quad 5420 CPU
12GB DDR2 667 ECC REG RAM
2 extra Intel PCIx Dual Port Gigabit NIC

I don’t think I’ll have more than 6 VM’s on this box, so I guess my questions are:
1. Are the specs good enough to run this Many VM’s?
2. Is SATA HDD’s OK – or should I definitely go with SAS?
3.For 6 VM’s – how big should the HDD’s be?
4. Will users notice a lag with the systems running on the VM’s?

Thank you in advance

Cost of virtualization and diminishing rate of returns

JennyMack — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 20:31:02 +0000

The following question was recently submitted via e-mail by a user:

Using ESXi 3.5. I’ve seen tests done that usually put the cost of virtualization at 25% when VMs don’t share the same kernel, and 10% when they do. I’ve noticed as you drop cores, the cost of virtualization as a percent of the total goes UP disproportionately. Is anyone else finding this? Is there a “sweet spot” for virtualization configuration in terms of price?

VMware ESXi install error on Dell PowerEdge 1950

ITKE — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 15:36:24 +0000

trying to install ESXi on a Poweredge 1950, with a 2 drive RAID 1, PERC 5i controller configuration, but when the ESXi image boots I get the following error:

‘Unable to find a supported device to write the ESX Server 3i 3.5.0 image to’

Can anyone help

User submitted question

VMware ESXi 3.5 error when installing on IDE drive machine

123456 — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 13:22:44 +0000

I am trying to install VMware ESXi 3.5 on a machine with an IDE drive and am getting the following error message:
“Unable to find a supported device to write the VMware ESX Server 3i 3.5.0 image to”.

Virtual Center Server and Double Take with ESXi Enterprise Version

Quincy — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 16:48:33 +0000

Is anyone using Double Take to replicate their VC Server for ESXi? If so, how well does it work?