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Inspiron 620 - install VMWare ESXi v5
What I want to do is try out/experiment with ESXi 5 on my local Workstation (a Dell Inspiron 620 with an Intel i5-2320 running under Windows Home Premium).
I have registered with VMWare and downloaded VMware ESXi 5.0. See here for Dell supprt details. Workstations do *not* seem to be included.
I burned the .iso to a CD using PowerISO.
I set the boot order to the DVD player first, and the OS next.
I also made sure that the BIOS virualization features are enabled (they are enabled by default).
On boot, the DVD player starts up (I hear it spinning), but does not enter the VMWare install screen.
Is there a way to install ESXi 5 on my Dell Inspiron 620?
speedstep
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47K Posts
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January 12th, 2012 06:00
VMWare ESXi 5 is a Server OS not supported on Desktops.
This is not a Dell Issue.
Minimum system requirements for installing ESX/ESXi
Symptoms
Purpose
This article is to help you ensure that your hardware meets the minimum system requirements for an ESX/ESXi Installation. Failure to satisfy these requirements will result in your installation not completing.
These are the minimum requirements. For enhanced performance, you should scale your server appropriately.
Resolution
ESXi 5.0
64-bit Processor
RAM
Network Adapters
One or more Gigabit or 10Gb Ethernet controllers. For a list of supported network adapter models, see the VMware Compatibility Guide.
SCSI Adapter, Fibre Channel Adapter or Internal RAID Controller
Any combination of one or more of the following controllers:
Installation and Storage
ESXi 5.0 supports installing on and booting from the following storage systems:
Make sure your hardware is compliant by referring to the Hardware Compatibility Guide.
Davet50
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January 11th, 2012 17:00
Try tapping the F12 Key at the Dell splash screen. That should bring up the boot menu. Choose the option to boot from the onboard CDROM(whether you have CD or DVD)
DellRich
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January 11th, 2012 18:00
Thanks for responding!
Yes, that is an alternative to using F2 to permanently set the boot device order.
I did try F12 just now, but it did not work for me. One thing though, I received an "on screen" error message,
"No boot device available, Press any key to reboot the system"
When I press a key, I boot to Windows 7 as usual.
This is pretty much my original issue - I am not sure why the CD is not recognized as a bootable image. So -
Is there an alternate VMWare .iso that I need to use with my workstation?
Is there an obscure setting I need to check/change?
Is VMWare ESXi 5 simply not compatible with my Inspiron workstation?
All suggestions welcome!
DellRich
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January 12th, 2012 09:00
SpeedStep,
Thanks for the detailed response! I'll look to obtain a properly-configured machine for my testing scheme.
Dev Mgr
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January 12th, 2012 11:00
I run ESXi on a Dell Precision Workstation T3400 (picked a barebones 2nd hand unit up for very little). I have a Core2 Q9650 in there with 4 x 2GB of memory. I use a 1GB USB stick where I installed ESXi on and have a 500GB and a 2TB drive inside for holding VMs.
It's not fast by any means compared to what I work with on a daily basis in the office, but it's good enough for several VMs (though more memory would be nice, but not worth it to me right now).
DellRich
7 Posts
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January 12th, 2012 13:00
Thanks Dev Mgr!
Using the link suggested by SpeedStep above, I also see there is some support for Intel i3-2100 Series as well as Intel i3/i5 Clarkdale Series. VMWare's site information is limited to specific Dell servers, but I suspected ESXi 5.0 works elsewhere. It may just be hit or miss.
Here is an interesting forum <communities.vmware.com/.../crc> with community-reported results.