Running VMware ESX 3.0.1 inside a VMware Workstation 6.0

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It is now possible to run VMware ESX 3.0.1 servers inside a VMware Workstation6.0 (Build 45731) if you have specific processors in your system. These processors need to have the new x86 virtualization capabilities (Intel VT or the AMD-V).

The guys are xtravirt.com have written a good starter guide. While they only mentionned how to run it with the Intel VT ( monitor_control.vt32 = TRUE ) flag, you can run them on AMD Opteron (AM2 or Socket F 1207pin). You need to use the monitor_control.svm_enable = TRUE. Thanks to the monitor_control.svn_enable switch, the virtual ESX 3.0.1 server will boot and be ready within 90 seconds.

Here is a sample esx-01.vmx file that I’m using on my AMD Opteron workstation (HP xw9400 Workstation). Notice the ethernet device used (e1000), the number of vcpu (2), and the monitor_control switches.

esx-01.vmx

annotation = "esx-02.vi3.local|0A|0AVMware ESX 3.0.1 Build 39823|0A|0AvSwitch0 - Service Console|0AvSwitch1 - VM Network|0AvSwitch2 - VMotion|0A"
<span lang="EN-GB">config.version = “8″
deploymentPlatform = “windows”
displayName = “esx-02 (VMware ESX 3.0.1)”
ethernet0.addressType = “generated”
ethernet0.connectionType = “bridged”
ethernet0.present = “TRUE”
ethernet0.virtualDev = “e1000″
ethernet0.wakeOnPcktRcv = “FALSE”
ethernet1.addressType = “generated”
ethernet1.connectionType = “bridged”
ethernet1.present = “TRUE”
ethernet1.virtualDev = “e1000″
ethernet2.addressType = “generated”
ethernet2.connectionType = “bridged”
ethernet2.present = “TRUE”
ethernet2.virtualDev = “e1000″
floppy0.fileName = “/dev/fd0″
floppy0.startConnected = “FALSE”
guestOS = “other-64″
ide1:0.deviceType = “cdrom-raw”
ide1:0.fileName = “/dev/hdc”
ide1:0.present = “TRUE”
isolation.tools.hgfs.disable = “TRUE”</span>
<span lang="EN-GB">isolation.tools.getPtrLocation.disable = “TRUE”
isolation.tools.setPtrLocation.disable = “TRUE”
MemAllowAutoScaleDown = “FALSE”
memsize = “1024″
monitor_control.enable_svm = TRUE
monitor_control.restrict_backdoor = TRUE
#monitor_control.vt32 = TRUE
numvcpus = “2″
nvram = “esx-02.nvram”
RemoteDisplay.vnc.port = “0″
scsi0:0.fileName = “esx-02.vmdk”
scsi0:0.present = “TRUE”
scsi0.present = “TRUE”
scsi0.virtualDev = “lsilogic”
svga.vramSize = “16708800″
tools.upgrade.policy = “useGlobal”
</span>virtualHW.productCompatibility = “esx”
virtualHW.version = “4″

Two entries in the VMware Community forum cover this topic. “Ability to run ESX as a Workstation guest” and “How to install ESX3 on Workstation 6 – Whitepaper!

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