Windows 8.1

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Taskbar properties

Taskbar_Properties

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shortcut Keys

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows-8/keyboard-shortcuts

[Mac Apple/Command key maps to Windows key using Microsoft Remote Desktop]

Win       – Display or hide the Start screen

Win + C – Charms

Win + S – Search

Win + X – Open the Quick Link menu

Dell Optiplex 9020

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Dell Optiplex 9020

32 GB RAM

Windows 8.1

1TB SATA drive

ESXi 5.5 – installed to 8GB USB3 Flash Drive

500 GB SATA drive for VMFS 5 datastore [250 GB allocated initially]

Notes

Secure Boot needs to be disabled in order to install or boot ESXi 5.5

ESXi

Network cards not detected on an ESXi/ESX host (1034782)

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=1034782

~ # lspci -v | grep Ethernet
0000:00:19.0 Ethernet controller Network controller: Intel Corporation Ethernet Connection I217-LM [vmnic1]
0000:04:00.0 Ethernet controller Network controller: Broadcom Corporation NetXtreme BCM5722 Gigabit Ethernet [vmnic0]

~ # lspci -n | grep 00:19
0000:00:19.0 Class 0200: 8086:153a

The system has a 2nd Broadcom NIC which is recognised by the default ESXi ISO image. To make use of the onboard NIC a vib needs to be installed.

See http://www.ivobeerens.nl/2013/09/20/enable-the-intel-i217-v-network-card-in-vmware-esxi/

~ # esxcli software acceptance set –level=CommunitySupported
Host acceptance level changed to ‘CommunitySupported’.
~ # esxcli software vib install -v /vmfs/volumes/ESX02_LOCAL/VMware/net-e1000e-2.3.2.x86_64.vib

Installation Result
Message: The update completed successfully, but the system needs to be rebooted for the changes to be effective.
Reboot Required: true
VIBs Installed: daoyama_bootbank_net-e1000e_2.3.2
VIBs Removed: VMware_bootbank_net-e1000e_1.1.2-4vmw.550.0.0.1331820
VIBs Skipped:
~ #

~ # esxcfg-nics -l
Name    PCI           Driver      Link Speed     Duplex MAC Address       MTU    Description                   
vmnic0  0000:04:00.00 tg3         Up   1000Mbps  Full   00:0a:f7:12:34:56 1500   Broadcom Corporation NetXtreme BCM5722 Gigabit Ethernet
vmnic1  0000:00:19.00 e1000e      Up   1000Mbps  Full   b8:ca:3a:12:34:56 1500   Intel Corporation Ethernet Connection I217-LM

 

Notes

Some strange things were happenning, i.e. the VMware Tools ISO couldn’t be found and installation of the Intel NIC vib failed. On rebooting the system all now seems OK.

Mac Mini

ESXi 5.5

Hardware: Mac Mini (6.2)

Q: ESXi Bare Metal or Fusion?

To start with I’m going to use Fusion 6 and install ESXI 5.5

http://labs.vmware.com/flings/vmware-tools-for-nested-esxi

http://www.virtuallyghetto.com/2013/09/running-esxi-55-on-apple-mac-mini.html

http://www.virtuallyghetto.com/2012/12/running-esxi-50-51-on-2012-mac-mini-62.html

http://www.virtuallyghetto.com/2013/11/w00t-vmware-tools-for-nested-esxi.html

Instructions on checking an MD5 checksum on a Mac:
  1. In Finder, browse to /Applications/Utilities.
  2. Double-click on the Terminal icon. A Terminal window will appear.
  3. In the Terminal window, type: “md5 ” (md5 followed by a space).
  4. Drag the downloaded file from the Finder into the Terminal window.
  5. Click in the Terminal window, press the Return key, and compare the checksum displayed to the screen to the one on VMware’s download page.

– See more at: http://www.vmware.com/download/md5.html#sthash.jzOhE48c.dpuf

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=2009580

Issues

  • vSphere Client requires Windows host.
  • vSphere Client doesn’t support features introduced in 5.1/5.5. ESXi only has ssh/console access. vCenter required to access all features, but vCenter cannot manage licensed free ESXi hosts. [vCenter has 60 day trial period.]