Do you want to play around with latest server virtualization software from VMware on your normal home or office computer?, here is the chance. This guide shows how to install VMware vSphere 5 (ESXi 5) in VMware workstation or Player with Windows 7. In this way you can learn,experiment and even setup your testing virtual lab in normal Intel PC.
vSphere 5 is having plenty of new and enhanced features than earlier versions. The new features and changes can be seen in Compute with vSphere Auto deploy, new virtual machine format (Version -8 ) with 3D support for Windows Aero and USB 3.0 support. Also, in storage, network, security, availability and Scalability. You can find out more detailed features here in official site. Altogether, it’s a great server virtualization software from VMware. Let’s see how to install it in normal Windows Operating System.
Steps to Install VMware vSphere 5 (ESXi 5) in VMware Workstation With Windows 7
1) Make sure your computer processor supports hardware Virtualization Technology (VT) and its enabled in BIOS. If not, enable it in BIOS and check whether the Operating System in sensing it.
Find out more information on how to enable vt-x and check.
It is enabled in my Intel processor computer which is running Windows 7 32bit.
Memory – vSphere 5 requires minimum 2GB memory for virtual machine, so make sure you have enough of physical memory to allocate for virtual machine and physical computer. I have 3GB physical memory in host.
2) Download the vSphere 5 (ESXi 5.0) and Client version 5 from official site here. Registration required.
3) Create a new virtual machine in VMware workstation or player. Browse the ESXi 5.0 installable ISO file you downloaded. Unfortunately the OS type can’t be detected automatically. So, select the Guest operating system as ‘VMware ESX’ and ‘ESX Server 4’ as version. Do not worry it will work for ESXi 5 also.
4) Set the location of virtual machine and hard disk size also. Here is the summary of my ESXi 5 virtual machine. If you like to customize some settings, such as processor cores, network, sound and extra hard disks, then press ‘Customize Hardware’
5) Start the virtual machine and select ‘Standard Installer’ option. Press ‘ENTER’ to continue the installation in next screen.
6) Press F11 for EULA. Select the disk to install if you have multiple virtual disks here. I created and started the vSphere 5 virtual machine with single 40GB disk.
Next screen will be to select the keyboard layout and type the root password. Its better to assign root password (which should be with minimum 7 characters) now.
7) For some strange reasons the installation processes returned an error message for non availability of VT supported processor in my host. But as you could see in step 1, I already confirmed the VT-x support by Intel utility. Also, I run all Operating Systems which require VT support in same host computer.
Here is the warning message I got from vSphere 5 even though my host supports VT and its enabled.
Press Enter to continue the installation if you are sure your physical computer is having hardware virtualization enabled processor.
8.) Once installation completed, remove the ISO from CD drive of virtual machine and restart the VM. It should boot properly and receive DHCP IP as a management IP.
Always better to have static IP for vSphere 5 server.
9) Press F2 to customize the server management settings. Enter the root password which was given during the installation.
You need to make sure the virtual machine’s network setting is configured properly to communicate with other hosts or guests. In my case, I will be accessing this vSphere 5 virtual machine from my host computer Windows 7, so I set up the network ‘Host-only’ network type in VMware network settings which will enable the host and guest network communication.
Change the IP v4 address to static and provide the IP address suitable for your network.
You have to apply the settings and restart the management network service to take effect of new IP.
Check the connectivity by pinging the vSphere ESXi 5 server. I could ping to 192.5.2.200 from my physical windows 7 computer.
10) Access the server IP address in your internet browser.
Ignore or continue the certificate error, you must be able to see the Getting start page which will redirect you to download vSphere 5 client.
Note- This will take you to VMware’s official site to download vSphere 5 client. If you already downloaded this client package (as shown in Step 2), then skip the download and install the client package.
I tried to connect vSphere 5 server with vSphere 4 client utility, but it gives the message to download the latest 5 client and install. So, you can’t access ESXi5 with older versions of clients.
11) After installing the latest Client version, enter the IP of server and root password.
You can ignore certificate error here too.
12) Here is the working VMware vSphere 5 in VMware workstation with Windows 7. Performance is normal because I have only 3GB memory in host. No doubt, this is very helpful for learning and experiment purpose.
Its always nice to have these type of server virtualization software in normal PCs and create virtual machines in it.
If you are interested in create and connect NAS (Network Access Storage) in same testing environment, you can install FreeNAS OS as a separate virtual machine and connect to vSphere 5. I explained step by step to connect FreeNAS with VMware vSphere server here.
Hello!
I’m trying to install a 64bit Virtual Machine in my ESXi 5 (running in my VMware Workstation 7) but when I try to start the VM the ESXi says that I don’t have a 64bit machine (I have a Intel Core i7 2.67Ghz) .
Do you have any idea about this error?
Having this issue as well. I can’t find any info if this is a supported config or not.
I don’t believe you can run 64-bit OS in ESX on WS. It is documented somewhere. No problem with ESX on bare metal tho.
Cheers
It’s not really vSphere 5 is it? It’s just ESXi5, which to be honest is a waste of internet web space, any monkey can click Next, Next, Install.
hi,
i have been trying to install esx 5 on a vm station 7. I have already got 3.5 and 4.1 running with no issues. When the installation starts it complains “no network adapters”. I have tested the connections, it works fine, all other vm guests can use the network, I have also changed the network config on the vm host-only and NAT , but same issue.
Has anyone of you come across this issue before?
thanks
Harry
Hi,
Use to have the same issue with Citrix Xen Server but it was a problem with network card driver Broadcom and I updated but I had the same issue and then i downloaded Xen Server 5.1.0 which solved the issue.
Hi,
Use to have the same issue with Citrix Xen Server but it was a problem with network card driver Broadcom and I updated but I had the same issue and then i downloaded Xen Server 5.1.0 which solved the issue.
/Fredrik
Hi,
I try to install esx 5 on vmware server server console version 1.0.4. I have alredy installed esx version 4.1.0 without problem. Now when i install the esx 5 i have a purple screen with this error message: No place on disk to dump data.
Any ideas?
Thanks in advance.
Luky
thanks @Lucky, I shall give VM server console version 1.0.4 and update you soon.
thanks @Lucky, I shall give VM server console version a try 1.0.4 a try and update you soon.
Thanks Harry. I’ll be waiting for your response
@luky, i tried vmware console but unfortunetely i couldn’t login on to any vms as vm workstation (probably i am not familiar with the cosole) even though the message appears the vms are running. Strangely after uninstall workstation and reinstalling did the trick of vsphere 5
thanks for your help.
Harry
@Leomar Viegas Junior
Have you enabled VT-d in your BIOS?
Works great vmware 7.1.5 it is a next next install
one question is the default gateway that you gave to ESXI 192.5.2.100 is that your physical machine’s Ip address ?
what could be the benefits to install ESX on Workstation? sounds like you are running virtual guest inside another virtual guest… I can see a lack of performance, but what kind of advantages do you get??
Let me answer your question.
ESXi/ESX is initially designed to work on hardware, in a performance critical situation, the method suggested in this guide is totally useless.
“BUT”
When talking about the case that you want to LEARN the technology, this guide is a good reference to set-up a low-cost experimental site that you can play around.
You can use existing Hardware without having to format your harddisk/buy another one to install a ESX/ESXi.
You can use another VM in the workstation as VCentre.
You can just throw the whole thing into Recycle Bin if you no-longer need it.
That is why I think this guide is a very good reference.
can i run vSphere 5 without Virtualization Technology ???
I have a desktop class machine with 4GB RAM and 500GB blank HDD and i want to install ESXi 5.0. But i want to create partitions(say 3 or 2) and on 1 of those partitions i would like to install the ESXi host, is this possible and if yes how can such partition be created… ??????
Please Help.
Thanks in advance
I cannot install 2008 R2 in my esxi which is running in my vmware workstation 7. Any solutions. Pls do update moderator. Cheers and merry XMAS to all !!!
You need workstation 8 for VT passthrough. Without the passthrough, 64-bit paging cannot flow beyond the original hypervisor (in this case vmware workstation).
Here’s an article that would help – though its focus is Hyper-V in nested environment.
http://www.veeam.com/blog/nesting-hyper-v-with-vmware-workstation-8-and-esxi-5.html
I had installed ESXi server on a VM in workstation 7. I installed
window 7 on another VM and installed client software on it. I am able
to connect to the ESXi server, I created a VM on the ESXi
server but when I am trying to start the VM it is giving this error
(running ESX in a virtual machine requires the outer virtual machine
to be configured for running a vmware ESX guest operating system.) How
to do that? My machine is intel VT enabled. I am unable to figure out
the problem. Pl suggest a solution.
Hi,
I had installed ESXi 5.0 on a VMWare Workstation 8 (IP add: 192.168.81.11; subnet mask: 255.255.255.0; default gateway: 192.168.81.1). I had installed a windows 2003 domain controller (IP add: 192.168.81.1). I can be able to ping the ESXi IP add from the windows. When I test the function “Test Management Network” in the ESXi host, it shows that the hostname can not be resolved. Please give me the solution to fix the issue. your help will be appreciated!
hello.
when i instal the program he want user and passwor,its automaticly gives user name “root” ..what next how i pass that ? i tryed alt+f1…tryed few password and nothing how i can pass this screen ?
hello.
I have already installed winXP 64bit on EXSI server 5.0 …but em not getting any way to to connect my WinXP machine to network…My drivers r not working as em able to install dem….but WinXP is not finding Any Hardware….plz help me