Install ESX 3.5 fails on Atom 510 dual core

[BoyQuiet]

I have a PC based on Intel 510MO Atom dual core processor.

2GB main memory multiple USB and singe 1GB ethernet port.

When I try to install ESX 3.5.0 to a 64 GB Kingston SSD now100 it fails with a "hardware error". Confident the disk is OK (see below)

Not sure if I should look for issues related to the Intel 510MO or the SSD

Thanks for any help

FYI

What I have done so far :-

1. Installed to the SSD on an athlon64 based machine. This suggest to me that the disk is Ok

2. Move the SSD to the Atom and ESX starts ok but I cannot do any work as the network is not recognised. (always 0.0.0 0) and the config option juest offers a network restart. This restart is clearly not right but the point is that it shows the disk I am using is OK

3. Updated the Atom BIOS to latest release (512)

In all cases install from CD with SATA disks and install always fails until I edit ScsiInterface.SCSI.IFACE_TYPE_IDE to ScsiInterface.SCSI.IFACE_TYPE_ISCSI in TargetFilte.py

[mcowger]

Is the Atom system's network card on the HCL?  If not, thats the cause of your network problem.

Also, a 2GB system isn't enough to run ESXi.

[DSTAVERT]

Moved to the ESX 3.5 forum.

[BoyQuiet]

Thank you mcowger

Since posting I've also tried a reinstall with an ordinary HD and it too fails with a "hardware" error so its not SSD related and I think Im on a hiding to nothing here 😞

Are you saying 2GB memoryis too small to do anything useful in or that it just will not work?

Its a proof of concept setup to just try and run two VMs, but I feel a bit of an idiot having got the two VMs working in "player" and now have nothing to play them on!

BTW

The LAN subsystem consists of the following:

• Intel NM10 Express Chipset

• Realtek 8111DL Gigabit Ethernet Controller for 10/100/1000 Mbits/sec Ethernet

Thanks DSTAVERT for moving my question to the right forum.

[mcowger]

There are no supported realtek NICs for ESX, which is why your network isn't working.  You need to obtain a supported card (http://www.vmware.com/go/hcl).  Also, the Atom CPU is not supported, which will make your life harder.  Lastly, esx 3.5 is really old at this point - why not use 4.1.1?

As far as memory, with only 2 GB, you wont be able to run more than 2 *very* small VMs, and even then an Atom CPU will be working very hard to keep up.

[BoyQuiet]

Again thanks for the help.

Happy to try 4.1.1 but before I do, is it overkill to use it to run two (extremly low usage) vms?

The Atom was the Syslog for my small network. When it broke a month ago I created a VM from its hard disk but running it (Win XP) in VMplayer (on a "normal" 2.4GHz dual core) is very slow (I estimate about 1/10 speed).

I reasoned a hypervisor would have fewer overheads, and remove my dependancy on specific hardware, and now the Atom has been returned with a new motherboard, rather than just put the disk back and forget about it, I'm trying ESX.

From your experience of processing power required, would the Atom be better with a linux base (say Umbuntu) and then use VMPlayer for each of the vms, rather than squash ESX onto it?

And then start over with a new machine specifically for ESX ?

Again thanks for taking the trouble to reply.

[Linjo]

I don't think ESXi will install on anything less then 3Gb RAM, but I am not 100% sure here...

// Linjo

[BoyQuiet]

Thanks Linjo - going to try and get more suitable hardware.