Windows 2003 Standard R2 x64

[rickywray]

Hi,

Been unable to create my own VM for this OS due to the OS complaining that the CPU in the VM are 32bit only, even though I clearly used the x64 option when specifying the VM - very annoying. Been through all the forums and there seems no solution. So I thought, I know, I'll download a copy from the appliance store - doesn't seem to exisit.

Any ideas or am I banging my head against a virtual brick wall.....

This is my first experience of ESXi - about to head off to MS or Xen....

Thanks

Regards

Richard

[vmroyale]

Hello and welcome to the forums.

What version of ESXi are you using? What hardware are you using?

Good Luck!

[rickywray]

Downloaded Esxi this week, so I think it is 4.0. Running on an Intel (now Kontron) TIGI2U. It is a dual Xeon 3.2 GHZ + 6G RAM + 320G SCSI HD.

It has a 2006 AMI BIOS. I cannot see any options in the BIOS (and that is the latest BIOS) for enabling anything special for virtualisation ( I say this because some threads were suggesting this might be the issue).

Thanks

Regards

Richard

[RParker]

Been unable to create my own VM for this OS due to the OS complaining that the CPU in the VM are 32bit only, even though I clearly used the x64 option when specifying the VM

You have to ENABLE Virtualization or VT Extensions in the ESX host BIOS.

[rickywray]

Thanks for the reply, and I now feel quite stupid that I still cannot find this setting. Let me review all the places I have looked :

1. In the vSphere client I can right click the VM and edit settings. Options / advanced / CPU/MMU -> default was automatic, tried all of the other three options. Whilst these refer to VT in a loose way, the auto setting reads as if it should work anyway. Tried them all - none make any difference.

2. Booting the VM and pressing F2 to get the VM PhoenixBIOS settings - nothing there remotely like VT to change here.

3. The BIOS of the host (TIGI2U) machine. Nothing here even remotely like VT settings

Scanned manuals for 'ESX BIOS' nothing comes up.

What am I missing here ?

Thanks

Regards

Richard

[asatoran · Accepted solution]

>>

>> You have to ENABLE Virtualization or VT Extensions in the ESX host BIOS.

>>

2. Booting the VM and pressing F2 to get the VM PhoenixBIOS settings - nothing there remotely like VT to change here.

3. The BIOS of the host (TIGI2U) machine. Nothing here even remotely like VT settings

It's the BIOS of the physical machines, not the VM. (So #3 in your list, not #2.) It's often under a sub menu, "advanced settings" or whatever. If it's a AMD CPU, ir might be labeled "AMD-V". For Intel CPUs, it's "VT".

Some machine require a BIOS update to give the options for VT. If you don't have the ability to enable VT or AMD-V, then you'll likely not be able to run any 64bit VMs, regardless of whether you use MS Virtual Server/Hyper-V or Xen.

[rickywray]

OK, thanks for the clarification. I've updated to the latest BIOS available already and there are no such options. So I'm out of luck on the x64 side then. I have a x32 Win 2003 working fine now and will test the performance soon. Thanks again for your help.