Global CPU Mask setting VMOTION

[abennettuk]

Has anyone found a way of globally changing all VMs (ESX 3) to accept a CPU Mask setting, the only way I have found to do it is to change all of them manually. We have a lot of vms so was hoping there was an easier way? Maybe a script or a global setting somewhere?

[abennettuk]

With a bit of playing around, its now working ok.

If any one else is having the same problem try this:

In the VPXD.CFG file (located under docs and settings\all users\vmware\ add:

--:smileyshocked:-:--:::::--</edx>

</level-8000001>

</amd>

</cpuFeatureMask>

</all-guests>

</all-versions>

</esx-3-x-x>

</guestOSDescriptor>

...

</vpxd>

</config>

(You will just need to edit the Level fields to what you need them to do)

We then stopped and restarted Virtual Center then turned off and on the VMs. After that they all worked without needing to add any of the CPU Mask settings.

[kinner]

I just got an offical VM response that this method is not supported but it should work.

Like you, I don't want to be do this for each 200 VMs!

The drawback to this method is that I have to restart each VM in order for this to work?

[JaySMX]

If I read that right, this is a global setting for the Virtual Infrastructure server? I've been looking into this lately as well, I guess it makes sense that there isn't an option in the GUI to do this per ESX host or per Cluster/Datacenter being that it's unsupported.

It would sure make things easier though... like everyone else I don't want to manually modify the properties of 65 VMs just to add a host with one register different than the others in the cluster.

[mwheeler1982]

Could somebody please give me some more information on this?

I've added the mask for RDTSCP to my vpxd.cfg file on my VC box (basically just copied & pasted from this thread). I restarted VC, then tried restarting one of my VMs, and tried to VMotion it from my Rev E- > Rev F AMD box. It failed saying there was a CPU incompatibility. I also tried restarting the Rev F box, but to no avail.

I'm running VC 2.0.2 and the Rev E hosts are running 3.0.1; the Rev F host is running 3.0.2.

What exactly do I need to restart for the changes to be picked up?