Hypervisor + Intel Core 2 Quad CPU Q8200 ?

[PaulLynch]

After getting some malware on my home PC, I am considering wiping it out and installing vSphere Hypervisor (and then buying a 32-bit copy of Windows Vista, because my CPU is 64-bit but won't support 64 bit guest OSes). My CPU is an "Intel Core 2 Quad CPU Q8200". Does anyone have reason think vSphere hypervisor won't run on it? I don't see it in the list of supported chips, but I did see a couple of references to it in these forums.

The Intel page for the chips says "Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x)" is not included, which worries me a bit, but I don't know enough to know whether that is critical or not. I am successfully running VMPlayer (with Ubuntu 9).

Thanks,

--Paul

[golddiggie]

For running ESXi 4.x I believe you'll be SOL... Without the VT-x in the processor, you won't be able to use the current release of ESX/ESXi... You could install 3.5 onto it, but you won't get any of the improvements since that release (of which there are many). A flag goes up when you stated "32-bit copy of Windows Vista, because my CPU is 64-bit but won't support 64 bit guest OSes"... ESX/ESXi 4.x requires being able to run 64 bit OS's since it IS a 64 bit OS. The Q8400 processor would have better luck, as would the Q6600 processor (both have VT-x in them).

You should be able to run VMware Workstation on the system though (don't know if you'll be able to run any 64 bit VM's though)...

BTW, VT-x IS critical to use the 4.x releases of ESX/ESXi (as well as future releases)...

I would suggest going for a Linux OS for the computer, then install either VMware Workstation, or the free VMware Server product so that you can run VM's of Windows as guests...

I am curious to know what your second system is, that you would have used to connect to the VM you would have run in ESXi/vSphere?? You do realize that you cannot get into the guest OS on an ESX/ESXi host server, correct? Unlike with VMware Workstation, Player, Fusion, and Server...

Network Administrator

VMware VCP4

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[PaulLynch]

My computer does run a 64-bit OS (Windows Vista). It is just that guest OSes must be 32 bit. (The tool I downloaded from VMWare to analyze my CPUs indicated that, and it is also the message I got when I tried to create a 64-bit OS in VMPlayer.) Anyway, you're saying that VT-x is required for ESXi, which I think Hypervisor uses. (I am a little unclear on the relationship between the products.) Does VMPlayer also use ESXi? (If so, why am I able to run that?)

Hmm. A second system? I was expecting that vSphere Hypervisor would provide some minimal UI for viewing and switching between the guest OSes. From what you're saying, it sounds like the Hypervisor machine would be a server without any UI, and I would somehow connect to it from a second machine. Is that correct?

That would definitely put a damper on my plans. I do have an old laptop, but it would not be convenient to use all the time.

[golddiggie · Accepted solution]

ESX/ESXi are "bare metal" hypervisors... You get only a linux based service console with ESX, and you only have a very (very) minimal interface on ESXi (for configuring the host, NOT using any VM's)... You connect to the VM's running on ESX/ESXi via the vSphere Client, run on a second system. The rest of the products such as VMware Player, Workstation, and even the VMware Server (which is NOT ESX/ESXi) allow you to run VM's on a host OS. With ESX/ESXi, that IS the host OS, so there's nothing else to use.

If you don't have a decent second system to use to run the vSphere Client on, then I would opt to go with VMware Workstation, and run 32 bit VM's on it. Max out the memory on the system (so you can give more to VM's) and put the minimum on the host OS...

Generally speaking, ESX/ESXi is used on server class (or higher level workstation class) hardware/systems. I've had excellent results running ESXi on a Dell Precision Workstation T7400 for a couple of years now. I use my PWS490 to run the vSphere Client to administrate the host, and connect to VM's running on it. I was able to boot up my XPS 720 tower off of an USB flash drive that I installed ESXi 4 onto... You could try going down that road, to see if you can even install it, and run it on your system (it will be the least destructive test method)... You can find instructions here... I would suggest using the method of Install ESXi to a USB device direct from the install CD. since that should be the least problematic. I did this successfully onto a 2GB USB flash drive not that long ago... I'm planning on doing it with ESXi 4.1 soon (might opt for a 4GB flash drive this time)...

You'll still need to test with another system to connect up to the host if you plan to run any VM's on ESX/ESXi though...

Network Administrator

VMware VCP4

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[PaulLynch]

Thank you very much for your helpful explanations. You have saved me many hours of working in the wrong direction.

--Paul