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<channel>
	<title>The world of Marc O&#039;Polo - Blog &#187; ESX</title>
	<atom:link href="http://blog.mrpol.nl/tag/esx/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
	<link>http://blog.mrpol.nl</link>
	<description>About Windows Server, Terminal Server, Virtualization and more</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Fri, 03 Feb 2012 23:57:31 +0000</lastBuildDate>
	<language>en</language>
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		<item>
		<title>Device Manager is running in read-only mode</title>
		<link>http://blog.mrpol.nl/2012/01/04/device-manager-is-running-in-read-only-mode/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=device-manager-is-running-in-read-only-mode</link>
		<comments>http://blog.mrpol.nl/2012/01/04/device-manager-is-running-in-read-only-mode/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 04 Jan 2012 09:11:54 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>M.Pol</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Microsoft]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[VMware]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ESX]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ESXi]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Windows 2008]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Windows 2008 R2]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.mrpol.nl/?p=791</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Today I was creating a template for my VMware environment, when I was trying to change the graphical interface card I was running into some problems. This is the message the Device Manager is giving me. The result is that I cannot change any drivers or devices. The solution is very simple but not obvious. [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Today I was creating a template for my VMware environment, when I was trying to change the graphical interface card I was running into some problems. This is the message the Device Manager is giving me.</p>
<p><a href="http://blog.mrpol.nl/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/4-1-2012-9-45-40.png"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-792 colorbox-791" title="4-1-2012 9-45-40" src="http://blog.mrpol.nl/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/4-1-2012-9-45-40.png" alt="" width="417" height="165" /></a></p>
<p>The result is that I cannot change any drivers or devices.</p>
<p><a href="http://blog.mrpol.nl/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/4-1-2012-9-46-08.png"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-793 colorbox-791" title="4-1-2012 9-46-08" src="http://blog.mrpol.nl/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/4-1-2012-9-46-08.png" alt="" width="541" height="119" /></a></p>
<p>The solution is very simple but not obvious. My computer name is longer than 15 characters. This is a problem for NetBIOS computers. It turns out this is also a problem for the device manager. So I changed my computer name to a name with less than 15 characters, now everything works normal again.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<item>
		<title>ESX and ESXi logfile locations</title>
		<link>http://blog.mrpol.nl/2011/01/13/esx-and-esxi-logfile-locations/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=esx-and-esxi-logfile-locations</link>
		<comments>http://blog.mrpol.nl/2011/01/13/esx-and-esxi-logfile-locations/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 13 Jan 2011 14:35:11 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>M.Pol</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[VMware]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ESX]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ESXi]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.mrpol.nl/?p=540</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Location of ESX log files You can see ESX logs: From the Service Console From the vSphere Client connected directly to the ESX host (click Home &#62; Administration &#62; System Logs) From the VMware Infrastructure Client connected directly to the ESX host (click Administration &#62; System Logs) The vmkernel logs (which log everything related to [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h3>Location of ESX log files</h3>
<div>You can see ESX logs:</div>
<ul>
<li>From the Service Console </li>
<li>From the vSphere Client connected directly to the ESX host (click <strong>Home</strong> &gt; <strong>Administration</strong> &gt; <strong>System Logs</strong>) </li>
<li>From the VMware Infrastructure Client connected directly to the ESX host (click <strong>Administration</strong> &gt; <strong>System Logs</strong>) </li>
</ul>
<div>The vmkernel logs (which log everything related to the kernel/core of the ESX) are located at <strong><em>/var/log/vmkernel</em></strong></div>
<div>The vmkwarning logs (which log warnings from the vmkernel) are located at <strong><em>/var/log/vmkwarning</em></strong></div>
<div>The vmksummary logs (which provide a summary of system activities such as uptime, downtime, reasons for downtime) are located at <em><strong>/var/log/vmksummary</strong></em></div>
<div>The hostd log (which is the log of the ESX management service of the ESX) are located at <em><strong>/var/log/vmware/hostd.log</strong></em></div>
<div>The messages log (which log activity on the Service Console operating system) is located at <em><strong>/var/log/messages</strong></em></div>
<div>The VirtualCenter Agent log is located at <strong><em>/var/log/vmware/vmware/vpx/vpxa.log</em></strong></div>
<div>The Automatic Availability Manager (AAM) logs are located at <em><strong>/var/log/vmware/aam/vmware_&lt;hostname&gt;-xxx.log</strong></em></div>
<div>The SW iSCSI logs are located at <em><strong>/var/log/vmkiscsid.log</strong></em></div>
<div>The System boot log is located at <em><strong>/var/log/boot-logs/sysboot.log</strong></em></div>
<div>
<div>
<p><strong>Additional Information</strong></p>
<div>For related information, see the main article in this series, <a href="http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1021806" target="_blank"><span style="color: #003399">Location of log files for VMware products (1021806)</span></a>.</div>
</p></div>
</p></div>
<div>
<h2></h2>
<h3>Location of ESXi log files</h3>
<div>The VMkernel, vmkwarning, and hostd logs are located at <em><strong>/var/log/messages</strong></em></div>
<div>The Host Management service (hostd = Host daemon) log is located at <strong><em>/var/log/vmware/hostd.log</em></strong></div>
<div>The VirtualCenter Agent log is located at <em><strong>/var/log/vmware/vmware/vpx/vpxa.log</strong></em></div>
<div>The System boot log is located at <em><strong>/var/log/sysboot.log</strong></em></div>
<div>The Automatic Availability Manager (AAM) logs are located at <em><strong>/var/log/vmware/aam/vmware_&lt;hostname&gt;-xxx.log</strong></em></div>
<div><strong>Note</strong>: The logs on an ESXi host can be rolled over and or removed after an ESXi host reboot. VMware recommends configuring the ESXi host with a syslog server. For more information on syslog server configuration, see your product versions <a href="http://www.vmware.com/support/pubs/vs_pages/vsp_pubs_esx40_u1_vc40_u1.html" target="_blank">Basic System Administration guide</a>.</div>
<div>
<div>
<p><strong>Additional Information</strong></p>
<div>For related information, see <a href="http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1021806" target="_blank"><span style="color: #003399">Location of log files for VMware products (1021806)</span></a>.</div>
</p></div>
</p></div>
</p></div>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<item>
		<title>Best practices for virtual machine snapshots in the VMware environment</title>
		<link>http://blog.mrpol.nl/2010/12/01/best-practices-for-virtual-machine-snapshots-in-the-vmware-environment/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=best-practices-for-virtual-machine-snapshots-in-the-vmware-environment</link>
		<comments>http://blog.mrpol.nl/2010/12/01/best-practices-for-virtual-machine-snapshots-in-the-vmware-environment/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 01 Dec 2010 18:36:25 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>M.Pol</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[VMware]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ESX]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ESXi]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.mrpol.nl/?p=463</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[After troubleshooting some problems with snapshots I ran in to an article on the VMware Knowledge base with some good info. See document ID 1025279 at http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/search.do?cmd=displayKC&#38;docType=kc&#38;externalId=1025279 This is the article. Purpose This article provides best practice information for snapshots. It also provides links to resources that help you understand snapshots and troubleshoot snapshot issues. Resolution Best practices Snapshots [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>After troubleshooting some problems with snapshots I ran in to an article on the VMware Knowledge base with some good info. See document ID 1025279 at <a href="http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/search.do?cmd=displayKC&amp;docType=kc&amp;externalId=1025279">http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/search.do?cmd=displayKC&amp;docType=kc&amp;externalId=1025279</a></p>
<p>This is the article.</p>
<h4>Purpose</h4>
<p>This article provides best practice information for snapshots. It also provides links to resources that help you understand snapshots and troubleshoot snapshot issues.</p>
<h4>Resolution</h4>
<h3>Best practices</h3>
<ul>
<li>Snapshots are not backups. As the snapshot file is only a change log of the original virtual disk, do not rely upon it as a direct backup process. The virtual machine is running on the most current snapshot, not the original vmdk disk files.</li>
<li>The maximum supported amount in a chain is 32. However, VMware recommends that you use only 2-3 snapshots in a chain.</li>
<li>Use no single snapshot for more than 24-72 hours.</li>
<li>
<ul>
<li>This prevents snapshots from growing so large as to cause issues when deleting/committing them to the original virtual machine disks. Take the snapshot, make the changes to the virtual machine, and delete/commit the snapshot as soon as you have verified the proper working state of the virtual machine.</li>
<li>Be especially diligent with snapshot use on high-transaction virtual machines such as email and database servers. These snapshots can very quickly grow in size, filling datastore space. Commit snapshots on these virtual machines as soon as you have verified the proper working state of the process you are testing.|</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>If using a third party product that takes advantage of snapshots (such as virtual machine backup software), regularly monitor systems configured for backups to ensure that no snapshots remain active for extensive periods of time.</li>
<li>
<ul>
<li>Snapshots should only be present for the duration of the backup process.</li>
<li>Snapshots taken by third party software (called via API) may not show up in the vCenter Snapshot Manager. Routinely check for snapshots via the command-line.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>An excessive number of snapshots in a chain or snapshots large in size may cause decreased virtual machine and host performance.</li>
<li>Configure automated vCenter Server alarms to trigger when a virtual machine is running from snapshots. For more information, see <a href="http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1018029" target="_blank">Configuring VMware vCenter Server to send alarms when virtual machines are running from snapshots (1018029)</a>.</li>
<li>Confirm that there no snapshots are present (via command line) before a Storage vMotion. If snapshots are present, delete them prior to the Storage vMotion. For more information, see <a href="http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1020709" target="_blank">Migrating an ESX 3.x virtual machine with snapshots in powered-off or suspended state to another datastore might cause data loss and make the virtual machine unusable (1020709)</a>.</li>
<li>Confirm that there are no snapshots present (via command line) before increasing the size of any Virtual Machine virtual disk or virtual RDM. If snapshots are present, delete them prior to increasing the size of the disk/s. Increasing the size of a disk with snapshots present can lead to corruption of the snapshots and potential data loss. For more information, see <a href="http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1004047" target="_blank">Increasing the Size of a Virtual Disk</a>.</li>
</ul>
<p><span id="more-463"></span></p>
<h3>Understanding Snapshots</h3>
<p>For more information about snapshots, see:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1015180" target="_blank">Understanding virtual machine snapshots in VMware ESX (1015180)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1009402" target="_blank">Working with snapshots (1009402) </a></li>
<li><em>Using Snapshots</em> in the <a href="http://www.vmware.com/support/pubs/" target="_blank">Basic System Administration Guide</a> for your version of ESX</li>
</ul>
<h3>Troubleshooting</h3>
<p>For assistance troubleshooting snapshot issues, see:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1012384" target="_blank">Creating a snapshot for a virtual machine fails with the error: File is larger than maximum file size supported (1012384)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1003302" target="_blank">Delete All snapshot operation results in a Consolidate Helper snapshot when a datastore has insufficient disk space (1003302)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1013163" target="_blank">Taking a snapshot with virtual machine memory stuns the virtual machine while the memory is written to disk (1013163)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1004545" target="_blank">Committing snapshots fails with the error: Too many levels of redo logs (1004545)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1002836" target="_blank">Why snapshot removal can stop a virtual machine for a long time (1002836)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1004932" target="_blank">Large snapshot delete operations time out in VirtualCenter (1004932)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1007566" target="_blank">Commands to monitor snapshot deletion (1007566)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1007849" target="_blank">Consolidating snapshots via the command line (1007849)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1009073" target="_blank">Unable to take a quiesced VMware snapshot of a virtual machine (1009073)</a></li>
</ul>
]]></content:encoded>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Renaming a virtual machine and its files</title>
		<link>http://blog.mrpol.nl/2010/10/21/renaming-a-virtual-machine-and-its-files/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=renaming-a-virtual-machine-and-its-files</link>
		<comments>http://blog.mrpol.nl/2010/10/21/renaming-a-virtual-machine-and-its-files/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 21 Oct 2010 19:45:11 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>M.Pol</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[VMware]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ESX]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ESXi]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.mrpol.nl/?p=448</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[When I was renaming some virtual machines in my test lab, I discovered that the file names are not renamed with the virtual machine. In the future this may be causing some problems so I was looking for a method to rename the files also. On the VMware site I&#8217;ve found a knowledgebase article about [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>When I was renaming some virtual machines in my test lab, I discovered that the file names are not renamed with the virtual machine. In the future this may be causing some problems so I was looking for a method to rename the files also. On the VMware site I&#8217;ve found a knowledgebase article about it. It describes the correct way to rename also the files. See KB Article: <strong>1029513.</strong> Original link: http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/search.do?cmd=displayKC&amp;docType=kc&amp;externalId=1029513</p>
<h3>Purpose</h3>
<div>
<div>
<div>This article provides steps to rename a virtual machine and its  files.</div>
<div>These steps may be useful if you rename a virtual machine, but its  files retain the original file names. You may want to rename the virtual machine  disk files to prevent possible confusion.</div>
</div>
<h3>Resolution</h3>
<div>
<div>The content of the displayName configuration option is  updated when you rename a virtual machine. However, the underlying files are not  renamed.</div>
<h3>Renaming the files</h3>
<div>To rename the files:</div>
<ol>
<li>Log into the VMware vSphere Client.</li>
<li>Locate the virtual machine in your host inventory.</li>
<li>Begin a Storage vMotion or an offline Storage Migration of the virtual  machine.For more information, see :
<ul>
<li>For ESX 4.x, see Cold Migration and  Migration with Storage vMotion in the <a href="http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r41/vsp_41_dc_admin_guide.pdf" target="_blank">Datacenter Administration Guide</a>.</li>
<li>For ESX 3.5, see Cold Migration and  Migration with Storage vMotion in the <a href="http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vi3_35/esx_3/r35u2/vi3_35_25_u2_admin_guide.pdf" target="_blank">Basic Administration Guide</a>.</li>
<li>For other versions of VMware ESX, such as ESXi, see to the relevant product  documentation in <a href="http://www.vmware.com/support/pubs/" target="_blank">VMware Documentation</a>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The destination copy&#8217;s file names are be updated to your desired values.</li>
</ol>
<p>If this is not an option, you may also rename the files by hand after  the virtual machine has been powered down.</p>
<h3>Manually renaming virtual machine files</h3>
<p>Warning: Before proceeding, ensure that:</p>
<ul>
<li>The virtual machine has a current backup and that it has been powered down.</li>
<li>The virtual machine does not have snapshots or virtual disks shared with  other virtual machines.</li>
</ul>
<p>To manually rename the virtual machine&#8217;s  files:</p>
<ol>
<li>Log into the VMware vSphere Client.</li>
<li>Locate the virtual machine in your host inventory.</li>
<li>Power down the virtual machine.</li>
<li>Right-click on the virtual machine and choose Remove from inventory.</li>
<li>Connect to the terminal of the ESX server via SSH, System Management  Interface, or directly at its console, and log in.<strong>Note</strong>:  For additional instructions for ESXi, see <a href="http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1003677" target="_blank">Tech Support Mode for  Emergency Support (1003677)</a>.</li>
<li>Navigate to the directory containing the virtual machine. For example, cd /vmfs/volumes/&lt;datastore&gt;/&lt;virtual  machine&gt;/.</li>
<li>Run this command to rename the virtual disk files:vmkfstools -E &#8220;originalname.vmdk&#8221;  &#8220;newname.vmdk&#8221;Note: Is it  unnecessary to once again rename the originalname-flat.vmdk file after  running the vmkfstools  command.</li>
<li>Copy the virtual machine configuration file (.vmx) using the  command:cp &#8220;originalname.vmx&#8221;  &#8220;newname.vmx&#8221;</li>
<li>Edit the copied configuration file, such as (newname.vmx), using the vi  editor:vi  &#8220;newname.vmx&#8221;Note: For  VMware ESX hosts, the nano editor  is also available. If you are uncomfortable using the vi editor, seek assistance  from a Linux/Unix administrator or file a Support Request and contact VMware  Technical Support.</li>
<li>Within the configuration file, modify all old instances of the virtual  machine&#8217;s file names to the new file names. There should be at least the  following to adjust:nvram =  &#8220;originalname.nvram&#8221;<br />
displayName = &#8220;originalname&#8221;<br />
extendedConfigFile = &#8220;originalname.vmxf&#8221;<br />
scsi0:0.fileName = &#8220;originalname.vmdk&#8221;<br />
[...]<br />
migrate.hostlog = &#8220;./originalname-UUID.hlog&#8221;</p>
<p>Repeat  this process for each virtual machine disk. Such as:</p>
<p>scsi0:1.fileName = &#8220;originalname_1.vmdk&#8221;<br />
scsi0:2.fileName = &#8220;originalname_2.vmdk&#8221;</p>
<p>Correct the VMkernel swap file  reference:</p>
<p>sched.swap.derivedName  = &#8220;/vmfs/volumes/DatastoreUUID/originalname/originalname-UUID.vswp</p>
<p>To</p>
<p>sched.swap.derivedName =  &#8220;/vmfs/volumes/DatastoreUUID/newname/newname-UUID.vswp</p>
<p>Note: Be sure to rename both the .vswp file and the directory name for  the swap file, bolded above.</li>
<li>Correct any other remaining lines referencing the original path or file  names.</li>
<li>Save the file and exit the editor.</li>
<li>Rename all the remaining files, except for the .vmx configuration file, to the new  names desired. For example:mv  &#8220;originalname.nvram&#8221; &#8220;newname.nvram&#8221;</li>
<li>Change directory to the parent directory using cd .. and rename the directory for the  virtual machine:mv &#8220;originalname&#8221;  &#8220;newname&#8221;</li>
<li>Using the VMware vSphere Client, browse the datastore and navigate to the  renamed virtual machine directory.</li>
<li>Right-click on the virtual machine&#8217;s configuration file (.vmx) and choose Add to inventory.Alternatively, you can  use this command to inventory the virtual machine:vmware-cmd -s register  &#8220;/vmfs/volues/DatastoreName/newname/newname.vmx&#8221;</li>
<li>Power on the virtual machine.</li>
<li>A question for the virtual machine displays in the Summary tab during power-on. Review the  question by:
<ul>
<li>Clicking the Summary tab</li>
<li>Right-clicking the virtual machine in your inventory and selecting Answer question.When prompted, select  I moved it, then click  <strong>OK</strong>.Warning:  Selecting I Copied It results in a change  of the virtual machine&#8217;s UUID and MAC address, which may have detrimental  effects on guest applications that are sensitive towards MAC address changes,  and virtual machine backups that rely on UUIDs.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ol>
</div>
<h4>Additional Information</h4>
<div>The command-line  interpreter on ESX is case-sensitive and requires escaping of special characters  used in some virtual machine file names. The above examples encourage the use of  quotation marks around command arguments to ensure spaces and special characters  are interpreted literally and do not require escape sequences.</p>
<p>For  example, a virtual machine named &#8220;Original VM&#8221; is referenced either as:<br />
&#8220;Original VM&#8221; with quotation marks, or  Original\ VM.</p>
<p>Special  characters such as opening and closing parentheses also require character  escaping. For a virtual machine named &#8220;Original VM (1)&#8221;:<br />
&#8220;Original VM (1)&#8221; with quotation marks,  or Original\ VM\ \(1\).</p>
<p>The  former quotation method simplifies the process considerably and improves  readability.</p>
<p>Additional information on escape characters can be found in  the <a href="http://www.gnu.org/software/bash/manual/bashref.html#Escape-Character" target="_blank">Bash Reference Manual</a>.</p>
</div>
</div>
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		<title>Upgrade paths for ESX/ESXi hosts</title>
		<link>http://blog.mrpol.nl/2010/09/05/upgrade-paths-for-esxesxi-hosts/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=upgrade-paths-for-esxesxi-hosts</link>
		<comments>http://blog.mrpol.nl/2010/09/05/upgrade-paths-for-esxesxi-hosts/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 05 Sep 2010 11:35:37 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>M.Pol</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[VMware]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ESX]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ESXi]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.mrpol.nl/?p=431</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Purpose There are several methods to upgrade ESX/ESXi. This article outlines the available upgrade paths.   Note: This is not a comprehensive guide on how to upgrade ESX/ESXi. For more information on performing an upgrade, see the links in this article. Resolution This table lists the methods available to upgrade your ESX/ESXi host, and identifies the version to which you [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h4>Purpose</h4>
<p>There are several methods to upgrade ESX/ESXi. This article outlines the available upgrade paths.   <strong>Note</strong>: This is not a comprehensive guide on how to upgrade ESX/ESXi. For more information on performing an upgrade, see the links in this article.</p>
<h4>Resolution</h4>
<p>This table lists the methods available to upgrade your ESX/ESXi host, and identifies the version to which you can upgrade:</p>
<table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="704">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td width="84"><strong>ESX/ESXi version that is currently installed</strong></td>
<td width="132"><strong>Version that it can be upgraded to </strong></td>
<td width="79"><strong>CD-ROM Installation Wizard </strong><strong>*1</strong></td>
<td width="84"><strong>Using </strong><strong>esxupdate</strong><strong> from the Service Console</strong><strong> *2</strong></td>
<td width="64"><strong>vSphere Remote CLI </strong><strong>*3</strong></td>
<td width="92"><strong>Host Update Utility or Infrastructure Update </strong><strong>*4</strong></td>
<td width="77"><strong>Update Manager </strong><strong>*5</strong></td>
<td width="92"><strong>Offline Upgrade from Service Console </strong><strong>*6</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="84">ESX 2.x</td>
<td width="132">ESX 3.0.x</td>
<td width="79">x</td>
<td width="84">x</td>
<td width="64"></td>
<td width="92"></td>
<td width="77"></td>
<td width="92"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="84">ESX 3.0.x</td>
<td width="132">ESX 3.0.3, 3.0.3 U1, 3.5, 3.5 U1 &#8211; U5</td>
<td width="79">x</td>
<td width="84">x</td>
<td width="64"></td>
<td width="92"></td>
<td width="77"></td>
<td width="92"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="84">ESX 3.0.2</td>
<td width="132">ESX 4.0</td>
<td width="79"></td>
<td width="84"></td>
<td width="64"></td>
<td width="92">x</td>
<td width="77"></td>
<td width="92">x</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="84">ESX 3.0.3</td>
<td width="132">ESX 3.5, 3.5 U1 &#8211; U5</td>
<td width="79">x</td>
<td width="84">x</td>
<td width="64"></td>
<td width="92"></td>
<td width="77">x</td>
<td width="92"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="84">ESX 3.0.3</td>
<td width="132">ESX 4.0</td>
<td width="79"></td>
<td width="84"></td>
<td width="64"></td>
<td width="92">x</td>
<td width="77">x</td>
<td width="92">x</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="84">ESX 3.5</td>
<td width="132">ESX 3.5 U1 &#8211; U5</td>
<td width="79">x</td>
<td width="84">x</td>
<td width="64"></td>
<td width="92"></td>
<td width="77">x</td>
<td width="92">x</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="84">ESX 3.5</td>
<td width="132">ESX 4.1</td>
<td width="79"></td>
<td width="84"></td>
<td width="64"></td>
<td width="92"></td>
<td width="77">x</td>
<td width="92">x</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="84">ESXi 3.5</td>
<td width="132">ESXi 3.5 U1 &#8211; U5</td>
<td width="79"></td>
<td width="84"></td>
<td width="64">x</td>
<td width="92">x</td>
<td width="77">x</td>
<td width="92"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="84">ESX 3.5</td>
<td width="132">ESX 4.0</td>
<td width="79"></td>
<td width="84"></td>
<td width="64"></td>
<td width="92">x</td>
<td width="77">x</td>
<td width="92">x</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="84">ESXi 3.5</td>
<td width="132">ESXi 4.0</td>
<td width="79"></td>
<td width="84"></td>
<td width="64"></td>
<td width="92">x</td>
<td width="77">x</td>
<td width="92"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="84">ESXi 3.5</td>
<td width="132">ESXi 4.1</td>
<td width="79"></td>
<td width="84"></td>
<td width="64"></td>
<td width="92"></td>
<td width="77">x</td>
<td width="92"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="84">ESX 4.0</td>
<td width="132">ESX 4.0 U1 &#8211; U2</td>
<td width="79"></td>
<td width="84">x</td>
<td width="64"></td>
<td width="92"></td>
<td width="77">x</td>
<td width="92">x</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="84">ESX 4.0</td>
<td width="132">ESX 4.1</td>
<td width="79"></td>
<td width="84">x</td>
<td width="64">x</td>
<td width="92"></td>
<td width="77">x</td>
<td width="92">x</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="84">ESXi 4.0</td>
<td width="132">ESXi 4.0 U1 &#8211; U2</td>
<td width="79"></td>
<td width="84"></td>
<td width="64">x</td>
<td width="92">x</td>
<td width="77">x</td>
<td width="92"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="84">ESXi 4.0</td>
<td width="132">ESXi 4.1</td>
<td width="79"></td>
<td width="84"></td>
<td width="64">x</td>
<td width="92"></td>
<td width="77">x</td>
<td width="92"></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>For more information about upgrading using:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>*1 *4 </strong>The CD-ROM Installation Wizard, see the <a href="http://www.vmware.com/support/pubs/vs_pubs.html" target="_blank">vSphere Upgrade Guide</a></li>
<li><strong>*2 </strong>The esxupdate command from the Service Console, see <em>About the esxupdate Utility</em> in the <a href="http://www.vmware.com/support/pubs/vs_pubs.html" target="_blank">ESX 4 Patch Management Guide</a></li>
<li><strong>*3 </strong>The vSphere Remote CLI, see <a href="http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1006089" target="_blank">Updating ESXi Hosts by Using Update Manager, VMware Infrastructure Update and the Remote CLI (1006089)</a>.</li>
<li><strong>*5 </strong>Update Manager, see the <a href="http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsp_vum_40u1_admin_guide.pdf" target="_blank">VMware vCenter Update Manager Administration Guide</a></li>
<li><strong>*6 </strong>The Offline Upgrade option, see <a href="http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1009440" target="_blank">Performing an offline upgrade from ESX 3.x to ESX 4.x (1009440)</a></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Note</strong>: The Host Update Utility replaced Infrastructure Update and is available when you install the vSphere Client. It is a tool for upgrading ESX/ESXi hosts from 3.x to 4.0.x and for patching ESXi hosts only.  Patching ESX with this utility is not supported.  Also, as of vSphere 4.1 the Host Update Utility has been discontinued.</p>
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		<title>VMware vSphere 4.1 Released</title>
		<link>http://blog.mrpol.nl/2010/07/13/vmware-vsphere-4-1-released/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=vmware-vsphere-4-1-released</link>
		<comments>http://blog.mrpol.nl/2010/07/13/vmware-vsphere-4-1-released/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 13 Jul 2010 19:56:06 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>M.Pol</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[VMware]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ESX]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ESXi]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.mrpol.nl/?p=399</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Today VMware released a new version of their virtualization product VMware vSphere 4.1. There are a lot of new things and features in this product. Eric Siebert has created a good article with all the new stuff that comes with this release. You can find the original article here: http://vsphere-land.com/news/vsphere-41-the-links.html Downloads. Main Download Page ESX [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Today VMware released a new version of their virtualization product VMware vSphere 4.1. There are a lot of new things and features in this product. Eric Siebert has created a good article with all the new stuff that comes with this release. You can find the original article here: <a href="http://vsphere-land.com/news/vsphere-41-the-links.html">http://vsphere-land.com/news/vsphere-41-the-links.html</a></p>
<h3>Downloads.</h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://downloads.vmware.com/d/info/datacenter_downloads/vmware_vsphere_4/4">Main Download Page</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.vmware.com/download/download.do?downloadGroup=ESX41">ESX 4.1</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.vmware.com/download/download.do?downloadGroup=ESXI41">ESXi 4.1</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.vmware.com/download/download.do?downloadGroup=VC41">vCenter Server 4.1</a></li>
<li><a href="http://downloads.vmware.com/d/info/datacenter_downloads/vmware_vsphere_hypervisor/4">vSphere Hypervisor (Free ESXi)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.vmware.com/download/download.do?downloadGroup=VMA41">vSphere Management Assistant (vMA) 4.1 </a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.vmware.com/download/download.do?downloadGroup=VCLI41">vSphere CLI 4.1</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.vmware.com/download/download.do?downloadGroup=N1000KAV1">Cisco Nexus 1000 AV1 Virtual Ethernet Module</a></li>
</ul>
<p><span id="more-399"></span></p>
<h3>Documentation.</h3>
<h4>Main and Documentation sets:</h4>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.vmware.com/support/pubs/vs_pubs.html">Main documentation link</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.vmware.com/support/vsphere4/doc/vsp_esxi41_e_vc41_book_bundle.zip">Download the complete ESXi 4.1 Embedded and vCenter Server 4.1 Documentation Set</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.vmware.com/support/vsphere4/doc/vsp_esxi41_i_vc41_book_bundle.zip">Download the complete ESXi 4.1 Installable and vCenter Server 4.1 Documentation Set</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.vmware.com/support/vsphere4/doc/vsp_esx41_vc41_book_bundle.zip">Download the complete ESX 4.1 and vCenter Server 4.1 Documentation Set</a></li>
</ul>
<h4>Individual Docs:</h4>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r41/vsp_41_esx_roadmap.pdf">Documentation Roadmap</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r41/vsp_41_config_max.pdf">Configuration Maximums for VMware vSphere 4.1</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r40/vsp_compatibility_matrix.pdf">VMware vSphere Compatibility Matrixes</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r41/vsp_41_intro_vs.pdf">Introduction to VMware vSphere</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r41/vsp_41_esx_get_start.pdf">Getting Started with ESX</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r41/vsp_41_esx_vc_installation_guide.pdf">ESX and vCenter Server Installation Guide</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r41/vsp_41_upgrade_guide.pdf">Upgrade Guide</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r41/vsp_41_dc_admin_guide.pdf">Datacenter Administration Guide</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r41/vsp_41_vm_admin_guide.pdf">Virtual Machine Administration Guide</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r41/vsp_41_web_access.pdf">vSphere Web Access Administrator’s Guide</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r41/vsp_41_esx_server_config.pdf">ESX Configuration Guide</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r41/vsp_41_resource_mgmt.pdf">Resource Management Guide</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r41/vsp_41_availability.pdf">Availability Guide</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r41/vsp_41_san_cfg.pdf">Fibre Channel SAN Configuration Guide</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r41/vsp_41_iscsi_san_cfg.pdf">iSCSI SAN Configuration Guide</a></li>
</ul>
<h4>ESXi:</h4>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r41/vsp_41_esxi_i_get_start.pdf">Getting Started with ESXi Installable</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r41/vsp_41_esxi_e_get_start.pdf">Getting Started with ESXi Embedded</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r41/vsp_41_esxi_i_vc_setup_guide.pdf">ESXi Installable and vCenter Server Setup Guide</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r41/vsp_41_esxi_e_vc_setup_guide.pdf">ESXi Embedded and vCenter Server Setup Guide</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r41/vsp_41_esxi_server_config.pdf">ESXi Configuration Guide</a></li>
</ul>
<h3>Features.</h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.vmware.com/support/vsphere4/doc/vsp_41_new_feat.html">What’s New in VMware vSphere 4.1</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.vmware.com/resources/techresources/10113">What’s new in Networking with vSphere 4.1</a> (VMware white paper)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.vmware.com/resources/techresources/10114">What’s new in vCenter Server 4.1</a> (VMware white paper)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.vmware.com/resources/techresources/10115">What’s new in Availability &amp; Resource Manager in vSphere 4.1</a> (VMware white paper)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.vmware.com/resources/techresources/10116">What’s new in Performance for vSphere 4.1 update</a> (VMware white paper)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.vmware.com/resources/techresources/10117">What’s new in vSphere 4.1 storage</a> (VMware white paper)</li>
</ul>
<h3>Release Notes.</h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.vmware.com/support/vsphere4/doc/vsp_esx41_vc41_rel_notes.html">VMware vSphere 4.1 Release Notes &#8211; ESX Edition</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.vmware.com/support/vsphere4/doc/vsp_esxi41_vc41_rel_notes.html">VMware vSphere 4.1 Release Notes &#8211; ESXi Edition</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.vmware.com/support/developer/vcli/vcli41/vsp4_41_vcli_relnotes.html">vSphere CLI 4.1 Release Notes</a></li>
</ul>
<h3>Upgrade.</h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1022104">Upgrading to ESX 4.1 and vCenter Server 4.1 best practices</a> (1022104)</li>
<li><a href="http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1022140">Upgrading ESX 4.0 to ESX 4.1</a> (1022140)</li>
<li><a href="http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1022137">vSphere 4.1 upgrade pre-installation requirements and considerations</a> (1022137)</li>
<li><a href="http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1009440">Performing an offline upgrade from ESX 3.x to ESX 4.x</a> (1009440)</li>
</ul>
<h3>Install.</h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1022101">Installing ESX 4.1 and vCenter Server 4.1 best practices</a> (1022101)</li>
<li><a href="http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1022308">Troubleshooting ESXi 4.1 Scripted Install errors</a> (1022308)</li>
</ul>
<h3>KB Articles.</h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1023990">VMware ESX and ESXi 4.1 Comparison</a> (1023990)</li>
<li><a href="http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1022842">Changes to DRS in vSphere 4.1 </a>(1022842)</li>
<li><a href="http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1022843">Changes to VMware High Availability in vSphere 4.1</a> (1022843)</li>
<li><a href="http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1023118">Changes to VMware Support Options in vSphere 4.1</a> (1023118)</li>
<li><a href="http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1022851">Changes to vMotion in vSphere 4.1</a> (1022851)</li>
<li><a href="http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1022844">Changes to Fault Tolerance in vSphere 4.1</a> (1022844)</li>
<li><a href="http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1019144">vCenter Server 4.1 fails to install or upgrade with the error: This installation package is not supported by this processor type</a> (1019144)</li>
<li><a href="http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1017910">Using Tech Support Mode in ESXi 4.1</a> (1017910)</li>
<li><a href="http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1022290">USB support for ESX/ESXi 4.1</a> (1022290)</li>
<li><a href="http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1021953">I/O Statistics in vSphere 4.1</a> (1021953)</li>
<li><a href="http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1021935">Lockdown mode configuration after upgrading from ESXi 4.0 to 4.1</a> (1021935)</li>
<li><a href="http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1022137">vSphere 4.1 upgrade pre-installation requirements and considerations</a> (1022137)</li>
<li><a href="http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1022590">Load Based Teaming in vSphere 4.1 </a>(1022590)</li>
<li><a href="http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1021635">Migrating to the vCenter Server 4.1 database </a>(1021635)</li>
<li><a href="http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1021695">Update Manager 4.1 patch repository features (</a>1021695)</li>
<li><a href="http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1022104">Upgrading to ESX 4.1 and vCenter Server 4.1 best practices</a> (1022104)</li>
<li><a href="http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1022140">Upgrading ESX 4.0 to ESX 4.1</a> (1022140)</li>
<li><a href="http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1022536">Using vShieldZones 1.0 with ESX 4.1</a> (1022536)</li>
<li><a href="http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1022263">Deploying ESXi 4.1 using the Scripted Install feature</a> (1022263)</li>
<li><a href="http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1022585">Network I/O Resource Management in vSphere 4.1 with vDS</a> (1022585)</li>
<li><a href="http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1022289">Changing the number of virtual CPUs per virtual socket in ESX/ESXi 4.1</a> (1022289)</li>
<li><a href="http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1022308">Troubleshooting ESXi 4.1 Scripted Install errors</a> (1022308)</li>
<li><a href="http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1017910">Using Tech Support Mode in ESXi 4.1</a> (1017910)</li>
<li><a href="http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1022101">Installing ESX 4.1 and vCenter Server 4.1 best practices</a> (1022101)</li>
<li><a href="http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1022256">vCenter Server 4.1 network port requirements</a> (1022256)</li>
<li><a href="http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1017628">Recreate vSphere 4.0 lockdown mode behavior in vSphere 4.1</a> (1017628)</li>
<li><a href="http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1021970">Overview of Active Directory integration in ESX 4.1 and ESXi 4.1</a> (1021970)</li>
<li><a href="http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1017669">Securing Credentials in vMA 4.1 </a>(1017669)</li>
</ul>
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		<item>
		<title>Sysprep file locations and versions</title>
		<link>http://blog.mrpol.nl/2010/05/07/sysprep-file-locations-and-versions/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=sysprep-file-locations-and-versions</link>
		<comments>http://blog.mrpol.nl/2010/05/07/sysprep-file-locations-and-versions/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 07 May 2010 21:26:10 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>M.Pol</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[VMware]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ESX]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ESXi]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[vCenter]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.mrpol.nl/?p=327</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Symptoms When attempting to customize the deployment of a virtual machine the radio buttons are disabled (grayed out) When a virtual machine is deployed from a template, the SID is always the same, despite the fact that you chose the option to generate a new SID during template deployment and guest operating system customization When attempting [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2>Symptoms</h2>
<ul>
<li>When attempting to customize the deployment of a virtual machine the radio buttons are disabled (grayed out)</li>
<li>When a virtual machine is deployed from a template, the SID is always the same, despite the fact that you chose the option to generate a new SID during template deployment and guest operating system customization</li>
<li>When attempting to create a new virtual machine from a template in ESX 3.5, you receive the following error message:</li>
</ul>
<pre>Warning: Windows customization resources were not found on this server</pre>
<ul>
<li>You see this error in the guestcust.log file:</li>
</ul>
<pre>deploy doesn't contain known sysprep files</pre>
<h2>Purpose</h2>
<p>This issue may occur if Microsoft&#8217;s Sysprep files are not found on the VirtualCenter host, are not the correct version, or are not in the location they are expected.</p>
<p>This article guides you through the process of determining the correct version of Sysprep to use and the correct locations for these files.</p>
<h2>Resolution</h2>
<p>Microsoft has a different version of Sysprep for each release and service pack of Windows. You must use the version of Sysprep specific to the operating system you are deploying. The differences are not immediately visible in the packaging and documentation of the service packs, so it is necessary to manually investigate.</p>
<p>The contents of the Sysprep deploy.cab file must be extracted to the Sysprep Directory on the VirtualCenter Server host. If the file downloaded from the Microsoft Web Site is a .cab file, the <em>Installing the Microsoft Sysprep Tools</em> appendix of the <a href="http://www.vmware.com/support/pubs/" target="_blank">Basic System Administration</a> guide details how to install the Sysprep Tools.</p>
<p>If the file downloaded from the Microsoft Web Site is a .exe file the following additional steps must be executed to extract the files from the .exe:</p>
<ol>
<li>Open a Windows command prompt. For more information, see <a href="http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1003892" target="_blank">Opening a command or shell prompt (1003892)</a>.</li>
<li>Change to the directory where the .exe file is saved.</li>
<li>Enter the name of the .exe file with the /x switch to extract the files. For example: WindowsServer2003-KB926028-v2-x86-ENU.exe /x</li>
<li>When prompted, choose a directory for the extracted files.</li>
<li>Browse the directory and copy the extracted files directly to the Sysprep Directory or extract the files from the deploy.cab and copy to the Sysprep Directory.</li>
</ol>
<p>When the contents of the of the Sysprep deploy.cab file have been extracted to the Sysprep Directory on the VirtualCenter Server:</p>
<ol>
<li>Log in to the VirtualCenter Server as Administrator.</li>
<li>Click <strong>Start</strong> &gt; <strong>Programs</strong> &gt; <strong>Accessories</strong> &gt; <strong>Windows Explorer</strong>.</li>
<li>Navigate to the Sysprep Directory as listed in the table below.</li>
<li>Right-click on the sysprep.exe file and choose <strong>Properties</strong>.</li>
<li>Click the <strong>Version</strong> tab. Record the number at the top next to <strong>File Version:</strong>.</li>
</ol>
<p>The table below lists the Sysprep Version for the Windows Versions that are supported for Image Customization. Compare the Sysprep Version number with the Windows Version it is intended for:</p>
<table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><strong>Windows Version</strong></td>
<td><strong>Sysprep Directory</strong></td>
<td><strong>Sysprep Version</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Windows 2000 Server SP4 with Update Rollup 1<br />
Download at <a href="http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=0c4bfb06-2824-4d2b-abc1-0e2223133afb" target="_blank">http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=0c4bfb06-2824-4d2b-abc1-0e2223133afb</a></td>
<td>&lt;directory_path&gt;\2k</td>
<td>5.0.2195.2104</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Windows XP Pro SP2<br />
Download at <a href="http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=3E90DC91-AC56-4665-949B-BEDA3080E0F6" target="_blank">http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=3E90DC91-AC56-4665-949B-BEDA3080E0F6</a></td>
<td>&lt;directory_path&gt;\xp</td>
<td>5.1.2600.2180</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Windows 2003 Server SP1<br />
Download at <a href="http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=A34EDCF2-EBFD-4F99-BBC4-E93154C332D6" target="_blank">http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=A34EDCF2-EBFD-4F99-BBC4-E93154C332D6</a></td>
<td>&lt;directory_path&gt;\svr2003</td>
<td>5.2.3790.1830(srv03_sp1_rtm.050324-1447)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Windows 2003 Server SP2<br />
Download at <a href="http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=93f20bb1-97aa-4356-8b43-9584b7e72556" target="_blank">http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=93f20bb1-97aa-4356-8b43-9584b7e72556</a></td>
<td>&lt;directory_path&gt;\svr2003</td>
<td>5.2.3790.3959(srv03_sp2_rtm.070216-1710)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Windows 2003 Server R2<br />
Download at <a href="http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=A34EDCF2-EBFD-4F99-BBC4-E93154C332D6" target="_blank">http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=A34EDCF2-EBFD-4F99-BBC4-E93154C332D6</a></td>
<td>&lt;directory_path&gt;\svr2003</td>
<td>5.2.3790.1830(srv03_sp1_rtm.050324-1447)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Windows 2003 x64<br />
Download at <a href="http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=C2684C95-6864-4091-BC9A-52AEC5491AF7&amp;displaylang=en" target="_blank">http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=C2684C95-6864-4091-BC9A-52AEC5491AF7&amp;displaylang=en</a></td>
<td>&lt;directory_path&gt;\svr2003-64</td>
<td>5.2.3790.3959(srv03_sp2_rtm.070216-1710)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Windows XP x64<br />
Download at <a href="http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=C2684C95-6864-4091-BC9A-52AEC5491AF7&amp;displaylang=en" target="_blank">http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=C2684C95-6864-4091-BC9A-52AEC5491AF7&amp;displaylang=en</a></td>
<td>&lt;directory_path&gt;\xp-64</td>
<td>5.2.3790.3959(srv03_sp2_rtm.070216-1710)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Windows XP Pro SP3<br />
Download at <a href="http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=673a1019-8e3e-4be0-ac31-70dd21b5afa7&amp;displaylang=en">http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=673a1019-8e3e-4be0-ac31-70dd21b5afa7&amp;displaylang=en</a></td>
<td>&lt;directory_path&gt;\xp</td>
<td>5.1.2600.5512</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Windows Vista System Preparation tools are built into the Windows Vista operating system and do not have to be downloaded.</td>
<td>Not Applicable</td>
<td>Not Applicable</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Windows Server 2008 System Preparation tools are built into the Windows Server 2008 operating system and do not have to be downloaded.</td>
<td>Not Applicable</td>
<td>Not Applicable</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Windows Server 2008 R2 System Preparation tools are built into the Windows Server 2008 R2 operating system and do not have to be downloaded.</td>
<td>Not Applicable</td>
<td>Not Applicable</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Windows 7 System Preparation tools are built into the Windows 7 operating system and do not have to be downloaded.</td>
<td>Not Applicable</td>
<td>Not Applicable</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h2>Notes:</h2>
<ul>
<li>If vCenter Server is installed on Windows Server 2008, &lt;directory_path&gt; is %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\VMware\VMware VirtualCenter\sysprep which translates to C:\ProgramData\VMware\VMware VirtualCenter\sysprep by default.</li>
<li>If vCenter Server is installed on any other Windows operating system, &lt;directory_path&gt; is %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Application Data\VMware VirtualCenter\sysprep\ which translates to C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\VMware\VMware VirtualCenter\sysprep\ by default.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Additional Information</h2>
<p>For additional information, see:</p>
<ul>
<li>The <a href="http://www.vmware.com/support/pubs/" target="_blank">Basic System Administration</a> guide, which contains further information regarding the installation of Sysprep tools</li>
<li>The <em>Operating System Compatibility for vSphere Client, vCenter Server, and VMware vCenter Update Manager</em> table in the <a href="http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r40/vsp_compatibility_matrix.pdf" target="_blank">vSphere Compatibility Matrixes</a> for a list of supported operating systems for virtual image customization.</li>
<li><a href="http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1004050" target="_blank">Troubleshooting template deployment or cloning when it fails (1004050)</a>, which provides troubleshooting information for template deployment or cloning</li>
</ul>
<p>Source: VMware knowledge base <a href="http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&amp;cmd=displayKC&amp;externalId=1005593">http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&amp;cmd=displayKC&amp;externalId=1005593</a></p>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Network Emulator Toolkit</title>
		<link>http://blog.mrpol.nl/2010/01/14/network-emulator-toolkit/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=network-emulator-toolkit</link>
		<comments>http://blog.mrpol.nl/2010/01/14/network-emulator-toolkit/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 14 Jan 2010 11:30:42 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>M.Pol</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Microsoft]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[VMware]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ESX]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ESXi]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hyper-V]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.mrpol.nl/?p=248</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Searching for a tool to simulate a poor network connection? Here is the solution. It&#8217;s called Network Emulator Toolkit (NEWT) and is available in a 32 Bits version and a 64 Bits version. Download. Network Emulator Toolkit 32-Bits. Network Emulator Toolkit 64-Bits. There is a new version of this tool, see the comment from Lonny Kruger. [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Searching for a tool to simulate a poor network connection? Here is the solution. It&#8217;s called Network Emulator Toolkit (NEWT) and is available in a 32 Bits version and a 64 Bits version.</p>
<p>Download.<br />
<a href="http://www.freedrive.com/file/1518646">Network Emulator Toolkit 32-Bits.</a><br />
<a href="http://www.freedrive.com/file/1518647">Network Emulator Toolkit 64-Bits.</a></p>
<p>There is a new version of this tool, see the comment from Lonny Kruger. He wrote a blog about it. <a onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outbound/comment/blogs.msdn.com');" href="http://blogs.msdn.com/lkruger/archive/2009/06/08/introducing-true-network-emulation-in-visual-studio-2010.aspx" rel="nofollow">http://blogs.msdn.com/lkruger/archive/2009/06/08/introducing-true-network-emulation-in-visual-studio-2010.aspx</a></p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>14</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Upgrading ESX 4.0 to 4.0 Update 1 on HP Proliant systems can fail</title>
		<link>http://blog.mrpol.nl/2009/11/30/upgrading-esx-4-0-to-4-0-update-1-on-hp-proliant-systems-can-fail/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=upgrading-esx-4-0-to-4-0-update-1-on-hp-proliant-systems-can-fail</link>
		<comments>http://blog.mrpol.nl/2009/11/30/upgrading-esx-4-0-to-4-0-update-1-on-hp-proliant-systems-can-fail/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 30 Nov 2009 08:02:30 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>M.Pol</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[HP]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[VMware]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ESX]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ESXi]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.mrpol.nl/?p=210</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Upgrading ESX 4.0 to 4.0 Update 1 on HP Proliant systems can fail or time out and leave the host in an unusable state if the host has HP Insight Management Agents running Symptoms On HP Proliant systems, when attempting to upgrade ESX 4.0 to ESX 4.0 Update 1 (U1), you may experience these symptoms: Upgrade [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Upgrading ESX 4.0 to 4.0 Update 1 on HP Proliant systems can fail or time out and leave the host in an unusable state if the host has HP Insight Management Agents running</p>
<div>
<h4><span style="color: #ffcc00;">Symptoms</span></h4>
<div>On HP Proliant systems, when attempting to upgrade ESX 4.0 to ESX 4.0 Update 1 (U1), you may experience these symptoms:</div>
<ul>
<li>Upgrade operation may fail or hang and can result in an incomplete installation</li>
<li>Upon reboot, the host that was being upgraded may be left in an inconsistent state and may display a purple diagnostic screen with the following error:</li>
</ul>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: Courier New;">COS Panic: Int3 @ mp_register_ioapic</span></p>
<p><span id="more-210"></span></p>
<h4><span style="color: #ffcc00;">Purpose</span></h4>
<div>Upgrading ESX 4.0 to 4.0 U1 on HP Proliant system can fail or time out and leave the host in an unusable state if Insight Management Agents are already installed and running on the host being upgraded. VMware and HP are investigating interactions between VMware esxupdate tool and HP Insight Management Agents for a possible solution.</div>
<p><strong>Note</strong>: VMware esxupdate tool can be used standalone and is used by VMware Update Manager and VMware Host Update Utility.</p>
<h4><span style="color: #ffcc00;">Resolution</span></h4>
<div>
<h3>Who is affected</h3>
<div>Customers using VMware vSphere 4 upgrading to ESX 4.0 U1 with a supported version of HP Insight Management Agents running.</div>
<div></div>
<div>This affects any of the following upgrading scenarios:</div>
<ul>
<li>Upgrade using Update Manager</li>
<li>Upgrade using esxupdate</li>
<li>Upgrade using vSphere Host Update Utility</li>
</ul>
<div><strong>Note</strong>: ESXi is not affected.</div>
<h3><span style="color: #ffcc00;">Solution</span></h3>
<div>To avoid this issue, prior to the update, disable HP Insight Management Agents running on the ESX 4.0.0 server.</div>
<div></div>
<div>HP Insight Management Agents can be disabled using these commands:</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Courier New;">service hpsmhd stop</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Courier New;">service hp-snmp-agents stop</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Courier New;">service hp-health stop</span></li>
</ul>
<div>HP management agents can be enabled after the upgrade is completed. Refer to HP documentation on how to re-enable these management agents.</div>
<div></div>
<div>If you have already updated the ESX host, <em>do not</em> reboot the ESX host. Open a support request with VMware support. For more information, see <a href="http://www.vmware.com/support/policies/howto.html" target="_blank">How to Submit a Support Request</a>.</div>
<div></div>
<div><strong>WARNING</strong>: Rebooting the host means the host has to be reinstalled because it is not recoverable after a reboot.</div>
<div></div>
<div><strong>WARNING</strong>: If you have virtual machines running on local storage, they may not be retained if you reinstall ESX 4.0 as a result of this issue. Contact VMware Support for assistance before reinstalling.</div>
<div>Source : <a href="http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1016070">http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1016070</a></div>
</div>
</div>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>vSphere Client on Windows 7 now supported</title>
		<link>http://blog.mrpol.nl/2009/11/23/vsphere-client-on-windows-7-now-supported/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=vsphere-client-on-windows-7-now-supported</link>
		<comments>http://blog.mrpol.nl/2009/11/23/vsphere-client-on-windows-7-now-supported/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:05:42 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>M.Pol</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Microsoft]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[VMware]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ESX]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ESXi]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Windows 2008 R2]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Windows 7]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.mrpol.nl/?p=208</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Last week I posted an articel about running the vSphere client on a Windows 7 workstation. This was a problem, but now after Update 1 for vSphere Windows 7 and Windows 2008R2 are now supported. vSphere Client on Windows 7 now supported In case you didn&#8217;t notice, Update 1 for VMware vCenter Server 4.0 was released [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Last week I posted an articel about running the vSphere client on a Windows 7 workstation. This was a problem, but now after Update 1 for vSphere Windows 7 and Windows 2008R2 are now supported.</p>
<p><span id="more-208"></span></p>
<h2>vSphere Client on Windows 7 now supported</h2>
<p>In case you didn&#8217;t notice, <strong>Update 1 for VMware vCenter Server 4.0</strong> was released last week. This is great news for all of you who wish to run the vSphere client on Windows 7 machines.</p>
<p>While we had a KB article (<a href="http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1011329" target="_blank">Cannot launch vSphere Client after installing in Windows 7 or Windows 2008 R2 (1011329)</a>) which went through a couple of different incarnations as new information became available, we can now put this problem behind us. No work-arounds are necessary, it just works now.</p>
<p>Here&#8217;s a quote from the <a href="http://www.vmware.com/support/vsphere4/doc/vsp_vc40_u1_rel_notes.html" target="_blank">release notes</a>:</p>
<blockquote><p><strong>Windows 7 and Windows 2008 R2 support</strong> — This release adds support for 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows 7 as well as 64-bit Windows 2008 R2 as guest operating system platforms. In addition, the vSphere Client is now supported and can be installed on a Windows 7 platform.</p></blockquote>
<p>We highly recommend reading the <a href="http://www.vmware.com/support/vsphere4/doc/vsp_vc40_u1_rel_notes.html" target="_blank">entire set of release notes</a>, they contain valuable information.</p>
<p>source : <a href="http://blogs.vmware.com/kb/2009/11/vsphere-client-on-windows-7-now-supported.html?utm_source=feedburner&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_campaign=Feed%3A+VmwareKnowledgebaseBlog+%28VMware+Knowledgebase+Blog%29">http://blogs.vmware.com/kb/2009/11/vsphere-client-on-windows-7-now-supported.html?utm_source=feedburner&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_campaign=Feed%3A+VmwareKnowledgebaseBlog+%28VMware+Knowledgebase+Blog%29</a></p>
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