Hi Dave

I have on board realtek 8168 network card and im trying to install esxi. Do you have compiled version of esxi with realtek network support? I'm not comfortable with the steps in the document?

Thanks
My specs
Evga classified x58
core i7 920
Corsair dominator 3*2=6G
300*3 10k raptor on intel sata controller raid0 with vista 64
2*4890 ati radeon xfire
750G on jmicron controller (planned for vmware esxi)

Boot either windows or esxi through change in bios boot order.

There's one to download here - http://www.icjacobsen.com/dld/oem.tgz.

I wouldn't worry about modifying the install CD for this. Install ESXi and after boot with a Linux live CD. Then copy the file to the bootbank partition.

Here's an example - http://www.vm-help.com/esx/esx3i/disabl ... tartup.php

Thanks Dave

So i just need to

1. Download vmware esxi image from vmware site and burn it to a CD using nero.
2. Install on my pc.
3. boot through LInux live cd
4. fdisk -l (to find hypervisor partition)
5. Copy the oem.tgz file on the hypervisor partition, and reboot to the vmware esxi.


Is this steps enough, also after booting with linux live cd, if i have oem.tgz in usb drive (Fat32) can i able to acess and copy that file to hypervisor partition.

do i need to create "oem_cim_option_overides" file is that step required or just copying oem.tgz to hypervisor partition is good enough?

Sorry for bothering you.
Thanks.

Don't worry about the CIM overrides. It's not the best example page, but you get the idea of what it takes to mount the partition and copy a file to it. You'll just copy over the oem.tgz file you want to use.

Thanks for your time. I will let you know what happens.

Regards

Hi Dave

It works like charm. Thanks for the walkthrough. You saved me 40bucks for the nic.

Thanks

Hey Solaris72,

I'd be interested to hear how you get on with that card. I have the same one, but found it was unusable for the VM's. I could ping, traceroute, nslookup, etc just fine. However everything else seem to fail is some form or another. I have read that it works fine IF you don't install the VM tools on the VM, however I'm yet to confirm that myself.

I ended up getting a Intel PRO 1000 which is working fine, however I would like to use the onboard as well to get familar with NIC teaming, etc.

I'm yet to install any OS on that as i can do only in the weekend. But i installed vmware infrasture client on another pc and i'm able to see all datastore and other info.

I will update after the os install

Thanks

Guys, have someone tested 64 bit linux, solaris VM with this network driver? I can't make vnc connection working. I have solaris 10 u6 (e1000 driver) and centos 5.3 x64 VM (e1000 and vmxnet drivers both installed). On both of them vncserver is running. When i trying connect with vncviewer i get prompt for password entry and after entering pass i have vncviewer loaded to ram but the remote screen of my VM doesn't appear at all. I have nothing interesting in vncserver logs on my VM. If I move this VM to other esxi with different network driver all is working like a charm. All other network activity: downloading file from internet from both VM, ssh to them, winscp to them are working fine. Could someone try to explain me why such things happen with this network driver and vnc connection while all other network activity running w/o any issues?

PS esxi 3.5 u4, the last driver for network available here. I have installed and uninstalled vmware tools also - no success. Also i tried to use vmxnet or e1000 for linux VM - no success too with vnc connection.