How-to install ESXi 4.0 on USB memory Key


Written in the past (some time ago…) , I published a how-to called “Howto install ESXi 3.5 update 3 on USB memory key“. The things has changed today a bit. The how-to is about the same but ESXi 4.0 and vSphere is new and it rocks…. We are in the ESX 4 Era… With ESX Server (vSphere) and more than 150 new features packed inside….

VMware with vSphere are distancing even more the competition with the performances of vSphere greatly improved. Microsoft’s Hyper-V R2 is still in Beta….. Clearly, the time for an investment into a Virtual Infrastructure with VMware was never been more advantageous. Prices for the SMB market are starting from $166 per CPU. Each physical server may contain up to two phycial processors with up to 6 cores per processor.

Ok, here is the how-to:

01.) Get this 2 tools to acomplish the task.  IZArc, and also WinImage. (trial)
02.) Head to VMware Website and download the ESXi 4.0 vSphere – register for the free for the download. Here is the link.
03.) Save the file to the C drive for example.

ESXi 4 vSphere on USB Memory Key

ESXi 4 vSphere on USB Memory Key

04.) Open the ISO file with IZArc and extract the whole content to c:\Vmware-VMvisor-Installer-4.0.0-164009.x86_64 folder .

ESXi 4 vSphere on USB Memory Key

05.) Browse to “\image.tgz.temptar\usr\lib\vmware\installer\VMware-VMvisor-big-164009-x86_64.dd.bz2\

Extract the “VMware-VMvisor-big-164009-x86_64.dd” file. You’ll have to extract the “image.tgz.temptar” file first…

ESXi 4 vSphere on USB Memory Key


ESXi 4 vSphere on USB Memory Key

ESXi 4 vSphere on USB Memory Key


06.) From just open Winimage, and goto file menu:  Disk > “Restore Virtual Harddisk Image on physical drive”

ESXi 4.0 vSphere on USB Memory Stick

07.) Select your USB drive

ESXi 4 vSphere on USB Memory Key

08.) Select The file “VMware-VMvisor-big-164009-x86_64.dd” that you extracted earlier.

ESXi 4 vSphere on USB Memory Key

09.) Click Yes to write the image to the USB Memory Stick. (ooups… I’m running on French Windows here…… -:) ? It’s because I have 3 different language versions on my Desktop at home… Where I use VMware Workstation as a Virtual Lab. I hope that you don’t mind, the tuto is quite easy to follow…) . If you got any trouble, just comment below and I’ll try to help.. -:)

ESXi 4 vSphere on USB Memory Key

10.) And the result of your effort should look like this.

ESXi 4.0 vSphere on USB Memory Stick

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19 Comments

  1. There’s an even easier way. Plug in USB stick. Boot from the ESXi installable CD. Select the USB stick as the target. And just install. No need for extracting images or using DD as I used to in the past

  2. Vladan SEGET

    Thanks Mike,

    a pleasure to hear that easier way exist. My readers will apreciate this info… and I’ll explore this as soon as I can… -:)
    Cheers
    Vladan

  3. Jesper Rex

    I can confirm the easier way, works like a charm, on an HP G6 server, even without using HP Certified USB Keys.

    Only thing is, doing the install, using HP ILO Virtual Devices is SLOW, as the ILO NIC only runs at 100 Mbit/S, even on the new G6 servers

  4. ML

    Hi there,

    I can confirm the direct installation on the USB stick, booting on ESXi 4 CD burnt from ISO file is an easier bit! ;-)
    Also, worth to know that many modern servers have an internal USB port, which allows you to secure the OS better than if it fits in the middle of the cables behind the box… I now run several HP Proliant DL360G5 & DL380G5 with this solution and could relocate all SAS drives (raid 1 previously used to run ESX) to one single DL380 to have local storage for low importance VMs that don’t need SAN availability & performance and I’m much happy with this.

    • Vladan SEGET

      Thanks for the comment. Looks like that ESXi can save some disk space. If there is a possibility to plug-in the USB stick inside the servers, then it’s possible to use the local disks of anything else…. -:) It’s a good idea…

  5. ML

    … or simply run diskless servers, that saves energy, money & raises availability rate ;-)
    ESXi is anyway called to become the only VMware hypervisor, as they plan to get rid of the legacy service console in the future.

  6. solori

    Why not use the built-in installer in ESXi 4.0 and go direct to USB flash from CD-ROM? This has changed considerably since ESX 3.5. In fact, the CD-ROM installer will find your USB flash drive and install directly to it without resorting to imaging or dd.

    http://solori.wordpress.com/2009/05/22/preview-...

    The process – from CD-boot to initial start-up – is about 14 minutes long, depending on CD-ROM speed and flash speed.

  7. While writing this article, I was not aware of this. But Mike Laverick has pointed that already in the comments section. BUT since I externalized my comments to DISQUS now… -:).. all my comments BEFORE seems to dissapear…

  8. Russell Blandamer

    Thanks for this. Works like a charm.

  9. matsr

    Something I just came across that you may want to add to your tutorial(at least I couldn't see that you mentioned it).

    The USB thumb drive has to be clean, like no content and no partitions.

  10. Well, all the content will be wiped out anyway during the installation. -:).
    Thanks.

  11. matsr

    Obviously, but on my computer (winxp) your method failed when the USB thumb drive was not completely clean. I deleted all partitions so that disk management said unallocated space on the entire drive and it worked perfectly fine.

    • tahfo01

      I am having the same problem you mentioned. I am trying to clean the thumb drive but I can’t remove the partition. How did you do that? I tried it under disk management in both XP and Vista but it said this operation is not supported on removable drives. Thanks for your help

  12. You can also try to use Gparted Live CD to erase all the partitions…http://gparted.sourceforge.net/screenshots.php

    Or as pointed Mike Laverick, install the ESXi 4 directly to USB key. No need to folow “the long” way… -:)

    Vladan

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