Install ESXi 4.1 from usb stick

Not all servers nowadays have a DVD player installed. Sometimes it is handy to boot from usb and installing a single VMWare ESXi server.

Here's example how to make the usb bootable and install VMWare ESXi 4.1.

Creating bootable USB including the installation file

There are many posts on the web detailing how to create a bootable USB stick with syslinux. One I have found particularly useful for this scenario is UNetbootin. 

This forum will show you how to use UNetbootin.


Adding the kick-start script

  • Rename the isolinux.cfg file to syslinux.cfg
  • Edit the syslinux.cfg and add ks=usb and on the end of the append line --- mod.tgz
default menu.c32
menu title VMWare VMvisor Boot Menu
timeout 80

label VMvisor Recovery CD
menu label ^VMvisor Recovery CD
kernel mboot.c32
append vmkboot.gz ks=usb --- vmkernel.gz --- sys.vgz --- cim.vgz ---ienviron.vgz --- recovery.vgz --- install.vgz --- mod.tgz

label ^Boot from local disk
menu label ^Boot from local disk
localboot 0x80

  • Create a ks.cfg file in the root from the USB stick:

vmaccepteula
rootpw password1
install usb
autopart --firstdisk --overwirtevmfs
reboot

#Network install
network --bootproto=static --addvmportgroup=false --device=vmnic0 --ip=x.x.x.x --netmask=255.255.255.0 --gateway=x.x.x.x --nameserver=x.x.x.x --hostname=

%firstboot --unsupported --interpreter=busybox
vim-cmd hostsvc/datastore/rename datastore1 "$(hostname -s)-local-storage-1"


Add a custom mod.tgz file

Download mod.tgz file follow by this link:


After downloaded, copy it to the USB stick. Make sure you have modified the syslinux,cfg file as mentioned earlier in this post to reference the mod.tgz file.

The mod.tgz contains an init script which skips the mtools check. Now you're ready to boot your server with the USB and your able to install VMware ESXi 4.1







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