VMWare will not allow install of SBS

Shutdown VM, delete (if needed) current virtual disk.  Create a new virtual Disk in VMware under d:\Virtual Machines\  

Boot from disk and install SBS.  Currently it shows that you have a 40GB partition that you have created, if it resides on D:\virutal machines\ you're set.

Thanks paulsolov,

Dumb question. Does my iso have to be in the folder I am installing to?

I have heard about 8GBs of RAM. I always figured 8 would be enough for my client machine. Of course, my server has 24GB, but I didn't want to install it there.

So, again, this would seem straightforward, but I can't use all 8GBs of RAM from my computer as it would have none left?

SBS2011 is much newer than Workstation V7  so also consider upgrading to V8 and then updating V8 to V8.0.4.  I needed the newest subversion of V8 to get Windows 8 running.

Then, of course, as pointed out above, make sure you are giving it adequate disk space.

.... Thinkpads_User

@carpe diem is correct, you need a 120GB on storage

Processor
      

Quad core 2 GHz 64-bit (x64) or faster

1 socket   (4 sockets maximum)

Physical memory (RAM)
      

8 GB

10 GB recommended (32 GB maximum)

Storage capacity
      

120 GB

Well, physically I have a TB of space, so that shouldn't be an issue.

It would seem that an i7 would suffice?

So, the big issue will be the RAM

I am also installing SBS 2011 Standard. Same requirements? (Sorry if that is a question not related closely enough. If so, please refrain from answering it)

The SBS 2011 standard min. requirements are the same from what I can remember.  

Now is this for production or for a lab?  You should never use workstation for a production environment.

Check this URL. You're not getting any errors on the memory front so min. is 4GB for the install.

http://blog.ronnypot.nl/?p=328

No, just for lab purposes. I would install Standard on my server if I like it.

Great link, although he does seem to contradict himself on his last post unless I read it wrong.

I apologize, but i7 2600 should work, correct? I am not a hardware guy.

The i7 will work it's 64 bit with Intel VT enabled (just make sure it's enabled in the BIOS)

LOL, I can't believe you mentioned the BIOS. I must have looked for VT for over an hour in CPU configurations. Gave up, went home, had a few Heinekens, slept for 12 hours, came back to the office and found it in minutes.

Some times you just have to get away for a bit.

I would delete the current 40GB virtual disk, create a 120GB virtual disk and give it a go, it should install

I will do that. The main question is what if I see that window again? Did that pop up because I didn't have a large enough disk created?

paulsolov,

I reset it for 120GBs 6GBs of RAM (which the blog you showed me said was OK), I have the i7. But, I still get that window with the message that I will lose all my files. Not sure if it would, but it just scares me to click the install button.

When I click on Load Drivers, it brings me to a window with a tree of folders. One says Boot X.

You will lose all the files on the virutal disk (the one you made 120GB), it has not correlation with the 1TB drive of underlying storage..It's referencing the virutal disk.

The Boot X is probably the DVD ISO..

Finally, it has started. I will keep you posted. As if you can't wait, lol.

It's a lab, this is how you learn, rather break it here then in production.  If you get VMWare ESXi compatible hardware you can install SBS as a production VM.  VMWare Workstation 8 format is transportable from workstation to ESXi.

As paulsolov mentioned above the "lose all the files..." was just pertaining to your 40GB virtual disk. Of coures had you moved forward at that time the install would've failed because it wouldn't have like the size of your disk. You would have needed to created a new virtual disk, bigger in size, and then start the install again.

You shouldn't have any problems with the install now, of course.

Mike

That certainly brings up a few questions, but it wouldn't really pertain to the question at hand so won't get into them. This is a good time for me to learn though, as I am probably going to upgrade from Dell Poweredge 2900 (it works fine, has RAID 1 and 5 and lots of RAM but it is four years old -- time for a new support contract so would rather spend the money on a new server and a new contract) to something like a T610 and install SBS 2011 Standard. I always thought Microsoft pushed Hyper-V.

Thanks Mike. I had backed up my computer just in case, but I certainly didn't want to lose my system drive. It would be nice for us newbies if it said "virtual drive." Guess 40GB should have clued me in.  

I love EE. Wouldn't be able to function without it.

I'd recommend virtualization of the SBS 2011 Standard on your new server. Makes your whole environment much more portable and easy to manage. Definitely go Hyper-V if you can manage 1 Windows 2008 R2 Standard license (about $700). That will give you licensing for Server Standard on the host and even an additional Standard Server VM if you can find use for it. Of course the SBS 2011 Standard you would install as a VM instead.

If you can't budget for the Standard Server license to put on the host and run Hyper-V you can elect to go the Server Hyper-V version of VMWare ESXi as free hypervisors.

Also you definitely want to look at the T620. Newer Procs and just about everything is faster.

MO

Nice post MO. I have access to most of Microsoft's software. And, money, for the most part, isn't an issue. Just looked at the T620. I have to have that.

@ paulsolov, Who is carpe diem. I couldn't figure out what "Seize the day" had to do with an expert.

Was multi-posting and got the thtreads mixed up..

LOL, Bert2005, I was wondering the same thing. I was looking all through this question for an expert with the name "@carpe diem" earlier.

MO

IT's 1am and I'm working on a few threads as well as trying to upgrade exchange 2010 to sp2 and getting AD errors..multitasking at its finest

Glad someone else caught that.

Do you need help with those Active Directory errors, Paul?

I have MS Support sitting in a EA session for 3 hours now..with both Exchange team and Directory Services team tag teaming this thing.  Gremlins I tell you..this is what you get when you do a migration from SBS 2003..

Exactly. I have the same fear with SharePoint. Was just kidding with the @Carpe diem thing.

Also, kidding with the offer to help with Exchange, lol. I can barely find ECM. No, I'm not that bad. Actually fairly decent with Exchange, but not at the level of Microsoft or Sembee.

The nice thing about Microsoft Support is they WiLL fix it.

Is it worth it to upgrade to VMWare v8?

That is what I suggested early on here and yes, it is worth it. I can run more guests as one example.

I apologize for the confusion. My comment was supposed to be a pointer to another question. I suppose it looks just like another question in this thread.

Yes, you did post an answer:

SBS2011 is much newer than Workstation V7  so also consider upgrading to V8 and then updating V8 to V8.0.4.  I needed the newest subversion of V8 to get Windows 8 running.

and I appreciated it. It gives me more information as I now know if I install Windows 8, I will likely need to upgrade. I also run about three to four guests max, but again if I were to run more, your advice is very helpful.

Thanks.