Can I install ESXI ontop of a problematic install without loosing the guests?
My server's mobo crashed. The pricing to replace the motherboard is over $500 (an older motherboard). The hard drives are SAS drives (2) NOT in a raid array. The SAS drives are plugged into an Adaptec ASR 5405. There are guests on each drive I need to get access to. I would be happy to get the data but would prefer to be able to boot up to the host os so that I can boot the guests. I've got an exchange server that I'd like to exmerge the mail store.
So, I have another server that otherwise runs vmware esxi just fine. I installed the Adaptec ASR 5405 and it seems to boot up into the vmware esxi host just fine except right at the end it hangs.
What I'd like to do is install ESXI ontop of the current install. My concern is that I may damage or wipe out a guest that's on one of the hard drives.
Suggestions?
So, I have another server that otherwise runs vmware esxi just fine. I installed the Adaptec ASR 5405 and it seems to boot up into the vmware esxi host just fine except right at the end it hangs.
What I'd like to do is install ESXI ontop of the current install. My concern is that I may damage or wipe out a guest that's on one of the hard drives.
Suggestions?
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ASKER
I found this: http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=2004501
But It didn't really answer my question of whether the guest os's will be there after the upgrade. I am now at the screen that says:
"warning this disk will be repartitioned"
I don't know if that means that I will lose all or any guest os's or not. It notified me that there were guests on the hard drive a couple of steps before but none of the steps communicated any chance of the guests being lost until this one.
But It didn't really answer my question of whether the guest os's will be there after the upgrade. I am now at the screen that says:
"warning this disk will be repartitioned"
I don't know if that means that I will lose all or any guest os's or not. It notified me that there were guests on the hard drive a couple of steps before but none of the steps communicated any chance of the guests being lost until this one.
are you reinstalling the same version?
ASKER
It worked!
Very Good, glad you've got it working.
ASKER
I've requested that this question be closed as follows:
Accepted answer: 0 points for chadwillbe's comment #a38310123
for the following reason:
It successfully installed and did not overwrite my vmdk files.
Accepted answer: 0 points for chadwillbe's comment #a38310123
for the following reason:
It successfully installed and did not overwrite my vmdk files.
Please see my first Post http:#a38308226
ASKER
Thanks!<br />This was the answer:<br />"When you install ESXi, if it detects a VMFS datastore (with your VMs) it will ask to Overwrite.<br /><br />Select NO."<br /><br />It worked fine. After this the system was up and running afterward with the existing VMs.
ASKER