Is is possible to install Vmware ESX on a headless server ???

I tried console redirection and stuff.. but doesnt seem to help


here is the partial log
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[ 69.677935] serial8250: ttyS0 at I/O 0x3f8 (irq = 4) is a 16550A
[ 69.749874] serial8250: ttyS1 at I/O 0x2f8 (irq = 3) is a 16550A
[ 69.821918] RAMDISK driver initialized: 1 RAM disks of 360000K size 1024 blocksize
[ 69.912645] loop: loaded (max 8 devices)
[ 69.959626] Linux video capture interface: v2.00
[ 70.260834] serio: i8042 KBD port at 0x60,0x64 irq 1
[ 70.320245] mice: PS/2 mouse device common for all mice
[ 70.382858] TCP bic registered
[ 70.419374] Initializing IPsec netlink socket
[ 70.471470] NET: Registered protocol family 1
[ 70.523543] NET: Registered protocol family 17
[ 70.576695] Freeing unused kernel memory: 164k freed
[23:33:51.273319] * vmnix ...
* Failed to load VMKernel [ !! ]
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

sample config file
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APPEND initrd=initrd.gz vmkopts=debugLogToSerial:1 text mem=512M load_ramdisk=1 rw ks=http://x.x.x.x/esx.cfg console=ttyS0,9600 ksdevice=eth0
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dmesg
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<4>[ 69.932674] Mod: 120: vmnix module init_module=0xffffffff8800351c
<4>[ 69.932727] VmkMsg: 161: Started vmkmsghelper for 7.
<4>[ 69.932763] VmkMsg: 161: Started vmkmsghelper for 2.
<4>[ 69.932776] VmkMsg: 376: Started vmkMsg thread.
<4>[ 69.932787] HB: 250: hb timer on.
<4>[ 69.932790] HB: 318: Started hb thread.
<4>[ 69.973886] VMK: 221: vmkmem[0] 0x40000 0x40000 0xe7edf
<4>[ 69.973891] VMK: 221: vmkmem[1] 0x40000 0x100000 0x217fff
<4>[ 69.973893] VMK: 221: vmkmem[2] 0x40000 0x0 0x0
<4>[ 69.973895] VMK: 221: vmkmem[3] 0x40000 0x0 0x0
<4>[ 69.973897] VMK: 221: vmkmem[4] 0x40000 0x0 0x0
<4>[ 69.973899] VMK: 221: vmkmem[5] 0x40000 0x0 0x0
<4>[ 69.973901] VMK: 221: vmkmem[6] 0x40000 0x0 0x0
<4>[ 69.973903] VMK: 221: vmkmem[7] 0x40000 0x0 0x0
<4>[ 69.973905] VMK: 221: vmkmem[8] 0x40000 0x0 0x0
<4>[ 69.973907] VMK: 221: vmkmem[9] 0x40000 0x0 0x0
<4>[ 69.973909] VMK: 221: vmkmem[10] 0x40000 0x0 0x0
<4>[ 69.973911] VMK: 221: vmkmem[11] 0x40000 0x0 0x0
<4>[ 69.973913] VMK: 221: vmkmem[12] 0x40000 0x0 0x0
<4>[ 69.973915] VMK: 221: vmkmem[13] 0x40000 0x0 0x0
<4>[ 69.973917] VMK: 221: vmkmem[14] 0x40000 0x0 0x0
<4>[ 69.973919] VMK: 221: vmkmem[15] 0x40000 0x0 0x0
<4>[ 69.973921] VMK: 221: vmkmem[16] 0x40000 0x0 0x0
<4>[ 69.973923] VMK: 221: vmkmem[17] 0x40000 0x0 0x0
<4>[ 69.973925] VMK: 221: vmkmem[18] 0x40000 0x0 0x0
<4>[ 69.973927] VMK: 221: vmkmem[19] 0x40000 0x0 0x0
<4>[ 69.973929] VMK: 221: vmkmem[20] 0x40000 0x0 0x0
<4>[ 69.973931] VMK: 221: vmkmem[21] 0x40000 0x0 0x0
<4>[ 69.973933] VMK: 221: vmkmem[22] 0x40000 0x0 0x0
<4>[ 69.973935] VMK: 221: vmkmem[23] 0x40000 0x0 0x0
<4>[ 69.973937] VMK: 221: vmkmem[24] 0x40000 0x0 0x0
<4>[ 69.973939] VMK: 221: vmkmem[25] 0x40000 0x0 0x0
<4>[ 69.973941] VMK: 221: vmkmem[26] 0x40000 0x0 0x0
<4>[ 69.973943] VMK: 221: vmkmem[27] 0x40000 0x0 0x0
<4>[ 69.973945] VMK: 221: vmkmem[28] 0x40000 0x0 0x0
<4>[ 69.973947] VMK: 221: vmkmem[29] 0x40000 0x0 0x0
<4>[ 69.973949] VMK: 221: vmkmem[30] 0x40000 0x0 0x0
<4>[ 69.973951] VMK: 221: vmkmem[31] 0x40000 0x0 0x0
<4>[ 69.973956] IRQ: 278: COS is using PIC
<4>[ 69.974131] WARNING: VGA: 274: VGA is not in text mode (3)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Any help or suggesting would be appreciated..

I am not sure if Vmware ESX server do support headless pxe installation ??

ESX does not support an interactive serial console. It, as I recall, has support to send debug to serial, but it is non-interactive only. If it is a completely unattended installation via PXE, I don't see why you couldn't use the "physical" console with no display/keyboard and then connect to it after installation completes and it is booted to perform additional/final configurations...

This might help you get on your way: PXE Boot and Kickstart ESX Installer

Thanks for your response ray... I appreciate your help..

But my problem is still there.. I have all thing setup pxe server, kickstart file etc.

If you study my logs Its failing to load the vmkernel.. It is not any near to start the kickstart install..

As a part of test:
1. I installed ESX on a server with a vga card
2. Set the console redirection (success!! I am able to get login prompt on ttyS0) -- limitation in this scenario is that it has a vga card still hooked up.
3. if I remove the vga card ( I am getting the same error message)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[ 70.576695] Freeing unused kernel memory: 164k freed
[23:33:51.273319] * vmnix ...
* Failed to load VMKernel [ !! ]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ESX doesn't boot at all without the VGA card..

So the answer to my question still remains..

Can anyone help me with this... ???

I don't know if you still need help w/ this.

What h/w are trying to install on?

Why can't you leave a cheap VGA card in place?