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How to run Citrix XenServer 5.5 on VMware vSphere

June 22nd, 2009
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Well fresh from my return from the Citrix iForum I decided to fire head long into installing XenServer in my home lab so I could have a look at it.

I already run VMware vSphere 4i on my home lab which consists of an HP Proliant ML115 G5.  Instead of buying another machine to install Xenserver on or rebuilding my current vSphere server I thought I would try and install XenServer inside a virtual machine.  As Eric Gray over at vCritical proved you can install vSphere 4 inside a vSphere 4 virtual machine so surely the same would be possible XenServer 5.5, shouldn’t it?

Well the screenshot below should prove exactly that,  Xenserver 5.5 successfully running on vSphere 4i

xenservervm

So how did I conduct the install,  well first of all I downloaded the ISO from Citrix’s website and then did the following.

1 - Create a Virtual Machine with custom settings.
2 - Select the new Virtual Machine version 7 hardware.
3 - Select Red Hat Enterprise Linux v5 (64-bit).
4 - 1 vCPU and 1GB of RAM will suffice.
5 - I used the LSI Logic Parallel SCSI Controller.
6 - Create a disk based between 20 – 30GB (less has caused issues, see comments below)
7 - Make it thin provisioned if you want,  why wouldn’t you?
8 - Connect the ISO image to the VM and start it.
9 - Follow the prompts on screen to complete the install.

I only had one issue during install and that was when the following message appeared,  I carried on installing XenServer and it completed without issue.

xenservervm3

However when It came to starting up windows based Virtual Machines,  like the message above indicated, I couldn’t.  XenCenter showed the following error.

xenservervm4

Basically because Windows requires the hardware virtualised assist features (Intel VT or AMD-V),  hypervisor on top of hypervisor masks this underlying virtualisation assistance and hence Windows can’t operate.  What I did manage to get up and running was virtual machines running Debian Lenny 5.0,  so at least I had something to play about with and test out XenServer features such as live motion. Linux machines on XenServer start up in a para virtualised mode and are therefore supported where hardware virtualisation assist is not available.

check out the Debian Lenny based DreamLinux desktop edition,  this should give you some VM’s to play within your virtualised XenServer environment.

So although I didn’t get XenServer operating like I wanted to in Vmware vSphere, I did get  it working enough to play about with it and it’s features.  To be honest that’s all I was after in the first place!!

Citrix, VMware, XenServer, vSphere , , ,

  • fabioce
    I received error:
    Unrecoverable error has occurred.The details of the error ca be found in the log file. Which has been written to /tmp/install-log (and /root/install-log on your hard disk if possible)
    etc
    Reboot

    I select:
    LInux RedHat 5(64bit)
    1CPU
    1GB Ram
    LSI Logic Parallel (SCSI 0:0)
    vcmi disable
    cpuid mask (expose nx/xd)
    paravirtualized (disabled)
    cpu/mmu virtualization (automatic, but i tryed also the VT-x/amd-v for mmu and for ept)

    Every time error

    What about your settings?
  • Chrisman
    I had the same error on VMWare Server 2.0. I increased the size of the virtual disk from 8GB to 28GB. I'm guessing the error appears if you don't meet the minimum requirements.
  • If I remember rightly there is a specific limit for the disk size, I think it's 11GB so 20GB - 30GB should suffice. I've just checked my own XenServer virtual machines and they are 30GB thin provisioned disks and work perfectly.
  • ir.net
    I have the same issue: same setings, same error during xenserver 5.5 installation.
    ISO is ok. Physical HW is HP BL 460.
  • I've had a look at my settings and they are exactly the same as what your using. I presume the error message you get is when you are installing the XenServer software?

    Were you able to see the logs? Maybe connect the VMDK to another virtual machine and try and view the installation logs

    The other thing I would do is MD5 check the ISO media, just in case it's causing you problems.

    One other question would be what kind of processor does your vSphere 4 box have?
  • I have not tried XenServer on VMware Workstation 6.5, but I did get it running on VMware Server 2.0. Therefore I'm confident Workstation should work too. Just follow the same instructions for any of the vSphere in a Box posts. BTW, You can install Hyper-V Server 2008 too, but the VMs do not run.
  • Hi Carlo

    I can't see why it wouldn't work on Vmware Workstation, give it a try and if it works please let me know and I'll update this blog post.

    Thanks

    Craig
  • Great info. I would assume this would also work in VMware Workstation as well. Can't wait to try.

    CARLO.
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