Nest Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V in VMware ESXi 5

In this blog post I explain how you can install Windows 2012 Server Release Candidate (RC) in VMware ESXi and enable the Hyper-V role. It is possible to build a Hyper-V cluster LAB and live migrate VMs between the virtual Hyper-V nodes on one VMware ESXi 5 host.

Before you begin make sure:

  • Windows 2012 Server RC ISO is place on a datastore
  • VMware ESXi 5 Update 1 is installed with the latest updates
  • To be able to boot 64bit guest OSes, make sure that on the VMware ESXi host the line below is added to the /etc/VMware/config file on your physical ESXi 5.x host:

vhv.allow = TRUE

Create a new VM with the following settings (adjust the settings for your own need):

  • Configuration – Custom

  • Name – HV2012-02

  • Storage – Choose VMFS

  • Virtual Machine Version - Virtual Machine Version 8

  • Guest Operating System – Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 (64-bit)

  • CPUs – 2 Sockets, 2 Cores

  • Memory – 4 GB

  • Network – 4 NICs VMXNET 3

  • SCSI Controller – LSI logic SAS

  • Create a new virtual disk

  • Disk Size – 40 GB

  • Virtual Device Node – SCSI(0:0)

  • Finish

After the VM is created edit  the VM configuration and add or change the following settings:

  • Hardware – CD/DVD drive 1 – Datastore ISO file – browse to the Windows Server 2012 ISO

  • Options – General  Options – Guest Operating System – Microsoft Windows Server 8 (64-bit)

  • Options – CPUID Mask – Advanced – Level 1 ecx (add the mask below for Intel Hosts)

—- —- —- —- —- —- –H- —-

  • Options – Boot Options – Specify the boot firmware - EFI
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  • Options – General – Configuration Parameters – Add Row – Add the line below (without =)

hypervisor.cpuid.v0 = FALSE

  • Start the VM and install Windows Server 2012 

  • Install VMware tools

  • Add the Hyper-V role

If you need to install more Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V VMs, create a template so that you only need to do the settings once.

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