How to install XenServer on VMware Workstation in Windows

How to install XenServer 6.2 on VMware Workstation 8

Note: 17 May 2014:
The installation was fine. The XenServer boots fine in the VM. Unfortunately it hangs once in a while constantly. Couldn't find out what causes it. I've installed XenServer on hw instead here.

It is possible to install Type 1 hypervisor like XenServer within a virtualized environment like VMware Workstation by using nested virtualization technology. It may be shocking at first look because this is the software stack we are going to create:

• Regular operating system, I'm using Windows 7
• Install in Windows (Type 2) hypervisor VMware Workstation
• Create a VM within VMware 
• Install XenServer with in VM
• Boot VM and run (Type 1) hypervisor XenServer

Installation steps

• Create a new VM and chose guest: OS VMware ESX and version: VMware ESXi 5 (my config for the VM can be found here: vmware-workstation-xenserver.conf)
• Download the XenServer-6.2.0-install-cd.iso 
• For the VM chose to boot from the iso above
• Boot the VM and follow the installation instruction
• Installer at the end will reboot the VM
• Before new boots power off VM and deselect the ISO file
• Boot the VM and enjoy your XenServer 
• You may want to install XenServer-6.2.0-XenCenter.msi to graphically manged your XenServer or use CLI over SSH

 XenServer 6.2 doesn't boot after installation on VMware Workstation 8

You may run into the following issues when attempting the installation procedure above

• Wrong VM guest type. I've seen this initially when I try to use the type: Other, version: Other 64-bit.

BUG: recent printk recursion!

clocksource/1: Time went backwards

PCI: Bar 13: no parent found for of bridge

• You can boot the VM and from the Xen boot loader select 'safe'. Unfortunately the XenServer will report this time I/O error.

ata2.01: qc timeout (cmd 0xa0)

ata2.01: TEST_UNIT_READY failed (err_mask=0x4)

Unhanded error code

Result: hostbyte=DID_OK driverbyte=DRIVER_TIMEOUT

end_request: I/O error, dev sda, sector 0

buffer I/O error on device sda, logical block 0

References

http://bjtechnews.org/2013/07/01/how-to-install-citrix-xenserver-6-2-0-on-vmware-workstation-9-0/
http://discussions.citrix.com/topic/329733-xenserver-freeze-on-reboot/
http://discussions.citrix.com/topic/324048-virtual-machines-in-xenserver-6-on-wmware-workstation/
http://www.vi-tips.com/2011/10/how-to-run-xenserver-60-on-vsphere-5.html
http://vstorage.wordpress.com/2010/06/06/running-xenserver-5-6-on-vmware-workstation/

Installing Rackspace Private Cloud (Alamo) on a single virtual server using VMware Workstation

If you are looking for info about installation on a physical server you may like this article instead: How to install Rackspace Private Cloud (Alamo) on a single physical server

VMware Workstation

The Openstack installation within a virtual server is almost identical like on a physical one. The main difference is that we have to create a virtual machine that emulated/simulate the CPU extension needed for the nested hypervisor [1]

Practically that means that  you have to enable this box in your VM config.

If you prefere editing of a config file this is the variable that you have to set in *.vmx file

 
.encoding = "windows-1252"
config.version = "8"
virtualHW.version = "8"
numvcpus = "4"
vcpu.hotadd = "TRUE"
scsi0.present = "TRUE"
scsi0.virtualDev = "lsilogic"
memsize = "4096"
mem.hotadd = "TRUE"
scsi0:0.present = "TRUE"
scsi0:0.fileName = "Ubuntu 64-bit.vmdk"
ide1:0.present = "TRUE"
ide1:0.fileName = "C:\Users\radoslaw\Downloads\alamo-v2.0.0.iso"
ide1:0.deviceType = "cdrom-image"
floppy0.startConnected = "FALSE"
floppy0.fileName = ""
floppy0.autodetect = "TRUE"
ethernet0.present = "TRUE"
ethernet0.virtualDev = "e1000"
ethernet0.wakeOnPcktRcv = "FALSE"
ethernet0.addressType = "static"
ethernet0.address = "00:50:56:25:71:FB"
usb.present = "TRUE"
ehci.present = "TRUE"
sound.present = "TRUE"
sound.fileName = "-1"
sound.autodetect = "TRUE"
serial0.present = "TRUE"
serial0.fileType = "thinprint"
serial1.present = "TRUE"
serial1.fileType = "file"
serial1.fileName = "test.py"
pciBridge0.present = "TRUE"
pciBridge4.present = "TRUE"
pciBridge4.virtualDev = "pcieRootPort"
pciBridge4.functions = "8"
pciBridge5.present = "TRUE"
pciBridge5.virtualDev = "pcieRootPort"
pciBridge5.functions = "8"
pciBridge6.present = "TRUE"
pciBridge6.virtualDev = "pcieRootPort"
pciBridge6.functions = "8"
pciBridge7.present = "TRUE"
pciBridge7.virtualDev = "pcieRootPort"
pciBridge7.functions = "8"
vmci0.present = "TRUE"
hpet0.present = "TRUE"
usb.vbluetooth.startConnected = "TRUE"
displayName = "Ubuntu 64-bit"
guestOS = "ubuntu-64"
nvram = "Ubuntu 64-bit.nvram"
virtualHW.productCompatibility = "hosted"
vhv.enable = "TRUE"
powerType.powerOff = "hard"
powerType.powerOn = "hard"
powerType.suspend = "hard"
powerType.reset = "hard"
extendedConfigFile = "Ubuntu 64-bit.vmxf"
vmci0.id = "-1561829832"
uuid.location = "56 4d 22 7e ee b5 2b 19-3e c1 5e 76 a2 e8 5e 38"
uuid.bios = "56 4d 22 7e ee b5 2b 19-3e c1 5e 76 a2 e8 5e 38"
cleanShutdown = "TRUE"
replay.supported = "FALSE"
replay.filename = ""
scsi0:0.redo = ""
pciBridge0.pciSlotNumber = "17"
pciBridge4.pciSlotNumber = "21"
pciBridge5.pciSlotNumber = "22"
pciBridge6.pciSlotNumber = "23"
pciBridge7.pciSlotNumber = "24"
scsi0.pciSlotNumber = "16"
usb.pciSlotNumber = "32"
ethernet0.pciSlotNumber = "33"
sound.pciSlotNumber = "34"
ehci.pciSlotNumber = "35"
vmci0.pciSlotNumber = "36"
usb:1.present = "TRUE"
vmotion.checkpointFBSize = "37748736"
usb:1.speed = "2"
usb:1.deviceType = "hub"
usb:1.port = "1"
usb:1.parent = "-1"
tools.remindInstall = "TRUE"
usb:0.present = "TRUE"
usb:0.deviceType = "hid"
usb:0.port = "0"
usb:0.parent = "-1"

References

1. Nested virtualization
   http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/cloud/library/cl-nestedvirtualization/ http://www.veeam.com/blog/nesting-hyper-v-with-vmware-workstation-8-and-esxi-5.html
   
   You can't use Oracle Virtual Box tool as it doesn't support nested virtualisation. https://www.virtualbox.org/ticket/4032


2. http://www.rackspace.com/knowledge_center/article/installing-rackspace-private-cloud-vmware-fusion