Professional Documents
Culture Documents
0 on hardware
with unsupported CPUs
Flemming October 24, 2020 Other
If you try to install ESXi 7 on an hardware with older CPU(s) that is no longer officially supported by VMware, you will
get a error message similar to this when booting the installation medium:
VMB: 611:
Unsupported CPU: Intel family 0x06, model 0x1a, stepping 0x5
Intel(R) Xeon(R) CPU E5520 @ 2.27GHz
See http://www.vmware.com/resources/compatibility
Warning(s)
The easiest way to accomplish automatic boot with a legacy CPU is to do as follows:
bootstate=0
title=Loading VMware ESXi
timeout=5
prefix=
kernel=b.b00
kernelopt=autoPartition=FALSE allowLegacyCPU=true
modules=jumpstrt.gz --- useropts.gz --- features.gz --- k.b00 --- uc_intel.b00 ---
uc_amd.b00 --- uc_hygon.b00 --- procfs.b00 --- vmx.v00 --- vim.v00 --- tpm.v00 ---
sb.v00 --- s.v00 --- bnxtnet.v00 --- bnxtroce.v00 --- brcmfcoe.v00 --- brcmnvme.v00 -
-- elxiscsi.v00 --- elxnet.v00 --- i40en.v00 --- i40iwn.v00 --- iavmd.v00 ---
igbn.v00 --- iser.v00 --- ixgben.v00 --- lpfc.v00 --- lpnic.v00 --- lsi_mr3.v00 ---
lsi_msgp.v00 --- lsi_msgp.v01 --- lsi_msgp.v02 --- mtip32xx.v00 --- ne1000.v00 ---
nenic.v00 --- nfnic.v00 --- nhpsa.v00 --- nmlx4_co.v00 --- nmlx4_en.v00 ---
nmlx4_rd.v00 --- nmlx5_co.v00 --- nmlx5_rd.v00 --- ntg3.v00 --- nvme_pci.v00 ---
nvmerdma.v00 --- nvmxnet3.v00 --- nvmxnet3.v01 --- pvscsi.v00 --- qcnic.v00 ---
qedentv.v00 --- qedrntv.v00 --- qfle3.v00 --- qfle3f.v00 --- qfle3i.v00 --- qflge.v00
--- rste.v00 --- sfvmk.v00 --- smartpqi.v00 --- vmkata.v00 --- vmkfcoe.v00 ---
vmkusb.v00 --- vmw_ahci.v00 --- crx.v00 --- elx_esx_.v00 --- btldr.v00 ---
esx_dvfi.v00 --- esx_ui.v00 --- esxupdt.v00 --- tpmesxup.v00 --- weaselin.v00 ---
loadesx.v00 --- lsuv2_hp.v00 --- lsuv2_in.v00 --- lsuv2_ls.v00 --- lsuv2_nv.v00 ---
lsuv2_oe.v00 --- lsuv2_oe.v01 --- lsuv2_oe.v02 --- lsuv2_sm.v00 --- native_m.v00 ---
qlnative.v00 --- vdfs.v00 --- vmware_e.v00 --- vsan.v00 --- vsanheal.v00 ---
vsanmgmt.v00 --- xorg.v00 --- imgdb.tgz --- state.tgz
build=7.0.0-1.25.16324942
updated=1
Save the file and move the drive back to the server
Start the server, ESXi should now boot up without the need of any manual boot option input.
Fixing “This host does not support virtualizing real mode” error
Now when VMware ESXi 7.0 is up and running and all looks good you still might run into problems, not unlikely this one
(when trying to start a VM):
Failed to power on virtual machine Home-Assistant. This host does not support
virtualizing real mode. The Intel "VMX Unrestricted Guest" feature is necessary to
run this virtual machine on an Intel processor. Click here for more details.
Power On VM
Key
haTask-2-vim.VirtualMachine.powerOn-3629474806
Description
Power On this virtual machine
Virtual machine:
Home-Assistant
State
Failed - This host does not support virtualizing real mode. The Intel "VMX
Unrestricted Guest" feature is necessary to run this virtual machine on an Intel
processor.
Errors
- This host does not support virtualizing real mode. The Intel "VMX Unrestricted
Guest" feature is necessary to run this virtual machine on an Intel processor.
- Module 'CPUIDEarly' power on failed.
- Failed to start the virtual machine.
This issue has to be solved for every current and future VM, but the process is easy and fast when you know how.
Sources:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbHGeN-T-dg
https://www.virtuallyghetto.com/2020/04/quick-tip-allow-unsupported-cpus-when-upgrading-to-esxi-7-0.html
https://planetvm.net/blog/?p=3253
https://www.enterpriseinfosec.net/install-vmware-esxi-7-on-a-r710-with-an-intel-55xx-cpu/