VMware vCenter Install ‘Error 26002’
Nov17

VMware vCenter Install ‘Error 26002’

KB ID 0000941  Problem While attempting to install vCenter 5.5, I got the following error. Error 26002. Setup failed to register vCenter Server. This might indicate a problem with the SSL certificates for vCenter Server. Search the VMware Knowledge Base (http://kb.vmware.com) for “Error 26006” for more information. Earlier on in the install it had asked me if I wanted to overwrite the certs, and I just clicked OK, this...

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vSphere Client cannot be installed on a Domain Controller
Nov17

vSphere Client cannot be installed on a Domain Controller

KB ID 0000968 Problem I tried to install the VI client on my test network and this happened; vSphere Client requires Windows XP SP2 or later. vSphere Client cannot be installed on a Domain Controller. Solution Well I’m not over the moon about that? Ive only got one permanent VM and it’s a DC? Who came up with this? What about sites who have a single DC on an ESX box? What are they going to do! Turns out its quite easy to...

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vSphere – Floppy Drive ‘Won’t Appear’
Nov17

vSphere – Floppy Drive ‘Won’t Appear’

KB ID 0001020 Problem “It’s 2015 why are you messing around with floppy drives?” I hear you ask! Well for importing certificate requests, and issued certificates from an offline root CA server, it’s still considered best practice to use a virtual floppy drive rather than connect the offline root server to the production network. So today while deploying a PKI infrastructure, I needed to present a floppy drive...

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vSphere – Adding a Serial Port to a VM
Nov17

vSphere – Adding a Serial Port to a VM

KB ID 0001039  Problem I wanted to perform command line access to a virtual firewall on my home ESXi server, (a Juniper Firefly vSRX) via a console session. To do that I needed to add a serial port to that VM. Solution 1. From Within the VI client > Select the ESXi Host > Configuration > Security Profile > Firewall Section > Properties. 2. Locate and enable ‘VM serial port connected over network’ > OK. 3....

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vSphere – Adding Domain Users/Groups to vCenter
Nov17

vSphere – Adding Domain Users/Groups to vCenter

KB ID 0001063 Problem Note: This article is for vSphere 6, for vSphere 7 and vSphere 8 see the following article. vCenter Domain Authentication Despite my best efforts to keep working with the VMware VI client, my recent move to a MAC has finally forced me to start using the web client. So when I rebuilt my vCenter this week, I went out of my way to use that. Note: If you have your vCenter and Platform Services Controller (PSC)...

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vSphere Web Client – Options Greyed Out  (Cannot install Client Integration Plug-in)
Nov17

vSphere Web Client – Options Greyed Out (Cannot install Client Integration Plug-in)

KB ID 0001064 Problem While working on the vSphere Web Client in Google Chrome, I was unable to ‘Open Console’, the option was on the right click menu, but disappeared and was then greyed out after a second or so. Essentially this happens because the plug-in has either not been installed, (from the login page) or a pop-up blocker is stopping the plug-in working. Solution 1. With Chrome there’s an extra hoop to jump...

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Replacing the vCenter 5.5 Certificate using Microsoft Certificate Services – Part 1
Nov17

Replacing the vCenter 5.5 Certificate using Microsoft Certificate Services – Part 1

KB ID 0001076  This article is from long time site supporter: Daniel Newton Problem Assuming you have a Windows PKI (Certificate Services) and want to replace the self signed certificates in vCenter. Solution 1. Firstly, Open the Certification Authority on the PKI Server. 2. Then duplicate the “Web Server Template”</p? 3. Give the certificate a sensible name. 4. Now click on the “Extensions” tab and under “Application Policies” and...

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VMware ESX – WDS Fails “The network location cannot be reached”
Nov17

VMware ESX – WDS Fails “The network location cannot be reached”

KB ID 0000308  Problem Whilst trying to contact a WDS server from an ESX client machine (though this can happen on a physical machine also). You see the following error, The network location cannot be reached, For information about network troubleshooting, se Windows Help.   Solution This is because the WindowsPE image you are using to Capture/Deploy does not have the network drivers for the NIC in the machine you are imaging (At...

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Windows 10  – Install The VMware Virtual Infrastructure Client
Nov17

Windows 10 – Install The VMware Virtual Infrastructure Client

KB ID 0001082  Problem Have you installed the VI client on Windows 10? My boss asked me this week, I replied no, but if it didn’t work then loads of people would soon be moaning. I remember sometime ago I had to use comparability mode to install it on Windows 8. I had the brainwave, “Why not ThinApp the client” it would work then, but the 5.5 client stubbornly refused to fire and the ThinApp package size was...

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Running Windows Server 8 in VMware ESXi
Nov17

Running Windows Server 8 in VMware ESXi

KB ID 0000590  Problem The very fist time I tried this was on ESXi 4.1, if you try and install Windows 8 Server on that platform, you will see the following. Your computer ran into a problem and needs to restart. If you’d like to know more, you can search online later for this code: HAL_INITIALIZATION_FAILED It’s collecting error info and will restart in: x seconds Note: You will also see this in VMware player, and VMware...

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