I was trying to hot add some memory to a VM the other day, and found the option grayed out. Normally I’d just down the VM, add the memory, then bring it back up. But it was a production server and I was pretty sure the OS supported it.
A quick Google search told me why it was grayed out, but it also transpired there was little to no information on what version of Windows hot add and hot plug would work with.
Solution
I’m not going to argue the semantics of the differences between “hot add” and “hot plug”, if I’m taking about hot add I’m talking about memory, if I’m talking about hot plug I’m talking about adding CPUs. You also need to be aware that to date Few OS’s support hot remove or hot unplug. If you try you will see the following;
vSphere version 6 or 6.5 (Hot Unplug )
It simply wont let you lower the value;
Note: With a Supported O,S (i.e. Server 2016 and 2019) you CAN hot remove CPU.
vSphere version 5.0 or 5.5
Hot Add Memory/ CPU in vSphere 6 & 6.5
As with earlier version of vSphere, to enable hot plug or hot remove, the machine has to be shut down. Then the option can be enabled. Select the VM > Edit Settings.
CPU: Virtual Hardware > CPU > Tick ‘Enable CPU Hot Add’ > Save.
Hot Plug, Hot Add in the vSphere HTML5 Client
Hot Add Memory/ CPU in vSphere 5 & 5.5
As for memory and CPU settings you will probably see what I was seeing. Both the options are not changeable.
2. Sorry but to enable this feature you need to power off the client machine, then when you edit its settings > Options > Advanced > Memory/CPU_Hotplug > You can enable hot add and hot plug > OK . Power the VM back on again.
3. Now you will see you have the option to hot add memory and hot plug CPUs.
What Operating Systems support this?
Like I said above, I did some testing because information is thin on the ground, this is what I was actually able to make work.
With 2008 R2 Standard
1. As you can tell from the table memory hot add will work but to add a CPU will need a reboot. Before I started I had 2 CPUs and 4GB of memory.
2. Lets add more memory and CPUs.
3. For all machines I tested there was a lag, sometimes as little as 3-5 seconds, other times as long as 15-20 seconds, during this time you will see some processor and memory usage spikes. But as shown the memory eventually becomes available.
4. Post reboot, your extra CPUs will appear.
With 2008 R2 Enterprise and Datacenter
1. Note I’m using Datacenter here, but Enterprise is the same. I increased the memory from 4 to 5 GB, And added a further 3 CPUs.
2. It does work, you simply need to restart the “Task Manager” to reflect the increased CPU count.
3. Finished.
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I saw this on a freshly built Server 2012 (Datacenter) server this morning.
Solution
First discount the obvious, make sure this server has internet access and is not going out via a proxy server, (unless you have configured the proxy properly for Windows Updates).
In my case the fix was simple, I’m assuming that because it was a new server, it was waiting on a reboot to do something with the Windows Update Service. I say this because after I rebooted it. (Press Windows Key+I).
The server was more than happy to start pulling down updates.
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I’ve seen this on both the Windows 8 (Consumer Preview), and the Windows Server 8 (Beta), whilst running them in VMware Workstation 8. They install fine, but if you install the VMware tools all you get is a black screen.
This is because the SVGA Driver than VMware Tools installs Windows 8 does NOT Like.
Note: This does not hppen on ESXi 5.
Solution
I knew this was going to happen, so I took a snapshot before I installed VMware tools, Then I had the luxury of reverting back. If you are reading this you probably didn’t! If that IS the case, then press F8 as the Virtual Machine starts to boot to launch Automatic Repair (be quick on the keys).
Installing VMware Tools in Windows 8
1. To stop this happening, when you install VMware tools select > Custom > Remove the SVGA Driver > Next > Finish > Yes (to reboot).
2. You will notice that the display driver that is uses, is the “Microsoft Basic Display Adaptor”.
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Like Windows 7, Windows 8 is more than happy to gracefully shutdown if you press the power button on your PC/Laptop/Tablet. But now you don’t have a “Start Button” where’s the option to turn it off?
How to Shut Down Windows 8 (By Launching charms Bar)
1. To launch the “Metro Start Screen” you need to press the Windows key (or press CTRL+Esc), then locate the “Charms Bar” Button and hover over it. (Or Press Windows Key+C).
2. Select Settings.
3. Select Power > Shut down.
How to Shut Down Server 2012
1. Press Windows Key+I > Power > Shut down.
How to Shut Down Server 2012 (via the Charms Bar)
1. To launch the “Metro Start Screen” you need to press the Windows key (or press CTRL+Esc), then locate the “Charms Bar” Button and hover over it. (Or Press Windows Key+C).
2. Select Settings.
3. Select Power > Shut down.
4. Like its predecessor (Server 2008 R2) Windows Server 2012 wants to log a reason why it’s being shut down, enter the reason and select continue.
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Part Two – Prerequisites for Windows Server 2008 R2
KB ID 0000717
Problem
Originally I was just going to write a ‘Prerequisite for Exchange 2013’ article, but the needs of Windows Server 2008 R2 are so much greater than those of Windows Server 2012, I split them up. With that in mind, Id suggest you use Window s server 2012 rather than 2008 R2. (It will be supported for longer).
But if you are determined read on.
Solution
Planning ‘Time spent on reconnaissance is seldom wasted’
If you are going to deploy Exchange 2013 within your organisation, then you either already have Exchange (or another mail server product), or it’s a ‘Greenfield Site’.
You already have Exchange
Coexistence with Exchange 2003 is not supported, before you consider bringing in Exchange 2013, you will need to migrate to Exchange 2010, (a migration to Exchange 2007 would also work, but Exchange 2010 would be more sensible). Exchange 2013 Server can coexist in the same Exchange environment with both Exchange 2007 and Exchange 2010.
Make Sure you have the DVD or ISO file for Exchange 2013, you don’t want to download a 3.5GB File at a clients site through a slow ADSL Link! Also the prerequisite software is pretty big, get all that burned to disk, or on a USB Drive before you start.
Software Requirements
Well we are installing on Server 2008 R2 (Standard/Enterprise or Datacenter, though if you plan to deploy this server as part of a DAG Group, it needs to be Enterprise/Datacenter), so what else would you need to worry about? How about backup software? Does your current backup solution support Exchange 2013? Also check with your anti-virus/antispam vendor that 2013 wont be a problem. Do you have any mail archiving software, custom email signature software etc? Take a good look at the software packages in your existing mail system to make sure.
Outlook Client Access: Be aware your clients need to be using the following versions of Outlook BEFORE you migrate them.
1. CPU: As you’re planning on deploying with Windows Server 2008 R2 you will already have a server with an x64 bit CPU to deploy Exchange 2013 on, though IA64 is NOT supported.
2. RAM: This is dependent on what roles the server will have, for a Client Access Server the recommendation is 4GB, for a Mailbox Server it’s 8GB. And if the server will hold both roles the figure remains at 8GB. Though if I were deploying an Exchange 2013 Server in anger I would start at 12GB for a small (less than 80 mailbox’s) deployment and work upwards.
3. Disk Space: The drive which will hold the Exchange program files needs 30GB free space (that seems like a lot!) then there are some smaller figures you need to add up,
500MB per Universal Massaging Pack Language you are going to deploy.
200MB free on the servers system (OS) drive.
500MB free on the drive that will house the message queue database.
If the server will be a Mailbox server then it will need sufficient room to store the mailbox/public folder databases.
4. DVDROM Drive: Actually this is not really a requirement, but I’m mentioning it because a few modern servers ship without DVDROM drives now. You don’t want to go to site with a disk and look like a clown! Exchange 2013 will deploy quite happily from an ISO image. (If in doubt use 7ZIP to extract the ISO to a folder, and take that with you).
Pre Deployment – Environment
1. The Windows 2008 R2 server should be at least SP1. (If in doubt, Windows Key+R > winver {enter}).
2. Your forest functional level should be at least Windows Server 2003. To see your forest functional level, Windows Key > Active Directory Domains and Trusts > Action > Raise Forest Functional Level.
3. The domain controller that is holding the Schema Master FSMO role in your domain, needs to be at least Windows Server 2003 SP2. To see which server is the schema master server, run the following command;
Note: In this example, I’m on a standalone server, that’s also a domain controller (not recommended for production environments!). In a live environment you may need to plan in some downtime to update the schema master.
4. The server you are deploying on, must already be a member of your domain.
5. Run Windows Update, and make sure the server is fully up to date.
6. You will need to install both .Net 4.5 and Windows Management Framework 3.0 (That’s new WMI and Powershell 3 in case you were wondering), and Windows Management Framework 3.0. (Note: you need the Windows6.1-KB2506143-x64 version).
Note: These two pieces of software are needed on the server that will prepare the Active Directory, so they are not strictly prerequisites for Exchange 2013.
7. The Exchange 2013 Server needs the ADDS (RSAT) administration tools installing. To do that simply run the following command;
[box]Add-WindowsFeature RSAT-ADDS[/box]
Note: If you skipped step 6 then you will see the following error;
The term ‘Add-WindowsFeature’ is not recognized as the name of a cmdlet function, script file, or operable program.
Pre Deployment – Roles Required
Like previous versions of Exchange, you need to add certain roles to the server before you can install the product. Which roles you need, depend on whether you are deploying a server with the client access server role, or the mailbox server role (Note: if the server will hold BOTH roles, then the roles for mailbox server will cover both.)
Mailbox Server (Or Mailbox Server with Client Access Sever) – Roles Required
Note: At time of writing there is no Office 2013 Filter pack. I suspect that when it is released, it will need installing instead of the Office 2010 version, (that’s what happened with Exchange 2010 anyway).
7. Then install the Knowledge Base article KB2619234 (Enable the Association Cookie/GUID that is used by RPC over HTTP to also be used at the RPC layer in Windows 7 and in Windows Server 2008). Note: This update requires a reboot.
8. Then install the Knowledge Base article KB2533623 (Insecure library loading could allow remote code execution). If you are fully up to date you may find that this update will not be applicable to your system, and you will see the following popup.
Client Access Server Only – Roles Required
The only difference for a server running the Client Access Role is that .Net 4.5 and the WindowsManagement Framework are not requirements. However if you have been following all the steps you will already have them installed. And having them installed will cause you no problems. So, follow all the same steps, and install all the roles and software that is required for the ‘Mailbox/Combined Mailbox and Client Access Server’.
Related Articles, References, Credits, or External Links
Originally I was just going to write a ‘Prerequisite for Exchange 2013’ article, but the needs of Windows Server 2008R2 are so much greater, I split them up.
Solution
Planning ‘Time spent on reconnaissance is seldom wasted’
If you are going to deploy Exchange 2013 within your organisation, then you either already have Exchange (or another mail server product), or it’s a ‘Greenfield Site’.
You already have Exchange
Coexistence with Exchange 2003 is not supported, before you consider bringing in Exchange 2013, you will need to migrate to Exchange 2010, (a migration to Exchange 2007 would also work, but Exchange 2010 would be more sensible). Exchange 2013 Server can coexist in the same Exchange environment with both Exchange 2007 and Exchange 2010.
Warning: Even at Exchange 2010 – You cannot upgrade to Exchange 2013 without Service Pack 3.
Make Sure you have the DVD or ISO file for Exchange 2013, you don’t want to download a 3.5GB File at a clients site through a slow ADSL Link! Also the prerequisite software is pretty big, get all that burned to disk, or on a USB Drive before you start.
Software Requirements
Well we are installing on Server 2012 (Standard or Datacenter) so what else would you need to worry about? How about backup software? Does your current backup solution support Exchange 2013? Also check with your anti-virus/antispam vendor that 2013 wont be a problem. Do you have any mail archiving software, custom email signature software etc? Take a good look at the software packages in your existing mail system to make sure.
Outlook Client Access: Be aware your clients need to be using the following versions of Outlook BEFORE you migrate them.
1. CPU: As you’re planning on deploying with Windows Server 2012 you will already have a server with an x64 bit CPU to deploy Exchange 2013 on, though IA64 is NOT supported.
2. RAM: This is dependent on what roles the server will have, for a Client Access Server the recommendation is 4GB, for a Mailbox Server it’s 8GB. And if the server will hold both roles the figure remains at 8GB. Though if I were deploying an Exchange 2013 Server in anger I would start at 12GB for a small (less than 80 mailbox’s) deployment and work upwards.
3. Disk Space: The drive which will hold the Exchange program files needs 30GB free space (that seems like a lot!) then there are some smaller figures you need to add up,
500MB per Universal Massaging Pack Language you are going to deploy.
200MB free on the servers system (OS) drive.
500MB free on the drive that will house the message queue database.
If the server will be a Mailbox server then it will need sufficient room to store the mailbox/public folder databases.
4. DVDROM Drive: Actually this is not really a requirement, but I’m mentioning it because a few modern servers ship without DVDROM drives now. You don’t want to go to site with a disk and look like a clown! Exchange 2013 will deploy quite happily from an ISO image. (If in doubt use 7ZIP to extract the ISO to a folder, and take that with you).
Pre Deployment – Environment
1. The Windows 2012 server should be at least RTM, and should NOT be pre-release (If in doubt, Windows Key+R > winver {enter}). The build number should be at least 9200.
2. Your forest functional level should be at least Windows Server 2003. To see your forest functional level, Windows Key > Active Directory Domains and Trusts > Action > Raise Forest Functional Level.
3. The domain controller that is holding the Schema Master FSMO role in your domain, needs to be at least Windows Server 2003 SP2. To see which server is the schema master server, run the following command;
Note: In this example, I’m on a standalone server, that’s also a domain controller (not recommended for production environments!). In a live environment you may need to plan in some downtime to update the schema master.
4. The server you are deploying on, must already be a member of your domain.
5. Run Windows Update, and make sure the server is fully up to date. You will find Windows Update in Server Manager > Local Server.
6. Windows Server 2012 comes pre installed with .Net 4.5 and Windows Management Framework 3.0 (That’s new WMI and Powershell 3 in case you were wondering). So there’s nothing to do for this step, I only mention it for completeness.
7. The Exchange 2013 Server needs the ADDS (RSAT) administration tools installing. To do that simply run the following command;
[box] Install-WindowsFeature RSAT-ADDS [/box]
Note: As previously stated, the server used in the example above is a domain controller, so it already had the tools installed, hence the NoChangeNeeded exit code.
Pre Deployment – Roles Required
Note: From THIS POINT FORWARD, all roles can now installed with the RTM release of Exchange 2012 during setup. The following will only need to be carried out if you are installing the pre-release version of Exchange 2013.
Like previous versions of Exchange, you need to add certain roles to the server before you can install the product. Which roles you need, depend on whether you are deploying a server with the client access server role, or the mailbox server role (Note: if the server will hold BOTH roles, then the roles for mailbox server will cover both.)
Note: At time of writing there is no Office 2013 Filter pack. I suspect that when it is released, it will need installing instead of the Office 2010 version, (that’s what happened with Exchange 2010 anyway).
Related Articles, References, Credits, or External Links
