Hi Guys. This video is about nested VMs being used in KVM on unRAID Linux. We look at problems and solutions of installing VMware ESXI, VMware workstation, VMware Fusion, Microsoft hyper v and pararells desktop. All are running as nested hypervisors on KVM running a windows 10 guest.

Also shows how to install ESXI as a VM in unRAID

 

The problems and solutions of installing nested VMS in KVM on unRAID

 

 

At first I thought "why???"

 

Then I realized i wanted to play around with EXSi but didn't want to dedicate an entire machine to it.

 

So.... much appreciated! Great vid. now to figure out ESXi with an OS X guest....

also @gridrunner, in OS X if you go to system preferences>keyboard, then enable "use f1,f2 keys as standard function" then you can use them by pressing option. It's helpful if your server isn't close and you can't give it a physical keyboard.

25 minutes ago, 1812 said:

also @gridrunner, in OS X if you go to system preferences>keyboard, then enable "use f1,f2 keys as standard function" then you can use them by pressing option. It's helpful if your server isn't close and you can't give it a physical keyboard.

 

Ah thanks @1812 that will be very useful, didnt know that. It was very annoying pressing f11 and it not working 

it might be command and not option... whichever it i, it works....

 

 

but my esxi install isn't... lol.... I think it's because I accidentally downloaded 6.5 and not 6.0... will try 6.0

Edited February 25, 20179 yr by 1812

hmm... sam error...

 

 

anything look weird:

 

 

<domain type='kvm' xmlns:qemu='http://libvirt.org/schemas/domain/qemu/1.0'>
  <name>Linux</name>
  <uuid>6a5f5922-015e-5f84-9467-3bf7c437faaf</uuid>
  <metadata>
    <vmtemplate xmlns="unraid" name="Linux" icon="linux.png" os="linux"/>
  </metadata>
  <memory unit='KiB'>16777216</memory>
  <currentMemory unit='KiB'>16777216</currentMemory>
  <memoryBacking>
    <nosharepages/>
  </memoryBacking>
  <vcpu placement='static'>6</vcpu>
  <cputune>
    <vcpupin vcpu='0' cpuset='12'/>
    <vcpupin vcpu='1' cpuset='13'/>
    <vcpupin vcpu='2' cpuset='14'/>
    <vcpupin vcpu='3' cpuset='15'/>
    <vcpupin vcpu='4' cpuset='16'/>
    <vcpupin vcpu='5' cpuset='17'/>
  </cputune>
  <os>
    <type arch='x86_64' machine='pc-q35-2.5'>hvm</type>
  </os>
  <features>
    <acpi/>
    <apic/>
  </features>
  <cpu mode='host-passthrough'>
    <topology sockets='1' cores='6' threads='1'/>
  </cpu>
  <clock offset='utc'>
    <timer name='rtc' tickpolicy='catchup'/>
    <timer name='pit' tickpolicy='delay'/>
    <timer name='hpet' present='no'/>
  </clock>
  <on_poweroff>destroy</on_poweroff>
  <on_reboot>restart</on_reboot>
  <on_crash>restart</on_crash>
  <devices>
    <emulator>/usr/local/sbin/qemu</emulator>
    <disk type='file' device='cdrom'>
      <driver name='qemu' type='raw'/>
      <source file='/mnt/user/isos/VMware-VMvisor-Installer-6.0.0.update02-3620759.x86_64.iso'/>
      <target dev='hda' bus='sata'/>
      <readonly/>
      <boot order='2'/>
      <address type='drive' controller='0' bus='0' target='0' unit='0'/>
    </disk>
    <disk type='file' device='disk'>
      <driver name='qemu' type='raw' cache='writeback'/>
      <source file='/mnt/user/domains/Linux/vdisk1.img'/>
      <target dev='hdc' bus='sata'/>
      <boot order='1'/>
      <address type='drive' controller='0' bus='0' target='0' unit='2'/>
    </disk>
    <controller type='usb' index='0' model='ich9-ehci1'>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x07' function='0x7'/>
    </controller>
    <controller type='usb' index='0' model='ich9-uhci1'>
      <master startport='0'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x07' function='0x0' multifunction='on'/>
    </controller>
    <controller type='usb' index='0' model='ich9-uhci2'>
      <master startport='2'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x07' function='0x1'/>
    </controller>
    <controller type='usb' index='0' model='ich9-uhci3'>
      <master startport='4'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x07' function='0x2'/>
    </controller>
    <controller type='sata' index='0'>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x1f' function='0x2'/>
    </controller>
    <controller type='pci' index='0' model='pcie-root'/>
    <controller type='pci' index='1' model='dmi-to-pci-bridge'>
      <model name='i82801b11-bridge'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x1e' function='0x0'/>
    </controller>
    <controller type='pci' index='2' model='pci-bridge'>
      <model name='pci-bridge'/>
      <target chassisNr='2'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x01' slot='0x01' function='0x0'/>
    </controller>
    <controller type='virtio-serial' index='0'>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x02' slot='0x02' function='0x0'/>
    </controller>
    <interface type='bridge'>
      <mac address='52:54:00:ee:f8:f1'/>
      <source bridge='br0'/>
      <model type='vmxnet3'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x02' slot='0x01' function='0x0'/>
    </interface>
    <serial type='pty'>
      <target port='0'/>
    </serial>
    <console type='pty'>
      <target type='serial' port='0'/>
    </console>
    <channel type='unix'>
      <source mode='connect'/>
      <target type='virtio' name='org.qemu.guest_agent.0'/>
      <address type='virtio-serial' controller='0' bus='0' port='1'/>
    </channel>
    <input type='tablet' bus='usb'/>
    <input type='mouse' bus='ps2'/>
    <input type='keyboard' bus='ps2'/>
    <graphics type='vnc' port='-1' autoport='yes' websocket='-1' listen='0.0.0.0' keymap='en-us'>
      <listen type='address' address='0.0.0.0'/>
    </graphics>
    <video>
      <model type='qxl' ram='65536' vram='65536' vgamem='16384' heads='1'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x01' function='0x0'/>
    </video>
    <memballoon model='virtio'>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x02' slot='0x03' function='0x0'/>
    </memballoon>
  </devices>
  <qemu:commandline>
    <qemu:arg value='-machine'/>
    <qemu:arg value='vmport=off'/>
  </qemu:commandline>
</domain>

 

Edited February 25, 20179 yr by 1812

3 hours ago, 1812 said:

hmm... sam error...

 

 

anything look weird:

 

 

 

1

 

Umm thats strange everything is almost identical to mine. You are using same esxi build. The only thing i can see differnt is i am using pc-q35-2.7 rather than 2.5

Maybe there is something else different i cant see as i have had a few beers tonight now!!!

 

This is my xml for comparision.

<domain type='kvm' xmlns:qemu='http://libvirt.org/schemas/domain/qemu/1.0'>
  <name>01 esxi</name>
  <uuid>4b972ded-5967-ebc6-de3d-f574ea7f30bd</uuid>
  <metadata>
    <vmtemplate xmlns="unraid" name="Linux" icon="esxi_icon.png" os="linux"/>
  </metadata>
  <memory unit='KiB'>16777216</memory>
  <currentMemory unit='KiB'>16777216</currentMemory>
  <memoryBacking>
    <nosharepages/>
  </memoryBacking>
  <vcpu placement='static'>12</vcpu>
  <cputune>
    <vcpupin vcpu='0' cpuset='16'/>
    <vcpupin vcpu='1' cpuset='17'/>
    <vcpupin vcpu='2' cpuset='18'/>
    <vcpupin vcpu='3' cpuset='19'/>
    <vcpupin vcpu='4' cpuset='20'/>
    <vcpupin vcpu='5' cpuset='21'/>
    <vcpupin vcpu='6' cpuset='22'/>
    <vcpupin vcpu='7' cpuset='23'/>
    <vcpupin vcpu='8' cpuset='24'/>
    <vcpupin vcpu='9' cpuset='25'/>
    <vcpupin vcpu='10' cpuset='26'/>
    <vcpupin vcpu='11' cpuset='27'/>
  </cputune>
  <os>
    <type arch='x86_64' machine='pc-q35-2.7'>hvm</type>
  </os>
  <features>
    <acpi/>
    <apic/>
  </features>
  <cpu mode='host-passthrough'>
    <topology sockets='1' cores='6' threads='2'/>
  </cpu>
  <clock offset='utc'>
    <timer name='rtc' tickpolicy='catchup'/>
    <timer name='pit' tickpolicy='delay'/>
    <timer name='hpet' present='no'/>
  </clock>
  <on_poweroff>destroy</on_poweroff>
  <on_reboot>restart</on_reboot>
  <on_crash>restart</on_crash>
  <devices>
    <emulator>/usr/local/sbin/qemu</emulator>
    <disk type='file' device='cdrom'>
      <driver name='qemu' type='raw'/>
      <source file='/mnt/user/software/operating systems/esxi6/VMware-VMvisor-Installer-6.0.0.update02-3620759.x86_64.iso'/>
      <target dev='hda' bus='sata'/>
      <readonly/>
      <boot order='2'/>
      <address type='drive' controller='0' bus='0' target='0' unit='0'/>
    </disk>
    <disk type='file' device='disk'>
      <driver name='qemu' type='raw' cache='writeback'/>
      <source file='/mnt/user/virtual systems/01 esxi/vdisk1.img'/>
      <target dev='hdc' bus='sata'/>
      <boot order='1'/>
      <address type='drive' controller='0' bus='0' target='0' unit='2'/>
    </disk>
    <controller type='usb' index='0' model='ich9-ehci1'>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x07' function='0x7'/>
    </controller>
    <controller type='usb' index='0' model='ich9-uhci1'>
      <master startport='0'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x07' function='0x0' multifunction='on'/>
    </controller>
    <controller type='usb' index='0' model='ich9-uhci2'>
      <master startport='2'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x07' function='0x1'/>
    </controller>
    <controller type='usb' index='0' model='ich9-uhci3'>
      <master startport='4'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x07' function='0x2'/>
    </controller>
    <controller type='sata' index='0'>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x1f' function='0x2'/>
    </controller>
    <controller type='pci' index='0' model='pcie-root'/>
    <controller type='pci' index='1' model='dmi-to-pci-bridge'>
      <model name='i82801b11-bridge'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x1e' function='0x0'/>
    </controller>
    <controller type='pci' index='2' model='pci-bridge'>
      <model name='pci-bridge'/>
      <target chassisNr='2'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x01' slot='0x00' function='0x0'/>
    </controller>
    <controller type='virtio-serial' index='0'>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x02' slot='0x02' function='0x0'/>
    </controller>
    <interface type='bridge'>
      <mac address='52:54:00:fa:50:27'/>
      <source bridge='br0'/>
      <model type='vmxnet3'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x02' slot='0x01' function='0x0'/>
    </interface>
    <serial type='pty'>
      <target port='0'/>
    </serial>
    <console type='pty'>
      <target type='serial' port='0'/>
    </console>
    <channel type='unix'>
      <target type='virtio' name='org.qemu.guest_agent.0'/>
      <address type='virtio-serial' controller='0' bus='0' port='1'/>
    </channel>
    <input type='tablet' bus='usb'>
      <address type='usb' bus='0' port='2'/>
    </input>
    <input type='mouse' bus='ps2'/>
    <input type='keyboard' bus='ps2'/>
    <graphics type='vnc' port='-1' autoport='yes' websocket='-1' listen='0.0.0.0' keymap='en-us'>
      <listen type='address' address='0.0.0.0'/>
    </graphics>
    <video>
      <model type='qxl' ram='65536' vram='65536' vgamem='16384' heads='1' primary='yes'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x01' function='0x0'/>
    </video>
    <hostdev mode='subsystem' type='usb' managed='no'>
      <source>
        <vendor id='0x046d'/>
        <product id='0xc52b'/>
      </source>
      <address type='usb' bus='0' port='1'/>
    </hostdev>
    <memballoon model='virtio'>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x02' slot='0x03' function='0x0'/>
    </memballoon>
  </devices>
  <qemu:commandline>
    <qemu:arg value='-machine'/>
    <qemu:arg value='vmport=off'/>
  </qemu:commandline>
</domain>

 

I think I figured it out. 

 

Found this: https://commondenial.com/2014/02/07/grey-screen-of-death-esxi-5-x-installation/

 

which relates to using mac keyboard, so when I was pressing F11, it wasn't really doing it (not sure what it was doing but something made it progress forward.)

 

SO I went further into keyboard setting, disabled show desktop on f11, and for good measure, launched and used the keyboard viewer.

 

finishing install now. if it does not work, I'll report back, otherwise, solved the problem I created.

Added to Guides and Videos.

 

Wondering if I should create an "Advanced VM topics" section ...

I think we really need a more comprehensive manual for vm creation and problem solving that folks could be directed towards... lots of the same things popping up lately and nobody is searching....

 

Step 1: watch the videos and follow them as a guide

 

Step 2: common problems and how to solve them (next in the series from @gridrunner "IOMMU and YOU"

 

Step 3: alcohol.

incase anyone is wondering, proxmox also works nested (just tried it, currently installing windows 10) no modifications to xml, just setup as linux install.

Great video (as usual)

 

Anyone know when kernel 4.10 might end up in unRAID? I could really do with the HyperV stuff working for some DSC stuff in Windows....

I had my ESXI server hardware crashed recently.   The OS and data are one  hard drive. The Hard Drive is just fine, but the hardware will no longer boot ESXI.  It keeps locking up.  I would like to setup a VM in unRAID to boot off of the hard drive.  This is only a temporary solution until I can get the hardware together to replace the failed system.