Can i install unRAID on ESXi server in a VM?

[Socrates]

So, i am new to unRAID, have been with FlexRAID for years before moving to SnapRAID. However I would like to get onto a more stable platform with mostly like setup and forget environment as i travel for work a lot.

I;ve had snapraid and flexraid before that setup on my ESXi server in a VM, and it has worked very well for me.

This is going to be a headless server for storing my media, and will be viewing/accessing them via my HTPC, through Plex or Kodi.

Now, i'd like to know if i can install unraid in a vm, I have a few instances of linux installed using a virtual usb device, and then loading the iso into that device.

How do i go about installing unraid? I see there is a zip file, which u have to unzip and then copy to a USB, and then click the bat file to make the usb bootable..

What do i need to do in a VM, I have create a VM already, and assigned it a USB device.

 

Now what is Plop? I have been reading in one of the thread here.. about plop? (pls ignore the plop if its not important)

[trurl]

I have moved your post to the appropriate subforum. You might take a look at some of the threads here. Note that Limetech does not officially support this configuration and not many users are doing it this way. Also note that unRAID itself is a virtual host so you could run VMs in unRAID if you want.

[Socrates]

9 minutes ago, trurl said:

I have moved your post to the appropriate subforum. You might take a look at some of the threads here. Note that Limetech does not officially support this configuration and not many users are doing it this way. Also note that unRAID itself is a virtual host so you could run VMs in unRAID if you want.

Thanks for your reply.

I do not have much option to run unraid any other way other than running it over a vm.

This entire server is running over ESXi, no provision to stick a usb into a server, even if i try, I will have to change the entire lsi hba cards setup all over. I dont mind setting it up on a vm (even if its not supported officially by unRAID).

 

[testdasi]

unRAID license is tied to the USB stick so if you can't plug the stick in then there's no way for you to unRAID.

Plop is a bootable iso image that allow you to pick a USB stick to chain boot into. Some host implementation doesn't allow to boot from USB stick.

 

That server surely ain't your average Joe's kinda thing. You are probably better off considering an alternative solution or pay the unRAID guys to give you enterprise level consultation. Not sure why you even put SnapRAID / FlexRAID on that hardware too.

[Socrates]

29 minutes ago, testdasi said:

unRAID license is tied to the USB stick so if you can't plug the stick in then there's no way for you to unRAID.

Plop is a bootable iso image that allow you to pick a USB stick to chain boot into. Some host implementation doesn't allow to boot from USB stick.

 

That server surely ain't your average Joe's kinda thing. You are probably better off considering an alternative solution or pay the unRAID guys to give you enterprise level consultation. Not sure why you even put SnapRAID / FlexRAID on that hardware too.

Thanks for your reply.

I have been running FlexRAID for the past 6 years without a glitch on this same server, on a ESXi VM. Since Brahim (FlexRAID dev) abandoned the project and lack of support I've moved to SnapRAID, same setup as Flex.. and its been working great for the past year or so.

I am planning on upgrading all my 4TB disks to 8TB, hence thought this is the best time for me to get into unRAID, as the UI is extremely intuitive, and its almost like a setup and forget option.

With snapraid, i dont get smart and other notifications for bad sectors, i could setup notifications on unraid and setup notifications using growl to recieve sms msgs for a disk in question.

 

Though every aspect of the server is enterprise grade including the disks.. the firewall appliance is all top notch using botnet prevention, IPS and IDS. I have over 35 VM's on esxi.. i cant depend on unraid to do this for me. I am interested in using unraid only for media server... over a vm

 

Edited September 15, 2018 by Socrates

[trurl]

Not sure if unRAID can read your disks as they are. I do know that you must let unRAID format each disk it will use in the array or cache pool.

 

[Socrates]

34 minutes ago, trurl said:

Not sure if unRAID can read your disks as they are. I do know that you must let unRAID format each disk it will use in the array or cache pool.

  

I am planning to setup a new vm host, and provision new 8x8TB disks for unraid.. these are brand new disks, and then move the files from one filesystem to another, probably will use a program called.. unassigned drives

[StevenD]

unRAID works just fine as an vSphere VM, though as others have said, it is unsupported.  You will, however, have to pass through a USB key through for licensing.  I dont use PLOP. I prefer to boot off of a VMDK. 

 

In the event that I have a problem (and need support), all I have to do is change the boot order and boot directly from the USB.

[Socrates]

1 hour ago, StevenD said:

unRAID works just fine as an vSphere VM, though as others have said, it is unsupported.  You will, however, have to pass through a USB key through for licensing.  I dont use PLOP. I prefer to boot off of a VMDK. 

  

In the event that I have a problem (and need support), all I have to do is change the boot order and boot directly from the USB.

Thanks, so i was able to import the vmdk into my esxi data store, and bootup unraid. Its up now..

however how do i go about adding the licensed key?

 

I used the thread here..

 

Is there a tutorial on licensing the key at usb level using this method?

Also.. the new is not on this list, is it easy to upgrade to the newest unraid build? procedures appreciated..

 

[StevenD]

11 hours ago, Socrates said:

Thanks, so i was able to import the vmdk into my esxi data store, and bootup unraid. Its up now..

however how do i go about adding the licensed key?

 

I used the thread here..

 

Is there a tutorial on licensing the key at usb level using this method?

Also.. the new is not on this list, is it easy to upgrade to the newest unraid build? procedures appreciated..

 

 

You need to passthru either the USB key itself, or I prefer the entire USB controller, since I dont need it anywhere else.  You also need to passthru your HBAs.

 

Edited September 16, 2018 by StevenD

[Socrates]

7 hours ago, StevenD said:

 

You need to passthru either the USB key itself, or I prefer the entire USB controller, since I dont need it anywhere else.  You also need to passthru your HBAs.

 

Thanks, i am gonna try this out. RIght now i am struggling with logging into unraid using tower/ or the ip address.

I have posted the issue in here