ESX / ESXi Bios Tools

Discussion in 'Virtualization' started by pix, Nov 22, 2009.

  1. sebus

    sebus MDL Guru

    Jul 23, 2008
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    Yes, exactly. Andy's Phoenix Tool does the modding just fine (with extra options to select)

    sebus
     
  2. gldigital

    gldigital MDL Junior Member

    Jan 6, 2011
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    Yes, and it worked ... :cool:
     
  3. godfather007

    godfather007 MDL Novice

    Jul 28, 2009
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    Could somebody hand me a lightbulb?

    The tool is used first by: extracting, patching and then injecting the ROM file though?


    Just installed a HP build ESXi 4.1 U1 build 348481 and connection is done successfully but:

    somewhere in the beginning it cannot copy:


    cp /vmfs/volumes/Hypervisor2/s.z /vmfs/volumes/volID#/vmvisor-sys/sys.gz

    cp: cannot stat '/vmfs/volumes/Hypervisor2/s.z': No such file or directory


    From that point... red...


    I'm going to reinstall with only 1 array known to the system...
     
  4. godfather007

    godfather007 MDL Novice

    Jul 28, 2009
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    but also here it does not work...

    could a NON-hp build do the trick?
     
  5. godfather007

    godfather007 MDL Novice

    Jul 28, 2009
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    bzzz.... also this one is a no-go... i'm out of options..

    DL380G5 configured with 1 array.

    Set the password;
    Enabled SSH;

    but:

    cp /vmfs/volumes/Hypervisor2/s.z /vmfs/volumes/volID#/vmvisor-sys/sys.gz

    cp: cannot stat '/vmfs/volumes/Hypervisor2/s.z': No such file or directory
     
  6. godfather007

    godfather007 MDL Novice

    Jul 28, 2009
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    Hmmm...

    the missing elements are in /vmfs/volumes/Hypervisor1/


    Any idea ordo the script manual?
     
  7. sebus

    sebus MDL Guru

    Jul 23, 2008
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    You ARE using latest version 1.1.3 ?

    Also you read post #104 ?

    sebus
     
  8. godfather007

    godfather007 MDL Novice

    Jul 28, 2009
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    yeah, was about to do that.. have to make a RW-report for the phoenix tool still

    only important is file is S.Z?
     
  9. sebus

    sebus MDL Guru

    Jul 23, 2008
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    Yes & no about the report. Latest update uses the SAME 3.15 BIOS like previos version & same like Workstation 7.1.3, so if you have that modded BIOS handy, you do not even need to mod it again!

    I believe s.z is the only file you need for ESXi

    sebus
     
  10. godfather007

    godfather007 MDL Novice

    Jul 28, 2009
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    few... worked ...

    Copying file S.Z from Hypervisor1 to Hypervisor2

    Ran the tool to extract...

    Modded the file with phoenix tool.

    Renamed back to BIOS440.rom

    Injected the file.... crunch.. crunch ...

    Moved S.Z back to Hypervisor1 directory , ... ran tool again... crunch.. crunch ... and running,...
     
  11. sebus

    sebus MDL Guru

    Jul 23, 2008
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    Easy, isn't it?
    Just a bit of reading & all is clear

    sebus
     
  12. pix

    pix MDL Member

    Nov 3, 2008
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    Thanks for providing a workaround sebus. It looks like the tool is not using the correct Hypervisor folder under certain circumstances though.

    godfather007 - can you post here or PM me with the boot.cfg files from your Hypervisor1 and 2 folders? I'll refine the code and get a new build up.
     
  13. smlick

    smlick MDL Novice

    Jun 3, 2009
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    I tried the tool in ESXi 4.1 update 1 but I get some error.
    I'll attach some screenshot that are better than 1000 words.
    Can you give me some help??

    Regards
    Alessio
     
  14. sebus

    sebus MDL Guru

    Jul 23, 2008
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    Follow the same workaround

    sebus
     
  15. smlick

    smlick MDL Novice

    Jun 3, 2009
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    So I have to copy all the contents of folder Hypervisor1 into Hypervisor2, then patching and after that copy again the file into Hypervisor1?
    Is that correct?

    And the file boot.cfg that I have in both folder?
    I have to backup it or it can be overwritten??

    Regards
    Alessio
     
  16. smlick

    smlick MDL Novice

    Jun 3, 2009
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    I tried........simply perfect!!!!!!! Thank you :worthy:

    Just a curiosity.........so the file inside Hypervisor2 (in my case) are not useful and can be deleted after the mod??


    Regards
    Alessio
     
  17. pix

    pix MDL Member

    Nov 3, 2008
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    I could do with getting a copy of the boot.cfg files before people overwrite the contents of their Hypervisor2 folders. I can get a new version up then so you won't need to use workarounds.
     
  18. yngdiego

    yngdiego MDL Member

    Feb 14, 2008
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    I did a fresh install of ESXi 4.1 U1 (non-HP) to a 4GB USB stick, and got the same hypervisor2 file copy error. I'll try the workaround..but a new version would be appreciated. :)

    Boot.cfg from Hypervisor1 folder:
    kernel=b.z
    kernelopt=
    modules=k.z --- s.z --- c.z --- oem.tgz --- license.tgz --- m.z
    build=4.1.0-348481
    updated=1
    bootstate=0

    Boot.cfg from Hypervisor2 folder:
    kernel=b.z
    kernelopt=
    modules=k.z --- s.z --- c.z --- oem.tgz --- license.tgz --- m.z
    build=4.1.0-348481
    updated=2
    bootstate=3

    Also, the tool was at first unable to connect to my freshly loaded ESXi 4.1 U1 server even though SSH was enabled. After a couple of failures I manually launched WinSCP, was able to connect (acknowledging a thumbprint warning), then the ESXi bios tool was able to connect. So I'm thinking it wouldn't connect because of the Thumbprint issue.
     
  19. pix

    pix MDL Member

    Nov 3, 2008
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    Thanks for your help - I've PM'd you a new build to try out. If it's working for you I'll put it up here.

    Dunno what's happening with WinSCP, I'll have to look into it.
     
  20. yngdiego

    yngdiego MDL Member

    Feb 14, 2008
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    Worked like a champ! This was a new ESXi 4.1 U1 server, and I didn't get the WinSCP issue. So maybe lastime was just a fluke.