fbiryujin Posted August 1, 2011 Share Posted August 1, 2011 Does anyone know if you can install ESXi 5 (beta) on the Mac Mini Mid 2010 desktop model? (not the mac mini server) I want to do this tonight, but I don't feel like blowing away my OS X installation if it winds up being for nothing. Thanks Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/264343-esxi-5-and-mac-mini-mid-2010/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockfogel Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 Does anyone know if you can install ESXi 5 (beta) on the Mac Mini Mid 2010 desktop model? (not the mac mini server) I want to do this tonight, but I don't feel like blowing away my OS X installation if it winds up being for nothing. Thanks I have tried this. You can boot ESXi 5 from the CD without error and without altering the HD. Then you suppose to select the installation media, the HD (which destroy it) or better a USB (to boot from next time). The problem is that ESXi dont recognize the keyboard input for the selection. Later you must have a disk area for ESXi to use, like a separate partition on the HD . Do anyone have a solution for the keyboard input? Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/264343-esxi-5-and-mac-mini-mid-2010/#findComment-1745188 Share on other sites More sharing options...
fbiryujin Posted September 6, 2011 Author Share Posted September 6, 2011 I have tried this. You can boot ESXi 5 from the CD without error and without altering the HD. Then you suppose to select the installation media, the HD (which destroy it) or better a USB (to boot from next time). The problem is that ESXi dont recognize the keyboard input for the selection. Later you must have a disk area for ESXi to use, like a separate partition on the HD . Do anyone have a solution for the keyboard input? As far as my setup I'd be using an iSCSI SAN for disk storage for the VMs. The keyboard input is the issue for me as well. I think they are only officially supporting XServe. (Which is dumb, because those were discontinued) Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/264343-esxi-5-and-mac-mini-mid-2010/#findComment-1745189 Share on other sites More sharing options...
oegie Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 Have you tried to create a esxi installation on an usb stick on some other non-apple system and using this stick to boot esxi on the Mini? It worked that way for me an my MBP. Once installed the keyboard worked and the esxi was useable... Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/264343-esxi-5-and-mac-mini-mid-2010/#findComment-1745909 Share on other sites More sharing options...
fbiryujin Posted September 8, 2011 Author Share Posted September 8, 2011 Have you tried to create a esxi installation on an usb stick on some other non-apple system and using this stick to boot esxi on the Mini? It worked that way for me an my MBP. Once installed the keyboard worked and the esxi was useable... I'll have to give that a shot. Perhaps I can even boot to a linux disk, and clone the installation to the mini. I really want to run a few Lion VMs. Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/264343-esxi-5-and-mac-mini-mid-2010/#findComment-1746042 Share on other sites More sharing options...
paraguin Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 After reading this, we discovered that you can use ESXi 5 on a Mac Mini 2011 (5,3). Step by step instructions are available here: http://paraguin.com/2012/01/10/the-mac-mini-vmware-esxi-5-server-part-2-installation/ What we found out was that the Broadcom NIC driver that is included in the ESXi 5 install does not work. After downloading the updated driver off of VMware's site and using it, then you are able to ping and utilize the NIC card fully. Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/264343-esxi-5-and-mac-mini-mid-2010/#findComment-1786112 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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