VMware ESX Server December 26, 2002
Tips and Tricks
To rip a CD-ROM from the Console OS (assuming that track 0 is data):
dd if=/dev/cdrom of=path/installdisk.iso bs=32k
To add a ne user on the Console OS:
!e logged in as root"
adduser c "Jane Doe" jdoe
passwd jdoe
To add a ne group on the Console OS# then add user $craig% to the group:
!e logged in as root"
groupadd esadmins
usermod ! esadmins craig
To displa& ho much space is a'aila(le in each mounted file s&stem:
df k
To list all running processes:
ps ef
To continuousl& displa& running processes that are top consumers of C)*:
top
To import a +Mare ,orkstation or -S. Ser'er 'irtual disk:
!e logged in as root"
vmkfstools i /native/path/foo.vmdk VMFS"foo.dsk
/S. Ser'er Tips and Tricks 0o'em(er 10# 1001 2 of 3
To securel& and safel& cop& a 'irtual disk from one s&stem to another:
!e logged in as root"
vmkfstools #$ # VMFS"vmfile.dsk % ss& user'2ndESXserver (
"vmkfstools #) # VMFS"vmfile.dsk"
To 'ie a list of all registered +Ms:
cat /etc/vmware/vm#list
To run a command that is stored in the current director&:
./filename
To 'ie or modif& the allocation of de'ices to the Console OS or the +Ms# or (oth:
!e logged in as root"
vmkpcidiv* )
To create a ne +M4S partition hile 'irtual machines are running:
2" !e logged in as root"
1" *se the vmkfstools command to create# and print the name of# a ne de'ice
file that points to the entire disk or 5*0" /6ample: /dev/vsd+
vmkfstools , vm&bac"t"l"+
7" *se the fdisk command to modif& its partition ta(le"
fdisk /dev/vsd+
a" /nter p to print the present partition ta(le
(" /nter n to create a ne partition
c" 4or e6ample# let us assume that e are creating a ne partition num(er 2"
d" /nter t to change the partition t&pe to --# the t&pe for a +M4S
e" /nter w to sa'e the partition to disk
3" *se the vmkfstools command to (uild a +M4S in the designated partition"
(Specif& the partition num(er &ou 8ust created in place of .")
vmkfstools #/ vm&bac"t"l".
/S. Ser'er Tips and Tricks 0o'em(er 10# 1001 1 of 3
To create a ne partition for Console OS files on a SCS9 disk:
2" :ccess the Console OS;s command line" 9f &ou are ph&sicall& present at the /S.
Ser'er;s console# press :lt-41 to (ring up a 'irtual terminal# and log in as user
root" Otherise# &ou ma& use ssh to log in to the Console OS as root< or# if
&ou do not ha'e an ssh client for &our desktop machine# and if &ou ha'e selected
Medium securit&# &ou ma& telnet to the Console OS as an ordinar& user# and then
use the command
su
to (ecome root"
1" *se the fdisk command to displa& the partition ta(le of &our disk dri'es"
fdisk l /dev/sda
fdisk l /dev/sdb
7" Select a disk dri'e ith unallocated space" /nter the interacti'e fdisk
command (& omitting the l flag" 4or e6ample:
fdisk /dev/sdb
,hile inside this tool# &ou ma& gi'e the m command to displa& a menu of
a'aila(le commands" =ou ma& also gi'e the p command to print the current disk
partition la&out" 9f &ou make changes and ish to discard them# re'erting to the
disk;s pre'ious la&out# 8ust use 0 to >uit ithout sa'ing"
3" /nter the n command to (uild a ne partition"
9f &ou are offered a choice (eteen (uilding a primar& or an e6tended partition#
choose the latter (& entering e " =our e6tended partition ill allo &ou to create
as man& logical partitions as &ou ish inside it" Therefore# (uild an e6tended
partition that co'ers all the unallocated space on the disk" :ccept the default for
(oth the first c&linder and the last c&linder"
9f &ou are not offered the choice of making an e6tended partition# or if &ou ha'e
made one# enter n to (uild another ne partition and proceed to the ne6t step"
?" :ccept the default for starting c&linder"
@" The ne6t prompt ill re>uest the ending c&linder" Specif& the desired siAe of the
partition (& preceding a num(er of mega(&tes ith a B " 4or e6ample# to re>uest
a 2 -! partition# &ou ould enter the folloing at this prompt:
1.+223
C" *se the n command as man& times as &ou ish to (uild partitions on this disk"
*se the p command to check &our ork as &ou go" Don;t forget that &ou can
a(andon &our changes and start o'er at an& time (& entering >"
D" ,hen &ou are satisfied ith the partition ta(le# enter to rite &our changes to
disk and e6it the program"
9mportant: =ou ma& see a arning message that ad'ises &ou to re(oot in order to
make sure that &our ne partition ta(le is re-read into memor&" 9f &ou see this
arning# heed itE Re(oot (efore proceeding to the ne6t step"
/S. Ser'er Tips and Tricks 0o'em(er 10# 1001 7 of 3
To (uild and mount a Console OS ($e6t7%) file s&stem in that partition:
2" !uild a (asic ($e6t1%) 5inu6 file s&stem in the ne partition ith this command:
mke2fs /dev/sda3
1" Con'ert the file s&stem to a 8ournaled ($e6t7%) file s&stem ith this command:
tune2fs j /dev/sda3
7" Make an empt& director& on hich to mount the ne file s&stem:
mkdir /etra
3" Mount the ne file s&stem:
mount t et3 /dev/sda3 /etra
?" /dit /etc/fstab< add a line for /etra so that it is remounted upon re(oot:
/dev/sda3 /etra et3 defaults . 2
/S. Ser'er Tips and Tricks 0o'em(er 10# 1001 3 of 3
