Damn quick way to install ESXi 'eau masse' onto USB

We deploy quite a lot of ESXi server and most of them run of USB.
With this you can prepare a whole bunch of USB sticks in advance. Then if you need a deployment, grab a stick, put it in the server and done
1. Format the USB stick
2. Download ESX Installable (4.0u1 for example).
3. Extract iso using MagicIso / Winrar or similar
4. Extract 'imagedd' from file 'imagedd.bz2

This will end up being a 900MB file extracted so make sure you got enough room
5. Download and install Winimage
6. Disk > Restore Virtual Hard Disk image on physical drive

7. Choose the USB stick

8. Choose the extracted image file

9. Make sure you don't need any data off that stick

10. Let it do its thing

11. Disconnect / Remove the stick, whack it into a server and done
Here even booting of a USB stick mounted remotely
With this you can prepare a whole bunch of USB sticks in advance. Then if you need a deployment, grab a stick, put it in the server and done

1. Format the USB stick
2. Download ESX Installable (4.0u1 for example).
3. Extract iso using MagicIso / Winrar or similar
4. Extract 'imagedd' from file 'imagedd.bz2

This will end up being a 900MB file extracted so make sure you got enough room
5. Download and install Winimage
6. Disk > Restore Virtual Hard Disk image on physical drive

7. Choose the USB stick

8. Choose the extracted image file

9. Make sure you don't need any data off that stick

10. Let it do its thing

11. Disconnect / Remove the stick, whack it into a server and done
Here even booting of a USB stick mounted remotely


My own knowledge base made public: http://open902.com 
