6.5.1

Table Of Contents
n
Have a network adapter connected to the network where the PXE server resides.
For details about guest operating system installation, see the Guest Operating System Installation Guide
at http://partnerweb.vmware.com/GOSIG/home.html.
Install a Guest Operating System from Media
You can install a guest operating system from a CD-ROM or from an ISO image. Installing from an ISO
image is typically faster and more convenient than a CD-ROM installation.
If the virtual machine’s boot sequence progresses too quickly for you to open a console to the virtual
machine and enter BIOS or EFI setup, you might need to delay the boot order. See Delay the Boot
Sequence.
Prerequisites
n
Verify that the installation ISO image is present on a VMFS datastore or network file system (NFS)
volume accessible to the ESXi host.
Alternatively, verify that an ISO image is present in a content library.
n
Verify that you have the installation instructions that the operating system vendor provides.
Procedure
1 Log in to the vCenter Server system or host on which the virtual machine resides.
2 Select an installation method.
Option Action
CD-ROM Insert the installation CD-ROM for your guest operating system into the CD-ROM
drive of your ESXi host.
ISO image a Right-click the virtual machine and select Edit Settings. The virtual machine
Edit Settings dialog box opens. If the Virtual Hardware tab is not
preselected, select it.
b Select Datastore ISO File from the CD/DVD drop-down menu, and browse
for the ISO image for your guest operating system.
ISO image from a Content Library a Right-click the virtual machine and select Edit Settings. The virtual machine
Edit Settings dialog box opens. If the Virtual Hardware tab is not
preselected, select it.
b Select Content Library ISO File from the CD/DVD drop-down menu, and
select an ISO image from the content library items.
3 Right-click the virtual machine and select Power On.
A green right arrow appears next to the virtual machine icon in the inventory list.
4 Follow the installation instructions that the operating system vendor provides.
vSphere Virtual Machine Administration
VMware, Inc. 23