How to install HiPath 8000 on VMware
Prerequisites:
1. You need a guest system with at least 2 GB RAM and VMware Server (I had
version 1.0.4) installed. I have used a dual core 3 GHz Pentium D 830, 3 GB
or RAM, Suse 10.1 installed.
2. You need to install VMware Server Console on the system, from where you
want to control the procedure. I have used my Windows XP notebook with
VMware Server 1.0.4 + VMware Server Console 1.0.4.
3. Prepare a USB stick or floppy disk with a node.cfg. Your VMware host must
support connection of the floppy drive or USB to the guest systems (this
works on my Windows XP notebook, but USB VMware connection does not
work on my Suse 10.1, so I have used the following alternative):
- Alternatively, you can connect a floppy image to the guest system. See
“Appendix 2: create a floppy image”.
In VMware Console, create a new image
 FileNewVirtual MachineNextCustomeNextLinuxSUSE Linux
Enterprise Server (I want to be able to run it on 32 Bit systems for maximal
portability, so I do not choose the 64 bit version)
enter Name and Path of Virtual Machine
Not private in my case. I want others to have access rights.
Next
Next
I want to be able to run it one-processor systems (maximum of portability)
Next
You will need at least 1 GB of memory (I have not yet tested less). I want to be able
to run it on machines with only 2 GB of memory, so I do not choose more (can be
changed afterwards). It is better to use less for the image and NOT overwhelm the
host system! Otherwise the host is dying and you will get 100 % CPU load. So, if you
only have 1GB of memory either do not even try to host the image or try to run it with
600 MB memory (never tested before).
I use host-only networking. For this to work, you need to enable IP forwarding on
the host machine!
Next
Next
Next
BETTER use Split disk option! That eases the transport with FAT32 USB sticks
or hard drives a lot!
144 GB, I did not allocate since I do not want to use more than 10 GB of it. Do not
choose less the 144 GB in case of a node.cfg for the new IBM server assumes
144 GB. Formatting would fail afterwards. (In the details configuration during
creation of the node.cfg file, you can specify to use only 72 GB. This is, what I
have done successfully next time).
 Finish.
Edit virtual machine settings
AddNext
choose Floppy Drive
Use an existing floppy image like prepared in “Appendix 2: create a floppy image”.
(creating a blank floppy might work, but you will need to format e.g. using a linux
VMware image before you use it for the installation of the H8K)
(Here a compressed floppy image containing an example node.cfg:
I had copied the content of this zip file to the VMware folder of the virtual machine)
Browse
choose the imageOpen
 Finish
Add a second Ethernet drive (for Bonding).
Note: Installations done on a VMware virtual machine with only one Ethernet
interface will fail and you need to start over again!
 Choose EthernetAdd
Next
Host-onlyFinish
Now we need to either insert the SLES DVD in the DVD slot, or we connect the
corresponding ISO image:
 Change from physical to “Use ISO image”
Browse
 Choose the SLES imageOK
 Start this virtual machine
 quickly click into the main console window and press F2
 You need to use – in the number block (NUM lock needed on a notebook) in order
to move down the removable devices.
Saving with F10, make sure the floppy drive is connected and reboot…
 Choose Configure and follow the instructions.
 Press Enter to reboot
 choose Install
After choosing Install and pressing F2…
Error message because the floppy drive is not connected and the node.cfg cannot be
found: “A profile for this machine could not be found or retrieved.”
Install
Now it could retrieve the profile:
<enter>
Disconnect the floppy:
<enter>
O.K., will postpone the rest (suspending…)
Appendix 1: Create node.cfg
Note:
1. you can use the Installation Wizard found in the SW-Server for creating a
node.cfg file needed for installation of the HiPath 8000. However, using the
NCPE tool might be sufficient.
2. I have tested two possibilities:
a. Use the Wizard ISO image directly on a Windows machine (I have
mounted the iso image as DVD drive using the program Nero, see
below.
b. I have copied the relevant parts of the CD to a normal folder and I
have started the tool from there. The relevant parts use only 5 MB
space, see file://M:\Cs3_lan\SW\HiPath\HiPath
8000\H8K_V3.1_SW_Server\Installation Wizard Light. From there, start the
file “create_node.cfg (same as RunIfGui).bat”
c. Better forget about a and b and just use the ncpe tool (also only 5
MB). I am not sure why we need the ISO image at all…
Here, the procedure using the full ISO image is shown. If you are using option 2b,
then skip two screenshots, and start RunIfGui.bat in the folder specified in 2b.
I do not want to burn the CD, so I mount the image from hard drive/M-drive.
Mount the image via NeroImage:
StartUtilitiesArchivingNeroNero ImageDrive
Mounting
M:\Cs3_lan\SW\HiPath\HiPath 8000\H8K_V3.1_SW_Server\Installation Wizard
HIQ8k-LiveCD-12.5-24.iso
Double-click RunIfGui.bat
Install
Simplex system in my case…
Should not matter in my case (I try to create a VMware image)
Names must not contain characters like “_” or “.”
Using 10.152.0.0/24 since I want to make use of the VMware default gateway
10.152.0.1 on my machine and I do not want to be in need of more than a virtual
doubled Ethernet interface.
This is a simplex config, so I do not need NTP. However, NTP is needed in any
duplex configuration!
No NMC/SMC for the downscale version.
Germany…
Then a preview of the node.cfg pops up. Say OK and save it somewhere, where you
will find it again. You will need it for the installation later on.
Appendix 2: create a floppy image
You can use a linux system (e.g. a free Suse Linux VMware image) in order to create
a floppy image like follows (see http://www.rtfm-ed.co.uk/?p=158):
1. Logon to the Service Console as ROOT
2. Create an empty file which is 1440KB in size with:
dd if=/dev/zero of=/vmimages/floppy.flp bs=1k count=1440
3. Then build a vfat file system for the flp file:
mkfs.vfat /vmimages/floppy.flp
Note:
Browse to, and connect to the flp file within the VM.
4. Note:
If you wished to access this floppy file from the Service Console use:
5. mount -t vfat -o loop /vmimages/floppy.flp /media/floppy
After that, you can put the node.cfg to /media/floppy
Appendix 3: Error messages
“Could not format …”
Error message because virtual drive has been chosen to 72 G (seems to be too
small for the node.cfg chosen, new IBM server 3650T):
Let us continue…
Appears again for /dev/sda10 to /dev/sda14…

“A profile for this machine could not be found …”
Floppy with node.cfg is not connected. Insert the floppy or connect the floppy image
and try again.