VMware vSphere + plop + LAPTOP

[richsimms]

I've been googling and reading various forum posts recommending plop so VMs can boot from usb. This is exactly what I what to do with VMware vSphere VMs!  I've tried plop version 5.0.14 and the 5.0.15-test but haven't got it to work yet.  Here is what I've tried so far:

1) Created an Ubuntu 12.04 Live bootable USB drive using unetbootin.  I tested it by booting my Windows laptop into Ubuntu (live mode).  My flash drive is a SanDisk U3 Cruzor Micro 8GB SDCZ6-8192RB (which I'm pretty sure is usb 2.0)

2) I create a new VM on a VMware EXSi 5.1 server with the vSphere Client running on my laptop. I next add a USB controller using the New Hardware wizard.  Then I set the virtual CD drive to the plpbt.iso image.

3) I power on the VM which boots into the plop boot manager giving me the choice to boot from Floppy, CD or USB.

4) I connect the VM's USB to my SanDisk U3 Cruzor Micro flash drive using vSphere Client

5) I then select USB on the plop boot menu but it fails in one of the following ways:

a)
LOADING EHC1 DRIVER
SEARCHING ON HOSTS
HOST 1
DRIVER REMOVED
LOADING UHC1 DRIVER
SEARCHING ON HOSTS
HOST 1
PORT 2: DEVICE CONNECTED
NO HD
DRIVER REMOVED
LOADING OHC1 DRIVER
SEARCHING ON HOSTS
DRIVER REMOVED
BOOT ERROR
NO BOOT DEVICE FOUND. PLEASE RETRY IT

b)
LOADING EHC1 DRIVER
SEARCHING ON HOSTS
HOST 1
PORT 1: DEVICE CONNECTED
(then it hangs)

I'm experimenting with different options:
1) Trying both plop 5.0.14 and 5.0.15-test
2) Formatting the usb drive as fat32, then fat
3) Trying both VMware USB controllers: "EHCI+UHCI and "xHCI"

I'm going to purchase a new usb 2.0 flash drive to test next.

Any ideas on additional options to try?

Thanks,

Rich Simms

[aduro]

Hi Rich,

I am struggling with the same problem currently. Have you found any solution for it?

Thanks,

Adelin