Good technical blogs regarding virtualization

https://www.thomasmaurer.ch/

https://www.v-front.de/

Fiddler: set default registration host

prefs set fiddler.network.proxy.registrationhostname localhost

Installation of VMware ESXi on the Mac Mini 2018 model

https://www.ivobeerens.nl/2018/11/12/using-the-apple-mac-mini-2018-as-vmware-esxi-homelab-host/

How to create a bootable USB key from any ISO image using the Microsoft USB DVD tool

"

USB Creation Tool for Windows 7

If you’re downloading Windows 8 or Windows 10 as an ISO file, you probably want to burn them to a DVD. For Windows 7, you only get the option to download the ISO file (no media creation tool), so you might want to burn it to a DVD or make a bootable USB flash drive.

Luckily, Microsoft has another free tool called the USB/DVD Download Tool that will take the ISO and install it onto a USB flash drive or burn it to a DVD. Note that this tool is called Windows 7 USB/DVD tool, but it works with the Windows 10 and Windows 8 ISO image files also.

Once you download and install it, you’ll simply go through a four step process. First, you pick your Windows ISO image file like shown below."

https://www.online-tech-tips.com/computer-tips/download-windows-10-8-7-install-usb-flash-drive/

MacOS Mojave on ESXi 6.7

https://www.nakivo.com/blog/run-mac-os-on-vmware-esxi/

ESXi hypervisor on a Hyper-v host

https://www.nakivo.com/blog/install-esxi-hyper-v/

https://dscottraynsford.wordpress.com/2016/04/22/install-a-vmware-esxi-6-0-hypervisor-in-a-hyper-v-vm/

https://www.vembu.com/blog/installing-esxi-6-0-in-a-hyper-v-virtual-machine/

https://vibsdepot.v-front.de/wiki/index.php/Net-tulip

https://www.v-front.de/p/esxi-customizer-ps.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PowerCLI

https://rlevchenko.com/2018/01/11/how-to-customize-a-vmware-esxi-image-and-install-it-in-a-hyper-v-vm/


https://derflounder.wordpress.com/2018/05/15/upgrading-from-esxi-6-5-to-esxi-6-7-via-ssh-and-esxcli/

https://www.reddit.com/r/vmware/comments/99kiy0/running_vmware_esxi_under_hyperv_2016_lab/

Version 6.I'm using the following command line which should be creating a 6.0 ISO with net-tulip drivers which is supposed to recognize the Hyper-V legacy network drivers but for some reason it doesn't appear to.

.\ESXi-Customizer-PS-v2.6.0.ps1 -v60 -vft -load net-tulip

1

KovakKnight • Aug 24, 2018, 7:31 PM

The tulip network drivers required for this to work were blacklisted or otherwise not compatible with the latest version of ESXi 6.0. ESXi-6.0.0-20170604001-standard was the last version that is currently known to work with these drivers. You can get it using the customizer script with the command " .\ESXi-Customizer-PS-v2.6.0.ps1 -sip -vft -load net-tulip" and choosing the correct number option for 6.0.0-20170604001 (currently #57). I just did this today and the network drivers work just fine.

5

keitheii • Aug 26, 2018, 8:19 AM

Thank you, that did it. I wonder why they're advertising that this works with v6.7 if the last version it worked with is a 6.0 build from 2017. In any event, I was able to get past that blocking point so thank you!

-Keith

https://tinkertry.com/easy-update-to-esxi-67


https://www.vladan.fr/how-to-upgrade-esxi-6-x-to-6-7-via-iso/


https://www.vladan.fr/upgrade-esxi-6-x-to-6-7-via-cli-two-methods/

https://justinbraun.com/2019/01/upgrading-my-home-lab-from-esxi-6-0-to-esxi-6-7/



https://www.stephenwagner.com/2016/12/07/vmware-vsphere-6-5-conflicting-vibs-when-upgrading-esxi-6-0-to-6-5/

https://help.macstadium.com/articles/update-standalone-esxi-host-via-online-bundle


'you may use the esxcli software profile update command to preserve the VIBs"


https://www.v-front.de/2013/09/how-to-update-your-standalone-host-to.html



SOLUTION TO NETWORK PROBLEMS:

https://communities.vmware.com/thread/511875?start=15&tstart=0

"I finally made it!

The second issue I was having was a distraction: when I rebuilt the ESXi from scratch (VM itself), I forgot to enable the MAC Spoofing 

I've been showing it on the phone for like 30 minutes to a colleague of mine, you know, a couple of eyes more and when he asked to see the VM configuration I realized myself what was missing. Basically when I firstly had this set up, it didn't work because I didn't have mac spoofing, promiscuous mode and a legacy adapter on the 2k12 machine. Then I had all done as you guys suggested but then by mistake I forgot about the spoofing..

So, to make it short I:

• Removed the two standard virtual NICs from the DHCP/DC/DNS W2K12 VM and add Legacy NICs. [No need to enable MAC Address Spoofing on these two network cards]
• Created the ESXi in Hyper-V and make sure each NIC was a Legacy NIC. Furthermore, I enabled MAC spoofing in the advanced features tab.
  • Connected the first one to EXT01
  • Connected the second one to INT01
  • Third on to INT02
• Removed, from the ESXi in Hyper-V, all Integration Services (kind of useless to keep them on, I only left the volume checkpoint one on)
• Enabled promiscuous mode in the ESXi's VM's XML, right under
• Installed the ESXi on the newly created VM
• Connected to the ESXi through the EXT01 address (which is the only one with a gateway, from my office)
• Configured the networking as I like
  • So I removed from the standard vSwitch0 the VM Network port group and also disabled Management Traffic as I want this to purely communicate with my office network only to allow me access to the ESXi.
    • I might come in the future (if I want a vCenter VM running in VMware) and add a VM Network again for External access so that I can also access vCenter from the office network
  • I also created two new vSwitches, one for INT01 which I will use for vMotion, FT etc and one for INT02 for VM traffic

I hope I won't encounter any other issue during my testing, one thing I can tell for sure: Having this lab nested is great as I can easily restore a previous configuration in case I break something during my testing.

Now head down to study!!! 

Thanks everybody for helping!"

Manage the Acceptance Levels of Hosts and VIBs
https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-vSphere/6.7/com.vmware.vsphere.security.doc/GUID-751034F3-5337-4DB2-8272-8DAC0980EACA.html

Upgrading my home lab from ESXi 6.0 to ESXi 6.7
https://justinbraun.com/2019/01/upgrading-my-home-lab-from-esxi-6-0-to-esxi-6-7/ https://www.v-front.de/2015/03/vsphere-6-is-ga-ultimate-guide-to.html

Large downloads via Fiddler proxy

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/25281708/is-it-possible-to-make-fiddler-not-buffer-large-requests

"FWIW, request streaming was added to a later version of Fiddler; see the BufferRequest property. – EricLaw Mar 1 '16 at 17:51"


https://groups.google.com/forum/m/#!msg/httpfiddler/LHaypbyWsKc/0cxvnVgVJgAJ


Yes, the problem you're encountering is that you're trying to emulate a WebSocket (bidirectional streaming) atop a technology (HTTP) that wasn't really designed for that purpose.

You can probably make this work by enabling Request Streaming AND Response Streaming on the connection. As explained in the Fiddler Book:

Request Buffering 

When a client connects to Fiddler, Fiddler will, by default, read the entire HTTP request from the client. If a breakpoint is set, the request is then paused to allow tampering using the Inspectors. After the request is resumed, the server connection is established and Fiddler transmits the entire request to the server. Fiddler offers a mechanism to stream a HTTP request body to the server as it is read from the client. This is primarily useful if you need to use Fiddler to transmit uploads larger than 2 gigabytes, because .NET is unable to buffer arrays of that size. 

To activate request streaming, you must set the BufferRequest property on the Session’s Request object to false before the request body is read. Inside FiddlerScript’s OnPeekAtRequestHeaders function (you may need to uncomment it), add code similar to the following: 

 // Code modified from the book example to be specific to your scenario

  if (oSession.host.Contains("whatever.com") && 

     oSession.oRequest.headers.ExistsAndContains("Transfer-Encoding", "chunked")) {  

         oSession["ui-backcolor"] = "orange";
         oSession.oRequest.BufferRequest = false;

         oSession.bBufferResponse = false;

 } 

Streamed requests cannot be modified using Fiddler’s Inspectors.

MSIX

https://www.advancedinstaller.com/msix-introduction.html

How to See All Third Party Kernel Extensions in Mac OS X

How to See All Third Party Kernel Extensions in Mac OS X

kextstat | grep -v com.apple

http://osxdaily.com/2010/08/03/list-all-third-party-kernel-extensions/

https://web.archive.org/web/20181031080711/http://osxdaily.com/2010/08/03/list-all-third-party-kernel-extensions/

macOS Mojave as a guest on a virtual machine (Windows or macOS host)

Search for this text: "VBoxManage setextradata":

https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/309654-run-vanilla-os-x-el-capitan-sierra-high-sierra-or-mojave-in-virtualbox-5xx-on-a-windows-host/

https://web.archive.org/web/20181228140310/https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/309654-run-vanilla-os-x-el-capitan-sierra-high-sierra-or-mojave-in-virtualbox-5xx-on-a-windows-host/


https://www.intoguide.com/install-macos-mojave-virtualbox-windows/

https://web.archive.org/web/20181228141002/https://www.intoguide.com/install-macos-mojave-virtualbox-windows/

6.2. Disk Image Files (VDI, VMDK, VHD, HDD)

Disk image files reside on the host system and are seen by the guest systems as hard disks of a certain geometry. When a guest operating system reads from or writes to a hard disk, Oracle VM VirtualBox redirects the request to the image file.

Like a physical disk, a virtual disk has a size, or capacity, which must be specified when the image file is created. As opposed to a physical disk however, Oracle VM VirtualBox enables you to expand an image file after creation, even if it has data already. See Section 9.24, “VBoxManage modifymedium”.

Oracle VM VirtualBox supports the following types of disk image files:

• VDI. Normally, Oracle VM VirtualBox uses its own container format for guest hard disks. This is called a Virtual Disk Image (VDI) file. This format is used when you create a new virtual machine with a new disk.
• VMDK. Oracle VM VirtualBox also fully supports the popular and open VMDK container format that is used by many other virtualization products, such as VMware.
• VHD. Oracle VM VirtualBox also fully supports the VHD format used by Microsoft.
• HDD. Image files of Parallels version 2 (HDD format) are also supported.
  Due to lack of documentation of the format, newer versions such as 3 and 4 are not supported. You can however convert such image files to version 2 format using tools provided by Parallels.

• Parallels bundle (.pvm) or configuration file (.pvs) or virtual hard disk file (.hdd).
• VMware configuration file (.vmx, .vmwarevm) or virtual hard disk file (.vmdk).
• Virtual PC configuration file (.vmc, .vpc7) or virtual hard disk file (.vhd).
• VirtualBox configuration file (.xml) or virtual hard disk file (.vdi).

https://download.parallels.com/desktop/v14/docs/ko_KR/Parallels%20Desktop%20User's%20Guide/32919.htm

https://www.virtualbox.org/manual/ch06.html#vdidetails

How to create a bootable installer for macOS

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201372


TOOL TO CONVERT A VIRTUAL DISK FORMAT TO ANOTHER VIRTUAL DISK FORMAT:
https://www.starwindsoftware.com/starwind-v2v-converter#download


CHANGE RESOLUTION FOR macOS / Mac OS X guest inside Virtualbox:

Example:

$ VBoxManage setextradata "MacOS 10.12 Sierra 64bits" VBoxInternal2/EfiGraphicsResolution 1920x1080

https://docs.oracle.com/cd/E97728_01/E97727/E97727.pdf

The default resolution is 1024x768. To select a graphics resolution for EFI, use the following VBoxManage command: VBoxManage setextradata "VM name" VBoxInternal2/EfiGraphicsResolution HxV 

How to use Macintosh Xcode's Instruments application to trace antivirus CPU usage and file activity

http://www.symantec.com/docs/HOWTO36824

https://support.symantec.com/en_US/article.HOWTO36824.html

https://web.archive.org/web/20161109004138/https://support.symantec.com/en_US/article.HOWTO36824.html

Check macOS applications and installers digital signatures

https://developer.apple.com/library/content/technotes/tn2206/_index.html

This command:

$ codesign --verify --deep --strict --verbose=2 Foo.app

mimics what Gatekeeper does to check your app.

You can also use the check-signature tool to check both apps and installer packages.

Mount the disk image, then run the tool like this:

$ cd "/Volumes/Signature Check"

$ ./check-signature /Path/to/Foo.app /Path/to/Bar.pkg

For each target, the tool will present a simple YES answer if the signature meets Gatekeeper requirements, or NO if it does not.

Read the error messages carefully, with particular attention to the in subcomponent: part which, if present, tells you which nested code is giving you problems.

Understand that this validation will stop on many errors, and thus you must repeat it until you run out of problems.

You can also use the spctl tool to check if Gatekeeper will accept your app's signature. spctl is a command-line interface to the same security assessment policy subsystem that Gatekeeper uses.

Like Gatekeeper, spctl will only accept Developer ID-signed apps and apps downloaded from the Mac App Store by default. It will reject apps signed with Mac App Store development or distribution certificates.

Important: spctl must only be run on top-level app bundles. If it is run against other bundles such as embedded helper apps or frameworks, the tool will return an error.

Run spctl on your app like this:

$ spctl -a -t exec -vv Foo.app

This is the output if your app's signature will be accepted:

Foo.app: accepted

source=Developer ID

source will be Mac App Store for apps downloaded from the Mac App Store.

If spctl shows any result other than accepted, you must re-sign your app on Mavericks or later to ensure Gatekeeper compatibility.

Check Apple macOS disk images signature

https://developer.apple.com/library/content/technotes/tn2206/_index.html

$ spctl -a -t open --context context:primary-signature -v MyImage.dmg

/Users/me/Downloads/MyImage.dmg: accepted

source=Developer ID

Tool to check if Mac OS X Applications and Packages are correctly signed

RB App Checker Lite - Version 1.1.2 (311)
( https://web.archive.org/web/*/http://brockerhoff.net/RB/AppCheckerLite/ )

RB App Checker Lite helps users and developers to check code signatures and receipts for applications from any source. It will show certificates, requirements and entitlements, cross-check all this information for consistency, and check that the application’s resources have not been altered after signing.

Check if your application is properly signed before submitting it to the App Store or publishing it elsewhere, or if the application you downloaded has been tampered with.

For your convenience, RB App Checker Lite also publishes a Service (right-click on any application in the Finder) and has a fast-select menu for all running applications.

RB App Checker Lite will also work for Xcode archives, iOS .ipa app bundles, frameworks, command-line executables, and most other bundles containing executable code.

The results will be shown as a text report, with pop-up buttons explaining details.

It does not use the codesign tool or any developer-exclusive software.

The Direct Download version (only) will show the Gatekeeper assessment via spctl.

Verify / Check validity of Mac OS X Applications and Packages (.pkj) Digital Signatures

How to verify the authenticity of manually downloaded Apple software updates
( https://web.archive.org/web/*/https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202369 )

Verifying that a Package is Signed
( https://web.archive.org/web/20150719094756/https://jamfnation.jamfsoftware.com/article.html?id=299 )

Code Signing Tasks
( https://web.archive.org/web/*/https://developer.apple.com/library/mac/documentation/Security/Conceptual/CodeSigningGuide/Procedures/Procedures.html )

OS X Code Signing In Depth
( https://web.archive.org/web/*/https://developer.apple.com/library/mac/technotes/tn2206/_index.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/DTS40007919-CH1-TNTAG211 )

Uninstall / Install Microsoft Office 2016 for Mac

Install Office 2016 for Mac with your Office 365 Home, Personal, or University account
( https://web.archive.org/web/20150719091923/https://support.office.com/en-us/article/Install-Office-2016-for-Mac-with-your-Office-365-Home-Personal-or-University-account-299c3f95-3551-4e60-a9cf-7380457d8e37?ui=en-US&rs=en-US&ad=US )

Uninstall Office 2016 for Mac
( https://web.archive.org/web/20150719092215/https://support.office.com/en-us/article/Uninstall-Office-2016-for-Mac-eefa1199-5b58-43af-8a3d-b73dc1a8cae3?ui=en-US&rs=en-US&ad=US )

Troubleshoot Office 2016 for Mac issues by completely uninstalling before you reinstall
( https://web.archive.org/web/20150719092414/https://support.office.com/en-us/article/Troubleshoot-Office-2016-for-Mac-issues-by-completely-uninstalling-before-you-reinstall-ec3aa66e-6a76-451f-9d35-cba2e14e94c0 )
Uninstall Office 2011 from a Mac
( https://web.archive.org/web/20150719092538/https://support.office.com/en-gb/article/Uninstall-Office-2011-from-a-Mac-ba8d8d13-0015-4eea-b60b-7719c2cedd17 )

Office 2016 for Mac – July 9, 2015 update

Use iTunes to restore your iOS device to factory settings

http://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201252
http://web.archive.org/web/20141113064524/http://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201252

iOS Security

http://images.apple.com/privacy/docs/iOS_Security_Guide_Oct_2014.pdf
http://web.archive.org/web/20141117125723/http://images.apple.com/privacy/docs/iOS_Security_Guide_Oct_2014.pdf

Windows file copy utilities

http://www.2brightsparks.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SyncBack

http://codesector.com/teracopy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TeraCopy

Microsoft Bluetooth Mouse connections problems in Windows 7 - it loses Bluetooth connectivity

http://sherylcanter.com/wordpress/2010/01/bluetooth-mouse-losing-connection-no-more/

http://web.archive.org/web/20140914185158/http://sherylcanter.com/wordpress/2010/01/bluetooth-mouse-losing-connection-no-more/

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2758967

http://web.archive.org/web/20130723022311/http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2758967

Bodensee region

http://statistik-bodensee.org/tl_files/statistik/downloads/publikationen/Die%20internationale%20Bodenseeregion%20in%20Zahlen/Die_internationale_Bodenseeregion_in_Zahlen.pdf

https://web.archive.org/web/20140728221457/http://statistik-bodensee.org/tl_files/statistik/downloads/publikationen/Die%20internationale%20Bodenseeregion%20in%20Zahlen/Die_internationale_Bodenseeregion_in_Zahlen.pdf

Convert a Microsoft Hyper-V virtual hard disk file in the new VHDX format to the old VHD format using VirtualBox Manager

http://devhacksandgoodies.wordpress.com/2014/08/07/vhdx-to-vhd-on-windows-7-using-virtualbox-manager/

http://superuser.com/questions/751954/how-to-convert-a-vhdx-file-to-vhd

http://serverfault.com/questions/567283/convert-hyper-v-vhdx-file-for-import-into-vhd-file-for-xenserver-import

http://needs-be.blogspot.de/2014/10/virtualizing-windows-on-physical.html





C:\Program Files\Oracle\VirtualBox\VBoxManage.exe clonehd --format VHD ubuntu-test.vhdx ubuntu-test.vhd

                                                         VBoxManage.exe clonehd "PATH_TO_YOUR_FILE.VHDX" --format VHD "PATH_TO_CONVERTED_FILE.vhd"

                                                         vboxmanage         clonehd filename.vhdx filename.vhd -format vhd

                                                         vboxmanage         clonehd MYDATAFILE.VHDX --format VHD  mydatafile.vhd

                                                         vboxmanage         clonehd d:\path\MYDATAFILE.VHDX --format VHD  e:\path\mydatafile.vhd

Shopping centers around Lake Constance

http://www.thelabelfinder.com/st.-gallen/shopping-centers/CH/2658822
http://web.archive.org/web/20141025224939/http://www.thelabelfinder.com/st.-gallen/shopping-centers/CH/2658822

http://multiplottr.com/?map_id=61643
http://web.archive.org/web/20141025225158/http://multiplottr.com/?map_id=61643

Mac OS X File System monitoring

http://www.sans.org/reading-room/whitepapers/forensics/mac-os-malware-analysis-33178

web.archive.org/web/20131109083313/http://www.sans.org/reading-room/whitepapers/forensics/mac-os-malware-analysis-33178?

http://hints.macworld.com/article.php?story=20091223115101622
web.archive.org/web/20130517065706/http://hints.macworld.com/article.php?story=20091223115101622

http://www.fernlightning.com/doku.php?id=software:fseventer:start
web.archive.org/web/20141010113945/http://www.fernlightning.com/doku.php?id=software:fseventer:start

http://hints.macworld.com/article.php?story=20091223115101622
http://web.archive.org/web/20130517065706/http://hints.macworld.com/article.php?story=20091223115101622

http://hints.macworld.com/article.php?story=20080707071246118
http://web.archive.org/web/20141010105454/http://hints.macworld.com/article.php?story=20080707071246118

http://www.codez4mac.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=92&t=18337&hilit=post+box&sid=093d29e3e989cb178dc5b7fc3f5b4a02
http://web.archive.org/web/20141025084343/http://www.codez4mac.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=92&t=18337&hilit=post+box&sid=093d29e3e989cb178dc5b7fc3f5b4a02

Add physical disk to VMware Fusion guest OS

http://techrem.blogspot.de/2012/12/add-physical-disk-to-vmware-fusion.html
https://web.archive.org/web/20141008011204/http://techrem.blogspot.de/2012/12/add-physical-disk-to-vmware-fusion.html

Convert a physical Mac OS X installation to a virtual machine running as a guest in VMware Fusion

http://fortysomethinggeek.blogspot.de/2013/03/convert-physical-mac-into-vm-guest.html
https://web.archive.org/web/20141008004656/http://fortysomethinggeek.blogspot.de/2013/03/convert-physical-mac-into-vm-guest.html

Search Unread Emails in Primary Tab of Gmail

http://techwelkin.com/search-unread-emails-primary-tab-gmail

http://web.archive.org/web/20141005222301/http://techwelkin.com/search-unread-emails-primary-tab-gmail

Mac OS X Full Bootable Backup (Clone)

http://www.oakbog.com/Mac-Maintenance3.html

http://www.macworld.com/article/2461362/drive-cloning-utilities-the-best-mac-apps-for-making-a-bootable-backup.html

http://www.imore.com/how-easily-clone-your-mac-using-superduper-or-carbon-copy-cloner

Seedbox

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seedbox

VMware Fusion 6

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1682764

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=2058900

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=2056786

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/search.do?cmd=displayKC&docType=kc&docTypeID=DT_KB_1_1&externalId=1017838

MacEnterprise: Packaging for System Administrators

http://www.mactech.com/articles/mactech/Vol.25/25.03/2503MacEnterprise-PackagingforSystemAdministrators/index.html

FSEvents API in Mac OS X - fseventer

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FSEvents

http://www.fernlightning.com/doku.php?id=software%3afseventer%3astart

http://therealnirv.wordpress.com/2013/09/24/who-doesnt-love-fseventer/

http://mac.majorgeeks.com/files/details/fseventer.html

Find files created or modified by an installer in Mac OS X

http://hints.macworld.com/article.php?story=20091223115101622

Absolute Manage InstallEase / http://www3.absolute.com/products/InstallEase

 

http://www3.absolute.com/products/InstallEase 

InstallEase

InstallEase allows you to create customized installer software packages for Windows and Mac OS X.  The wizard-based program takes all the confusion out of custom package creation for a fast, efficient process - freeing up IT resources to focus on the more critical management tasks.

Control the files to be installed with InstallEase and then deploy the package using Absolute Manage for a fully automated and coordinated process.

InstallEase is available for Absolute Manage customers and prospects.  Anyone who is using or evaluating our technology will benefit. Read the Info Sheet for more information or download InstallEase free of charge (registration required).

InstallEase Features:

• Automated Snapshots - Before / After
• Manual Package Creation
• Home Folder File Installation
• Exclusion Filters
• Uninstaller PKG's
• Graphical User Interface
• Output to mutiple formats

Read the Info Sheet for more information or download InstallEase today.

http://www3.absolute.com/products/InstallEase