How to Install ESXi on HP Elite Mini 800 G9

Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure you have the following:
✅ HP Elite Mini 800 G9
✅ USB Flash Drive (8GB or larger)
✅ VMware ESXi 7.x or 8.x ISO (Download Here)
✅ BalenaEtcher (Download Here)
✅ Access to the BIOS settings

Here is the video version of this written tutorial:

Step 1: Create a Bootable ESXi USB Drive

Download the ESXi ISO from VMware’s official website. (User=cios/Pass=SuperSecretPassword)
Install BalenaEtcher on your PC/Mac.
Plug in your USB drive and open BalenaEtcher.
Click “Flash from file” and select the ESXi ISO.
Click “Select Target” and choose your USB drive.
Click “Flash” and wait for the process to complete.

💡 Tip: If you run into boot errors later, try formatting the USB using Rufus with MBR partition scheme for BIOS and UEFI.

Step 2: Configure BIOS Settings on HP Elite Mini 800 G9

Power on the HP Elite Mini 800 G9 and immediately press F10 to enter the BIOS.
Navigate to Advanced > Boot Options and enable:
- ✅ Turbo-boost
- ✅ Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d)
Save the settings and exit the BIOS.

Step 3: Install ESXi on HP Elite Mini 800 G9

Insert the bootable USB drive into the HP Elite Mini 800 G9.
Restart the system and press F9 to open the boot menu.
Select the USB drive to boot into the ESXi installer.
Follow the on-screen prompts:
- Accept the EULA
- Select a USB Drive or NVME as the installation target
- Choose a root password
Start the installation process and wait for it to complete.
Once finished, remove the USB and reboot into ESXi.

Step 4: Workaround for Intel 12th and 13th Gen CPUs

If the installation fails with the error:
⚠️ “Fatal CPU Mismatch on Feature”
Follow these steps:

Option 1: Modify the ESXi Boot Parameters Temporarily

When booting into ESXi, press Shift + O at the bootloader screen.
At the runweasel command line, append: cpuUniformityHardCheckPanic=FALSE
Press Enter to continue booting.

Option 2: Permanent Fix After Installation

After successfully installing ESXi, apply a permanent fix:

SSH into the ESXi host (or use DCUI & Alt+F1 to access the console).
Run the following command: esxcli system settings kernel set -s cpuUniformityHardCheckPanic -v FALSE
For 13th Gen Intel CPUs (Raptor Lake), you also have to enable kernel option ignoreMsrFaults to prevent PSOD during VM startups using this command: esxcli system settings kernel set -s ignoreMsrFaults -v TRUE
This setting allows ESXi to work with different P-Cores and E-Cores, present in 12th Gen Intel CPUs.

🔗 Credit: This workaround was referenced from Virten.net (Source).

Step 5: Access and Configure ESXi

Once ESXi boots up, note the IP address displayed on the screen.
Open a browser and enter the assigned IP address
Log in with root and the password you set earlier.
Configure networking, storage, and VM settings as needed.

Final Thoughts

Congratulations! 🎉 You have successfully installed VMware ESXi on your HP Elite Mini 800 G9. This homelab setup is great for running VMs, Proxmox, Kubernetes, or other virtualization workloads.

💬 Have questions or issues? Drop a comment/message on our Facebook page!

🔔 Like & Subscribe for more homelab, networking, and cybersecurity content!

#VMware #ESXi #Homelab #HPEliteMini800G9 #Virtualization #Networking #CyberSecurity

💙 Want to support my channel? Check out ways to help here:

Ways to support my channel

Your support helps keep valuable tech content coming! 🚀