Technology

I was converting several of my testbed systems over to VMware ESXi 4.0 and ran into an issue where two of the ESXi servers were reporting one core per socket with one logical processor, even though they were Core 2 Quad's.

ESXi's "Summary" page returns -
Processor Sockets: 1
Cores Per Socket: 1
Logical Processors: 1

To allow VMware ESXi 4.0 to see the correct number of processors for Dell Inspiron 530 systems:

1. Hold "F2" during boot for the Setup menu.
2. Select "Advanced BIOS Features."
3. Press Enter at "CPU Feature."
4. Ensure "Limit CPUID Value" is set to Disabled (Disabled By Default).

ESXi's "Summary" page should now report -
Processor Sockets: 1
Cores Per Socket: 4
Logical Processors: 4

I tried using other flash drives in my keychain prior to purchasing the Lacie itsaKey, but those other cheap, plastic flash drives couldn't withstand all the jostling that happens in a pocket. While the itsaKey, iamaKey, and PassKey flash drives are more expensive than normal flash drives, they're durable and worth the price.

The 8 GB itsaKey holds more than enough data for my pentesting needs. Having Backtrack connected to a keychain is so useful, when it's not convenient to carry a laptop. I'm hoping Lacie comes out with more designs in the near future, because my flash key collection needs to grow.