VMware Communities: Message List - ESX install problem

Re: ESX install problem

sirglydealot — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:25:45 GMT

I have the same problem but using ESX 4 installer the options ive got are Install ESX in graphical mode or I can f2 for other options. When I press f2 Boot Options appear but this are the options initrd=initrd.img vmkopts=debugLotToSerial:1 mem=512 quiet. Can anybody tell me how to apply the no c[pu limit check here??

Re: ESX install problem

krowczynski — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 06:04:26 GMT

Why you don't youse VM Workstation and install the ESXi in it?

Re: ESX install problem

jorgerey — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 20:08:59 GMT

When installing ESXi 4.0 on a Dell Sc 1420 y get the "CPUID" error.
Where do I add the "nocheckCPUIDLimit"?

The boot options are ... "initrd=initrd.img ks=usb vmkopts=debugLogToSerial:1 mem=512Mb"

Thanks,

jorge

Re: ESX install problem

BillMcAllister — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 16:38:11 GMT

I had to make a couple changes for ESXi 4.0

To get ESX to install successfully on my Precision 370 I did the following;

#1 To bypass the initial "CPUID" error as above;

1. At the initial bootloader screen (when booting from the ISO), press TAB to edit the boot options
2. Hold down the left-arrow key to move the cursor back to the
beginning of the boot options, and add

mboot.c32 vmkboot.gz nocheckCPUIDLimit --- vmkernel.gz nocheckCPUIDLimit ........

3. Press ENTER.

#2 To allow the installer to recognise/install onto the internal SATA disk
In the BIOS (Drives | SATA Operation), changed config from Combination
(SATA/PATA mode) to RAID Autodetect/ATA (RAID if signed drives,
otherwise ATA)

On Reboot

Hold SHIFT+O at boot screen and enter nocheckCPUIDLimit as a kernel parameter

Using vClient

Enter Maintenance Mode

Configuration > Software > Advanced Settings > VMKernel > Disable checkCPUIDLimit

After that everything worked great !

Re: ESX install problem

Dave.Mishchenko — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 04:07:02 GMT

In the VI client, go to Configuration \ Advanced settings. Then expand vmkernel \ boot, find and uncheck the option VMkernel.Boot.checkCPUIDlimit.

Re: ESX install problem

efdv — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 00:21:21 GMT

Update to above;

Despite successfully installing ESX on a Precision 370 the kernel still failed to initialize at startup (same CPUID value error as above)... to overcome here's what I did;

During initialization of the kernel, I pressed SHIFT+O (allows advanced options to be specified during boot), typed 'nocheckCPUIDLimit' (without quotes), then hit ENTER to continue - this allowed me to run ESX and successfully create a VM. Hope that makes sense.

Now if only I can find how to make 'nocheckCPUIDLimit' a persistent option... I understand this can be achieved through modding the esx.conf file, but I haven't figured out how to do this yet... any ideas would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Re: ESX install problem

Ken.Cline — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 21:40:00 GMT

efdv wrote:

PS Apologies for posting under a different login but couldn't my original credentials.

The forums are having a problem with their authentication provider. There is currently no ETA for a fix, but - I can assure you - this problem has some very high visibility at this point!

Thanks for your patience...
KLC
Ken Cline
Technical Director, Virtualization
Wells Landers
VMware Communities User Moderator

Re: ESX install problem

efdv — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 20:53:01 GMT

PROBLEM RESOLVED
To get ESX to install successfully on my Precision 370 I did the following;
#1 To bypass the initial "CPUID" error as above;
1. At the initial bootloader screen (when booting from the ISO), press TAB to edit the boot options
2. Hold down the left-arrow key to move the cursor back to the beginning of the boot options, and add "nocheckCPUIDLimit" right after "vmkernel.gz", so that the first part of the boot options BEFORE the first "---" reads: "mboot.c32 vmkernel.gz nocheckCPUIDLimit ---"
3. Press ENTER.
(thanks to Dave Mishchenko for posting the fix -
http://communities.vmware.com/thread/159556?tstart=15)

#2 To allow the installer to recognise/install onto the internal SATA disk
In the BIOS (Drives | SATA Operation), changed config from Combination (SATA/PATA mode) to RAID Autodetect/ATA (RAID if signed drives, otherwise ATA)

Hope this helps someone else who like me is also looking to play with ESX without purchasing supported hardware.
PS Apologies for posting under a different login but couldn't my original credentials.

Re: ESX install problem

kjb007 — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 18:40:29 GMT

Is there not a plug and play os setting either?

While the disk may install correctly, there may be kernel initialization failure after.

We won't know until you try, please post back results when you have them.

Good luck,
-KjB

Re: ESX install problem

efdv452 — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 18:07:23 GMT

kjb007, cheers for posting.

The 370 BIOS doesn't have a "limit CPUID value" option nor any options to specify target OS, etc. - I do have a Precision T5400 in the office with the CPUID option however so will;

use the T5400 to install ESX 3.5i on a SCSI disk (with compatible NIC);
post install, add the line /vmkernel/checkCPUIDLimit = "FALSE" to the end of the /etc/vmware/esx.conf file;
return the disk to the 370

This should do the trick nicely....
<he says confidently without really knowing whether or not it will work>

Re: ESX install problem

kjb007 — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 17:31:26 GMT

Look in your BIOS. There's a part in the CPU settings that asks what OS you are installing. That is what the setting is referring to. It may be something also like plug and play, but it's different depending on your BIOS.

-KjB

ESX install problem

efdv452 — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 16:20:44 GMT

I'm trying to install ESX3.5i on a Dell Precision 370 (single Intel P4 3.0GHz CPU - BIOS revision A08) so I can familiarise myself with the product. I'm aware the 370 is unsupported hardware so have probably answered my own question, but is there a way to workaround the following error;

"The system has found a problem on your machine and cannot continue.
Unsupported BIOS setting (CPUID) is limited. Disable 'limit CPUID value' or 'Support legacy/NT4 OS in BIOS'

CPU not supported?