VMware Communities: Message List - Free ESXi Installed but won't connect to network

Re: Free ESXi Installed but won't connect to network

chkdsk0 — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 01:35:26 GMT

I am having a similar situation. I am getting the message "lvm driver not loaded with" and I am unable to configure any network settings. I have tried every NIC under the sun including Intel pro 1000 GT server adapter, desktop adapter, Pro 100 + management adapter, and Pro 1000 MT Adapter. They all work in another ESXi box but not this particular box. the "lspci" command displays all two on-board Broadcom NICs and the Intel NIC. Yet I can't make any network changes. Any thoughts?

Re: Free ESXi Installed but won't connect to network

Dave.Mishchenko — Thu, 28 May 2009 17:29:13 GMT

Don't worry about the No OEM Policy error. You can just add the NIC and reboot and then try to set the management IP in the DCUI.

Re: Free ESXi Installed but won't connect to network

nbhara — Thu, 28 May 2009 07:11:20 GMT

Ok Thanks but do I have to install again using the CD and how?

Also in my previous message I had mentioned about the console errors i.e oem file missing. Do I have to include a custom oem file in the hypervisor, if so how and where do I get it from?

Thanks very much in anticipation

nbhara

Re: Free ESXi Installed but won't connect to network

Dave.Mishchenko — Thu, 28 May 2009 03:51:03 GMT

Welcome to the VMware Community forums. I haven't seen anyone come up with an 8111d driver so your best bet might be to add an Intel NIC. I'd suggest a Pro/1000 GT.

Re: Free ESXi Installed but won't connect to network

nbhara — Thu, 28 May 2009 03:27:32 GMT

Hi,

I have Realtek 8168/811D NIC and a brand new PC with Vista. It has ICH10 SATA controller. I managed to get the ESXi server update 4 eval version installed but cannot connect to the network and have the same problem of lvm drivers not loaded and get the same error message as others "Download tools to manage this host from: http://0.0.0.0/" F2 Customize system F12 Shutdown/Restart

Now I tried ALT F1 to do the following:

From the main screen, press ALT+F1 Type "unsupported" (no quotes) Enter the root password Type "lspci" and it will show you the devices it sees.
(as in one of your responses before)

but when I get to the console I cannot type anything since it hangs

The last few lines in the console are

Starting openwsmand

Starting sfcbd

No OEM Policy file exists

CIM OEM Providers are disabled

running /etc/rc.local.d/notifyvc

I do not know how to proceed? Can I use the Realtek NIC above and if so do I have to change the OEM.tgz?

Any help appreciated since I am stuck.

nbhara

Re: Free ESXi Installed but won't connect to network

RickStanford — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 15:31:05 GMT

Make or add these changes to the .vmx file. The last one ..."e1000", may have to changed a second time after the initial installation. These changes worked for me.
The SMBIOS.reflecthost="TRUE" was used when I tested the ESX3i install as a VM in Workstation 6.0.5.

monitor_control.restrict_backdoor = "TRUE"
monitor_control.vt32 = "TRUE"
SMBIOS.reflectHost = "TRUE"
ethernet0.VirtualDev = "e1000"

Re: Free ESXi Installed but won't connect to network

tru — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 15:05:39 GMT

the RTL8168/8111 is not supported, buy an intel card!

Re: Free ESXi Installed but won't connect to network

singh.padam123 — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 14:02:38 GMT

I am using esxi vai pen drive and not able to change the default ip address 0.0.0.0 (STATIC).

I have onboard nic RTL8168/8111. any idea how to fix this....

Re: Free ESXi Installed but won't connect to network

wizdude — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 15:05:09 GMT

i only use intel nic's and they work across the board

Re: Free ESXi Installed but won't connect to network

YLui-at-Resolver — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 14:53:15 GMT

just an FYI

as long as you install NIC cards that are listed in the PDF file for 3.5 version of ESX 3i, then you wont have any problem running the ESXi server.

i had the same issue, until i swapped in a listed as supported nic, and it worked right away.

3.5 ESX 3i is quite picky with the hardware it supports.

Re: Free ESXi Installed but won't connect to network

wizdude — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 13:12:44 GMT

it's the name that you want to assign to the box.

what do you want to call it? esx1? virtual? mybox?
then add to that whatever domain you use on your local network. perhaps that might be andersons.com, or andersons.local, or somethingelse.com

you just need to assign a name to your box that preferably (but not essentially) will also resolve in a name server somewhere.

if this is just a local install on a home network, just give it a name like "esx1.home".

Re: Free ESXi Installed but won't connect to network

Jasemccarty — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 13:11:45 GMT

It can be anything you want really. It could be esxi.ramalamadingdong.com for that matter...

If you are doing this in an office, you will have to setup a DNS entry pointing at your ESXi's IP address.

If you are doing this at home, you probably won't have a DNS name for it. It really doesn't matter, and you can do everything you want/need to with it, by simply using the IP address.

Jase McCarty
http://www.jasemccarty.com
Co-Author of VMware ESX Essentials in the Virtual Data Center
(ISBN:1420070274) from Auerbach

Re: Free ESXi Installed but won't connect to network

andersons — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 13:06:47 GMT

Where do I get that information. I have no idea what the name is.

Re: Free ESXi Installed but won't connect to network

wizdude — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 13:03:22 GMT

put in the fully qualified name for the ESXi host, ie: esx1.andersons.com or esx.anderson.local

Re: Free ESXi Installed but won't connect to network

andersons — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 12:58:00 GMT

YAY!!

I installed a new Intel Pro/1000 GT card & rebooted the computer & everything seemed to load correctly. I am configuring it with static IP, etc addresses but I'm not sure what the host name should be (default is localhost.localdomain). What should I fill in there?

Re: Free ESXi Installed but won't connect to network

YLui-at-Resolver — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 22:05:11 GMT

I'm facing the exact same issue.

The machine is great, everything installed and running

Just the NIC card problem

It is able to detect and identify the NICs installed, but is not using either of them to get an IP

probably because the are not "compatible" ? although recognized and identified by the server?

One is a build in Realtek Giga LAN

and the other is another generic NIC

I'm trying to get some old 3Com and Intel NIC on it, to see if it works with those.

I just find it ironic, that it knows what is installed, but it wont use them?

Re: Free ESXi Installed but won't connect to network

andersons — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 14:53:11 GMT

Ok so I have determined that my onboard NIC is an Intel 82566 which should be supported according to that list. I know that the other NIC is not supported. But shouldn't I be able to set the computer to boot from the onboard NIC? When I go into the BIOS to try to set this, and go to Configuration>Peripheral Configuration> I have the onboard LAN enabled. I'm not sure if I need to change something else. Otherwise, I'll just switch out my CNET NIC for the Intel PRO/1000 GT.

Re: Free ESXi Installed but won't connect to network

Formatter — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 00:05:09 GMT

Ok Help!!

I do the alt F1 and the unsupported password and lspci

it shows the card in there for the network. I am going to get the intel card soon but I am courious, if its in the list it should work shouldnt it?

So if it works till here? and I am getting just the nic not working? if I get he nic sorted out it will be ok?

Re: Free ESXi Installed but won't connect to network

Dave.Mishchenko — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 16:18:15 GMT

I'd give it a try - I usually go with an Intel Pro/1000 GT - here are a few other models that have been tested - http://www.vm-help.com/esx/esx3.5/Whiteboxes_SATA_Controllers_for_ESX_3.5_3i.htm#NICs

Re: Free ESXi Installed but won't connect to network

andersons — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 14:56:09 GMT

When I use the lspci -v command, all it shows for a NIC is the following:

06:02.00 Network Controller: Bridgecom Inc. Network Everywhere Fast Ethernet 10/100 model NC100

Class 0200:1317:0985

I don't see this in the list at http://www.vm-help.com/esx/esx3i/Hardware_support.php

Do I need to get a different NIC?

Re: Free ESXi Installed but won't connect to network

andersons — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 11:26:43 GMT

Where/how do I disable/enable NIC in the BIOS?

Re: Free ESXi Installed but won't connect to network

Dave.Mishchenko — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 03:56:39 GMT

Thanks for the correction. It was the 82566DC.

Re: Free ESXi Installed but won't connect to network

eliston — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 03:40:19 GMT

the intel DP35DP from the spec seems using the 82566DC not the 82566DM, but yeah both are in the hardware support list. Ok will try my luck this weekend but I already prepare 3com nic handy with me in case my onboard nic can't work it

Re: Free ESXi Installed but won't connect to network

Dave.Mishchenko — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 03:23:36 GMT

I haven't had much luck with the 82566DM (on an Intel DP35DP). In my case it wasn't in simple.map and once I added it, it wouldn't load the driver properly. Hopefully you'll make out better.

Re: Free ESXi Installed but won't connect to network

eliston — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 03:12:11 GMT

I have similar problem with the TS, trying to install the esxi 3.5

I am using Intel DQ65JO Mobo which using intel Q35 chipset, the ICH9 sata controller and 82566DM-2 (pci id: 8086 10bd) NIC.sata controller is detected and working fine, esxi installed to the harddrive butalso got message lvmdriver failed to load, and the static IP 0.0.0.0

I saw the 82566DM (w/o 2) is supported in simple map with e1000 driver so I suspect this DM-2 should work with this driver as well butI didn't have a chance yet to try a method that boot from usb flashdriive and modify the oem.tgz since I don't have usb flash drive yet maybe will try this weekend

Oh, and I also try to install in my office pc, this one using G965 chipset which using ICH8 (pci id : 8086 27C0) seems the esxi also unable to detect this ICH8, (its not in the hardware support list)

Re: Free ESXi Installed but won't connect to network

leo.lu — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 02:34:26 GMT

I installed ESXi u2 on a dell E510 desktop computer, the onboard intel pro 100/VE didn't work. added a pro 100/s pci card, picked it up no problem. that's the cheapest card for eval.

Re: Free ESXi Installed but won't connect to network

Dave.Mishchenko — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 02:21:35 GMT

What's the PCI ID for the NIC? ESXi has a list of devices that it will recognize and that list can be found here - http://www.vm-help.com/esx/esx3i/Hardware_support.php. Of that list there are devices that are officially supported and work. Second, there are devices that work but are not supported (I use Intel Pro 1000 GT cards that would be in this category). Lastly there are devices that are recognized but don't work. Your Broadcom may be one of those. If you have another Broadcom, Intel or even a 3Com NIC around, they would be worth a try.

Re: Free ESXi Installed but won't connect to network

virvm — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 00:10:52 GMT

I started the installation again and at the installation screen i press ALT +F1 and after entering as root

i ran lspci and found that the s/w found the card as Broadcom but still i cannot see the default i/p http://0.0.0.0 (STATIC).

thanks

virvm

Re: Free ESXi Installed but won't connect to network

calebb — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 20:34:22 GMT

I ran into the exact same issue this week with a Intel DP35P board listed on a whitebox site. I tried Netgear, Linksys, and Dlink cards and none of them worked (all local stores had). Then on another site I found Intel Pro/1000 GT Desktop Adapter cards would work. (I think the MT work as well, but I can't confirm.)

I ordered two of these cards from a online retailer and they work like a champ. Everything booted up and got IP's right away. Set me back $33 each.

Good luck!

Re: Free ESXi Installed but won't connect to network

Thomas_Prophett — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 20:21:45 GMT

If its using the incorrect nic... what about just disabling the onboard NIC through the BIOs so that the only presentable NIC to the ESXi install is the add-in intel card?

Re: Free ESXi Installed but won't connect to network

virvm — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 15:08:54 GMT

Hi,
I am facing the same problem i downloaded the ESXi server and the same problem pops cannot connect to the server and missing lvm driver...
The nic card is working fine with Oracle VM Server....please help ..my server config is AMD 64 bit Dual core processer...it is Dell Dimension C521
thanks,
vmvir

Re: Free ESXi Installed but won't connect to network

Jasemccarty — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 14:57:33 GMT

It would seem that it is using the incorrect nic.

I forget exactly what the steps are to swap them around... Let me dig a little.

Jase McCarty
http://www.jasemccarty.com
Co-Author of VMware ESX Essentials in the Virtual Data Center
(ISBN:1420070274) from Auerbach

Re: Free ESXi Installed but won't connect to network

andersons — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 14:51:04 GMT

The computer is actually a custom built one. The motherboard is an Intel BOXDB33FBC ATX. The computer actually has two NIC's (which I didn't realize before) One is integrated into the motherboard and is an Intel Gigabit Ethernet and there is also a CNET 2000 PRO 10/100 PCI one.

In the lspci screen, it said, "06:02.00 Network Controller: Bridgecom Inc. Network Everywhere Fast Ethernet 10/100 model NC100

Am I right in thinking that part of the trouble is that it doesn't know which NIC to use?

BTW when I pressed Alt-F1, this is what came up (on a black screen with white lettering) before I entered 'unsupported':

"Using /mod/lvmdriver

Linking /bootbank to /vmfs/volumes/90c07379-0092c0cd-45cc-0dbb7ef1f8fa

Linking /altbootbank to /vmfs/volumes/4f4d1f72-172f2375-7c31-79ba11f279c6

Linking /store to /vmfs/volumes/e0a264ee-3bc42168-cdd5-3a5cd7c2a09f

Error running operation: Unable to generate UUID for system

Error running operation: Unable to generate UUID for system\

/scratch is /tmp/scratch

/locker is /store

No swap, increasing host/vim memory

Starting inetd

Starting crond

Running hostd start

Running slpd start

1324 Begin 'hostd ++min=0,swap,group = hostd -a /etc/vmware/hostd/config.xml', min-uptime = 60, max-quick-failures = 5, max-total-failures = 1000000

Starting slpd

Running sfcbd start

Starting sfcbd

Running sfcbd-watchdog start

Running wsmand

Starting openusmand"

Re: Free ESXi Installed but won't connect to network

Jasemccarty — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 12:48:47 GMT

What type of box is it?

Also, if you want to see the hardware the ESXi has recognized, you'll need a terminal window.

From the main screen, press ALT+F1
Type "unsupported" (no quotes)
Enter the root password
Type "lspci" and it will show you the devices it sees.

So, if you determine the nic type (through system type, or actually looking at the hardware), and then don't see it in the lspci results, it probably isn't supported.

Depending on what you have, there might be a workaround. If there is, it might be difficult, and you end up easier off, by adding a supported nic.

Jase McCarty
http://www.jasemccarty.com
Co-Author of VMware ESX Essentials in the Virtual Data Center
(ISBN:1420070274) from Auerbach

Re: Free ESXi Installed but won't connect to network

andersons — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 12:40:12 GMT

Umm, not sure. How do I find out?

Re: Free ESXi Installed but won't connect to network

Jasemccarty — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 12:39:08 GMT

What type of nic are you using?

Jase McCarty
http://www.jasemccarty.com
Co-Author of VMware ESX Essentials in the Virtual Data Center
(ISBN:1420070274) from Auerbach

Free ESXi Installed but won't connect to network

andersons — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 12:37:57 GMT

So I downloaded the iso file from vmware.com, burned it onto a cd using ISO Image Recorder and booted from the cd on my computer. I followed all of the installation steps as described in the guide and everything looked just like in the installation guide. When the install was complete, I removed the CD & rebooted the computer. While the direct console was loading, everything seemed to be loading correctly except one message came up that said, "lvm driver failed to load with" (the rest was truncated). Then the regular direct console page loaded but this is what it says in the grey part at the top, "VMware ESX Server 3i 3.5.0 build-103909 Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Quad CPU Q9300 @ 2.5 GHz 4 GB Memory", & in the yellow part at the bottom, "Download tools to manage this host from: http://0.0.0.0/ (STATIC)"

Then I hit F2 and set my root password, but when I went to Configure Management Network, it said, "Hostname: localhost IP Address: 0.0.0.0" When I hit Enter to edit the settings, the only option it gave me was "Restore Network Factory Settings" and to hit F11 (Yes) or Esc (No). When I hit F11, it took me back to the direct console, but nothing changed (even when I rebooted) I also tried Restart Management Network and Test Management Network and nothing changed.

It seems to me that the problem is in the lvm driver failing to load, but I don't know how to fix that. I have rebooted several times, taken the computer off the network and rebooted, put it on a different LAN and rebooted, etc. If I can't get it to connect and assign an IP address, I can't connect to the Server via VI CLient.

I do know that before I installed ESXi, I was able to network and connect to the internet so the problem is not in the network.

Can anyone help me? I need to get this set up and working as soon as possible. Our development is waiting on this.

I can give more information if needed.

Thanks