VMware Communities: Message List - ESXi: Upgrading memory on host causes BSoD in windows VMs

Re: ESXi: Upgrading memory on host causes BSoD in windows VMs

Leafy911 — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 13:59:41 GMT

Glad I could be of help!

I have 2 ESXi servers at the moment, one with mixed memory DIMMS and I have not seen any issues as yet.

Anytime I do have issues with any system running any OS, I start by simplifying the situation by removing complications such as mixed memory, addition adaptor cards, device drivers etc. By using this method you should be able to isolate the issue.

Regards
Leafy911

(Dont forget you recieve points when you award points)

Re: ESXi: Upgrading memory on host causes BSoD in windows VMs

kuldipsingh — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 13:14:57 GMT

Based on your suggestion and my planned activity to upgrade memory to 4x4GB=16GB, the problem has been fixed.

2x2GB and 2x4GB together was causing the issue. Once I replaced the 2x2GB with 2x4GB, as i have planned, problem was gone.

Conclusion:

Even though the Memory was from the same vendor (OCZ) and same speed 800MHz, it (ESXi) does not like different density (example: 2GB and 4GB) sticks put together

Hope, it will help other people as well.

Re: ESXi: Upgrading memory on host causes BSoD in windows VMs

Leafy911 — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 15:35:07 GMT

As far as I know ESX is very sensitive when it comes to memory and wil PSOD if there is an issue, so I find it strange to hear that on the VMs on top of it are affected. Have you tried using just the 2 x 4GB sticks to see what would happen?

Regards
Leafy911

(Dont forget you recieve points when you award points)

ESXi: Upgrading memory on host causes BSoD in windows VMs

kuldipsingh — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 14:11:08 GMT

I am facing a strange issue (at least to me) of Blue Screen of Death in Windows Server 2003 VMs.

Description: My esxi host has 4x 2GB = 8GB memory and I decided to replace 2 x2GB sticks with 2x4GB sticks making total of (2x2GB + 2x $GB) = 12GB. However, this whole thing caused a grief for me.

My esxi host booted up fine and it shows 12GB of memory and every thing was great. However, as soon as I started windows server 2003 and windows 2008 based VMs I see BSoD. See the picture attached.

Few key points to note:

1) I have 3 VMs. One windows 2003 and two windows 2008 based.

2) VMs I have seen the issue are on the same DATA Store.

3) If I only start any 1 VM out of 3, it boots up fine.

4) As soon as I try to boot any of the remaining two, I see the BSoD on the VM which was already up and running. I have never seen BSoD if windows was up and running. I have always seen it during the booting of the windows but not if windows was up and running.

5) Please find the screen shot of BDoD.

Please help!