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40 Replies Last post: Jul 29, 2009 1:14 PM by GR2008

Dell Precision T3400, ESXi, something else, or forget virtualization?

Jul 26, 2008 4:54 AM

libove 11 posts since
Jul 26, 2008

Hi,

I just purchased a Dell Precision T3400 workstation, and upgraded its default Core 2 Duo E4600 (no hardware virtualization support) CPU to a Core 2 Quad Q6600 to have plenty of CPU power and Intel's hardware virtualization support. I have this crazy idea of running a real virtual platform on the hardware, supporting a workstation image, a server image, and maybe even a home theatre / media center image. This hardware certainly has more power than my existing three such machines combined!

But... ESXi 3.5.0 gives the error "Unable to find a supported device to write the VMware ESX Server 3i 3.5.0 image to".

The Dell Precision has Intel's X38 Express chipset and ICH9R controller. I have tried booting the ESXi install CD with the machine configured both with the ICH9R in AHCI mode and with the ICH9R in RAID mode - same "Unable to find a supported device" error.

Has anyone got ESXi working on a Dell Precision withOUT the SaS RAID controller option, with just native SATA or AHCI or RAID from the integrated ICH9R controller?

Thanks
Jay

Tags: dell_precision, t3400, ich9r

Reply Re: Dell Precision T3400, ESXi, something else, or forget virtualization? Jul 26, 2008 7:47 AM

Bunce 14 posts since
May 13, 2004

You're wanting to run ESX on a workstation? Have you looked at the HCL?

Reply Re: Dell Precision T3400, ESXi, something else, or forget virtualization? Jul 26, 2008 9:56 AM

in response to: Bunce

libove 11 posts since
Jul 26, 2008

You're wanting to run ESX on a workstation?

Yes. The line between what would once clearly have been "just a workstation" and "a server" has blurred in recent years. The Precision T3400 supports 16GB ECC RAM, has an onboard RAID controller with six SATA-2 sockets (though I admit, I do not know whether it is true hardware RAID with the RAID 5 checksum math in hardware, or whether it relies on a software drive to do that), supports 1333MHz CPU to memory bus, 64-bit address space, etc, etc. This "workstation" is far more powerful than servers of just a couple of years ago, to say nothing of the stuff I grew up with ...

So, yes, "on a workstation", for whatever that's worth

Have you looked at the HCL?

Yes, and I know already that this isn't "supported". That doesn't guarantee outright that it can't be made to work, I hope...

Thanks!
Jay

Reply Re: Dell Precision T3400, ESXi, something else, or forget virtualization? Jul 26, 2008 10:06 AM

in response to: libove

weinstein5 6,208 posts since
Nov 19, 2005 VMware

True not supported does not necessary mean it will not work but the odds that it will not work are much higher since it is not a 'server class' machine -

Reply Re: Dell Precision T3400, ESXi, something else, or forget virtualization? Jul 26, 2008 11:31 AM

jjkrueger 87 posts since
Apr 5, 2006

I've got ESX running on a pair of Precision 390s in my home lab, and the T3400 is just a refresh of that line, so getting ESX running shouldn't be too far fetched. As noted here already, supportability is a whole different ballgame.

Instead of ESXi 3.5.0, have you tried 3.5 Update 1 or the just released Update 2? VMware often tweaks hardware compatibility during these point releases. I know SATA support has been a little trying since it was introduced in 3.5.0. The ICH9R may be one of the drivers having issues (I don't know that for sure, though - I haven't looked). Are there any other settings in the BIOS for the SATA controller (other than the AHCI and RAID settings you mentioned)? If so, maybe try one of those.

I don't know if the onboard NIC on the T3400 will be supported either - in my 390's, the particular Broadcom NIC wasn't even detected, so I added a dual-port Intel Pro/1000 card to each of my boxes.

Just a couple of thoughts.

-jk

Reply Re: Dell Precision T3400, ESXi, something else, or forget virtualization? Jul 26, 2008 1:02 PM

Dave.Mishchenko 8,863 posts since
Nov 15, 2005 Moderator

As suggested give ESXi 3.5 Update 2 a try. Do you know the PCI ID for the SATA controllers when running in non RAID mode? While ESXi will recognize ICH controllers, the driver doesn't support the software component needed on the controller for it to work in RAID mode (I haven't looked at update 2 to see if that has changed).

If you can get the PCI ID, we can help you with a customization to the install CD that should get you around this.

Reply Re: Dell Precision T3400, ESXi, something else, or forget virtualization? Jul 26, 2008 1:18 PM

in response to: Dave.Mishchenko

libove 11 posts since
Jul 26, 2008

Thanks so much for your help. I realize that Update 2 came out in the last 24 hours or so; I had been trying Update 1 (which definitely didn't like the ICH9 / ICH9R in any of SATA, AHCI, or RAID modes).
I'm download Update 2 right now, and will post further after I've tried it...

Regarding the PCI device Hardware id - it is PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_2922&SUBSYS_02141028&REV_02
The full device id string goes on a bit further: PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_2922&SUBSYS_02141028&REV_02\3&172E68DD&0&FA

Jay

Reply Re: Dell Precision T3400, ESXi, something else, or forget virtualization? Jul 26, 2008 2:53 PM

in response to: libove

libove 11 posts since
Jul 26, 2008

Hm. No joy with Update 2. Much nicer install UI though...

Instead of "fatal error", now it comes up with a friendlier message to the same effect, and asks if I want to load a driver disc.

-Jay

Reply ICH9R settings. Jul 27, 2008 3:59 AM

Erik Bussink 423 posts since
Jan 10, 2004

I've installed ESXi 3.5.0 (Update 1&2) on a Shuttle SX38P2 Pro, which also has a X38 chipset. You cannot use the ICH9R in RAID or AHCI mode, only in SATA/IDE mode. It also requires that you set the mode to Legacy support (I don't know if you're T3400 has that BIOS feature).

Reply Re: ICH9R settings. Jul 27, 2008 8:46 AM

in response to: Erik Bussink

libove 11 posts since
Jul 26, 2008

Thanks - not sure how I missed it before, but, with the BIOS configuring the ICH9 controller as SATA-only, the ESXi 3.5.0u2 installer was happy to install.

Next problem is the same others have had - network adapter! The built-in Broadcom Ethernet controller IS recognized by the ESXi installer and kernel, but it doesn't talk. This suggests that the Broadcom controller on the Precision T3400 motherboard is similar to, but not exactly the same as, something which the ESX drivers knows about...

Anyone have any suggestion for boot time kernel parameters to get the ESXi 3.5.0u2 kernel Broadcom drivers to properly use the Dell Precision T3400 motherboard Broadcom 5754 Ethernet controller?

Continuing Thanks!
Jay

Reply Re: ICH9R settings. Jul 29, 2008 1:40 PM

in response to: libove

Draco Dragonsfire 9 posts since
Jul 29, 2008

You mentioned that you were able to at least install ESXi on a Precision T3400? (Unless I'm mistaken)

I have one of these here, and I'm attempting to install ESXi U2 on it with no luck. It freezes right after selecting "ThinESX Installer" on the boot menu. Autodetect/ATA is selected in the Dell BIOS and only when it is, does it actually freeze/hard-lock like this.

If I select any other option like RAID or Autodetect/AHCI which I know will not work, it boots into the CD to install but obviously cannot find the hard drive. Quite disappointing... latest BIOS to-boot (A07) - What did you do to get it to boot properly in ATA mode? I've tried nearly everything, which includes some random pokes at adding things like acpi=off, noacpi, and such.

Anyhow, what I might do is re-download the ISO and perhaps net-boot the process, just in case it's something funky with our cd's or drives.

======

Also to note: I've tried this on a second T3400 (A03 BIOS) and it still refuses to boot any farther than the cd boot menu then a hard lock. I mentioned in another thread that the ESX Server 3.5.0 installer boots without issue. What makes ESXi different?

Message was edited by: Draco Dragonsfire

Reply Re: ICH9R settings. Jul 29, 2008 6:54 AM

in response to: Draco Dragonsfire

DBLS3P 2 posts since
Jul 29, 2008

Yup - same issue here ... please let us know what setting(s) you changed to get ESXi installed.

Reply Re: ICH9R settings. Jul 29, 2008 10:30 AM

in response to: libove

Dave.Mishchenko 8,863 posts since
Nov 15, 2005 Moderator

Can you post the PCI ID for the NIC? You can get that running lspci at the console of the host. It may be just easier to add a NIC to the system - I use Intel Pro 1000 GTs for example and they work fine.

Reply Re: ICH9R settings. Jul 30, 2008 4:14 AM

in response to: libove

MadDave 2 posts since
Jul 30, 2008

You may need to actually enable the nic in one of the menus you get when you boot the server (sorry can't remember which one), it should have an x on the left next to the active nic(s), but by default it looks like the 5754 is not set as active. Make this quick and simple config change and you should be up and running

Reply Re: ICH9R settings. Jul 30, 2008 4:26 AM

in response to: Draco Dragonsfire

libove 11 posts since
Jul 26, 2008

Er, the newest BIOS I could find on the Dell web site for the Precision T3400 is the same A05 version which came on my workstation. You mention an A07 version. Are we talking about the same workstation hardware?

To answer your question, I really don't know why the ESXi 3.5.0u2 installer was willing to install on my system, and it hangs on yours.

What other options are in your system? Mine was fairly basic - CPU (Q6600), RAM, a couple of SATA hard drives in simple SATA mode (no RAID partitions configured), one SATA DVD-ROM reader, the integrated (and evidently not-supported-by-ESXi Broadcom ethernet controller), nVidia NVS 290 dual DVI video card. Maybe there's another option in your system which is causing the installer to break?

Jay

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