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1 2 Previous Next 23 Replies Last post: Oct 9, 2009 12:11 AM by dreamz020  

pink screening - spin count exceeded..possible deadlock posted: Jul 26, 2008 8:16 AM

Click to view mikemcsw's profile Enthusiast
mikemcsw
70 posts since
Jul 25, 2008

I have tried to install esx 3.5 3 times now, and it keeps "pink screening" (if that's what you refer to it as?), saying spin count exceeded...possible deadlock.

any help would be appreciated, this is getting very frustrating...

Re: pink screening - spin count exceeded..possible deadlock

1. Jul 26, 2008 9:17 AM in response to: mikemcsw
Click to view lamw's profile Champion vExpert
lamw
3,274 posts since
Nov 27, 2007
also known as Purple Screen of Death, usually this deals with hardware faults in either the cpu or memory, usually the coredump of the PSOD will indicate whether it might be memory or cpu. Depending on your hardware vendor, you might be able to install some hardware monitoring agents like HP SIM. You might want to open a support call with VMware to determine what hardware is cuasing this issue or have your hardware vendor take a look to see if they can diagnose the error while booting into their diagonostic CD like HP Smartstart CD.

Re: pink screening - spin count exceeded..possible deadlock

2. Jul 26, 2008 9:56 AM in response to: lamw
Click to view mikemcsw's profile Enthusiast
mikemcsw
70 posts since
Jul 25, 2008

The hardware is virtual from the vmware workstation.

I think it has to do with that pegasus thing, because i watched it boot, and thats the last thing it does and it sits there FOREVER.

I read threads about how to fix it, but how do i even get to a shell prompt and transfer the fix script?

I cant even log in, because it never finishes booting up, hanging on the pegasus?

Re: pink screening - spin count exceeded..possible deadlock

3. Jul 26, 2008 10:19 AM in response to: mikemcsw
Click to view lamw's profile Champion vExpert
lamw
3,274 posts since
Nov 27, 2007

Before this continues, I want to make sure you know what you're running? You're posting under VI ESX 3.5 which is the enterprise hypervisor that runs on physical hardware, yet your posts talks about VMware workstation????? If you're talking about VMware workstation, then you're in the wrong forum and workstation run's on top of another operating system whether that be Linux or Windows.

In any case, what is the issue, you're reporting 2 seperate issues: pink/purple screening which with respect to ESX is "almost" always hardware related issues. In terms of your pegasus issue, this is a known issue that certain packages were not installed properly and Duncan on yellow-bricks has provided a fix. If that does not work, you can always boot into rescue mode and disable that service, assuming thats what's really causing your system not to boot up properly. So you have stated two issues and there's too many variables to determine what exactly you're seeing. If you don't have anything running on the hypervisor, I suggest re-installing ESX.

Re: pink screening - spin count exceeded..possible deadlock

4. Jul 26, 2008 10:31 AM in response to: lamw
Click to view mikemcsw's profile Enthusiast
mikemcsw
70 posts since
Jul 25, 2008
I am installing esx 3.5 on wmworkstation. Vmworkstation is not the problem...i have several os's already running on it (including dos, win2k3 server, and linux) I haven't encountered any problems until trying to install esx 3.5. I am following the guide and everything works fine, up to the point of pegasus.

I have reinstalled it 4 times now with same problem...always craps out at pegasus...

You said i could disable it....so how do i disable that ?? I see I can boot up to troubleshooting mode, and that gets me to a login prompt....

EDIT TO ADD - the moderator moved my problem to this forum, so if this is not the correct forum, it is not my fault.

Re: pink screening - spin count exceeded..possible deadlock

5. Jul 26, 2008 12:46 PM in response to: mikemcsw
Click to view kjb007's profile Guru vExpert
kjb007
5,618 posts since
Sep 18, 2006
What version of workstation are you using? You need to have 6.5 for ESX 3.5 to work correctly. You can use version 6 for ESX 3.0.x. I have 3.5 correctly running on 6.5

-KjB

Re: pink screening - spin count exceeded..possible deadlock

6. Jul 26, 2008 1:52 PM in response to: kjb007
Click to view mikemcsw's profile Enthusiast
mikemcsw
70 posts since
Jul 25, 2008

i have esx 3.5 running on vm workstation 6 on my work notebook, but cant get it working on my home hardware.

regardless, i am now trying esx 3.5 update 2 on vm workstation 6.5 update 2 and not getting as far...

Do you have step-by-step instruction on how to make it work?

BTW, my home pc is

OS:vista home

hdwar: HP pavilion (new model)

Re: pink screening - spin count exceeded..possible deadlock

7. Jul 26, 2008 1:58 PM in response to: mikemcsw
Click to view kjb007's profile Guru vExpert
kjb007
5,618 posts since
Sep 18, 2006
The instructions I used are the same from the xtravirt site. They provide good guidance to get you started. Not sure if you've already seen that or not. See here for those docs: http://www.xtravirt.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=99&Itemid=124

-KjB

Re: pink screening - spin count exceeded..possible deadlock

8. Jul 26, 2008 2:45 PM in response to: kjb007
Click to view Texiwill's profile Guru User Moderators vExpert
Texiwill
10,338 posts since
Jan 13, 2004
Hello,

In order to use ESX within WS you need Intel-VT enabled hardware or AMD-V enabled hardware. WIthout it, nothing really works. For installing ESX 3.5 within WS 6.5 (which is Beta) I followed http://www.ntpro.nl/blog/archives/470-ESX-3.5-is-running-on-Workstation-6.5-Build-91182-!!!.html and it worked just fine. But if you do not have Intel-VT enabled then there could be problems. Verify that you have hardware that supports this first.


Best regards,
Edward L. Haletky
VMware Communities User Moderator
====
Author of the book 'VMWare ESX Server in the Enterprise: Planning and Securing Virtualization Servers', Copyright 2008 Pearson Education.
CIO Virtualization Blog: http://www.cio.com/blog/index/topic/168354
As well as the Virtualization Wiki at http://www.astroarch.com/wiki/index.php/Virtualization

Re: pink screening - spin count exceeded..possible deadlock

9. Jul 26, 2008 2:51 PM in response to: Texiwill
Click to view mikemcsw's profile Enthusiast
mikemcsw
70 posts since
Jul 25, 2008

But if you do not have Intel-VT enabled then there could be problems. Verify that you have hardware that supports this first.

How do i do that?

It is a current model HP Pavilion Slimline

Intel Premium Dual CPU E2200

Microsoft ACPI-Compliant System

Re: pink screening - spin count exceeded..possible deadlock

10. Jul 26, 2008 2:55 PM in response to: mikemcsw
Click to view Texiwill's profile Guru User Moderators vExpert
Texiwill
10,338 posts since
Jan 13, 2004
Hello,

You may have to hunt through the BIOS to see if its enabled. I had to do that for my laptop and then I ran the, Intel(R) Processor ID Utility - Windows* version to verify that it really did set it. Note however that the utility claims to not always be correct.


Best regards,
Edward L. Haletky
VMware Communities User Moderator
====
Author of the book 'VMWare ESX Server in the Enterprise: Planning and Securing Virtualization Servers', Copyright 2008 Pearson Education.
CIO Virtualization Blog: http://www.cio.com/blog/index/topic/168354
As well as the Virtualization Wiki at http://www.astroarch.com/wiki/index.php/Virtualization

Re: pink screening - spin count exceeded..possible deadlock

11. Jul 26, 2008 3:13 PM in response to: Texiwill
Click to view mikemcsw's profile Enthusiast
mikemcsw
70 posts since
Jul 25, 2008

ok, that may be the problem then...

I downloaded and ran the intel utility and it says:

INTEL VIRTUALIZATION TECHNOLOGY ..........................NO

So, i don't mind spending the money (I guess)...what do you recommend? You dont suppose my older DELL workstation (GX270) supports it do you?

Re: pink screening - spin count exceeded..possible deadlock

12. Jul 26, 2008 3:32 PM in response to: mikemcsw
Click to view lamw's profile Champion vExpert
lamw
3,274 posts since
Nov 27, 2007
Get the CPU information and check either Intel or AMD's site to see if Intel VT or AMD-V is available, this feature has only been introduced in the newer laptop/desktops probably late 05/early 06/07 timeframe. It's all dependent on your CPU's and you can find this out easily by using that CPU utility that was recommended or browsing the vendor's site for cpu info. Sounds like you'll probably need to invest in either upgrading the CPU or a new workstation (laptop/desktop)

Re: pink screening - spin count exceeded..possible deadlock

13. Jul 28, 2008 6:37 AM in response to: lamw
Click to view Texiwill's profile Guru User Moderators vExpert
Texiwill
10,338 posts since
Jan 13, 2004
Hello,

Hunt through the BIOS on your system. If it is a Core 2 DUO or Quad Core then INtel-VT may be there. But generally takes a BIOS setting to be changed to be made available. If it is a New system then there may be a BIOS change required. You would need to discuss this with the vendor. BTW, as for the Older Dell that depends also on its BIOS, chipset, and CPU in use.


Best regards,
Edward L. Haletky
VMware Communities User Moderator
====
Author of the book 'VMWare ESX Server in the Enterprise: Planning and Securing Virtualization Servers', Copyright 2008 Pearson Education.
CIO Virtualization Blog: http://www.cio.com/blog/index/topic/168354
As well as the Virtualization Wiki at http://www.astroarch.com/wiki/index.php/Virtualization

Re: pink screening - spin count exceeded..possible deadlock

14. Jul 29, 2008 10:51 AM in response to: mikemcsw
Click to view Datto's profile Expert
Datto
262 posts since
Mar 10, 2006

You dont suppose my older DELL workstation (GX270) supports it do you?

You can load ESX 3.5 directly onto the bare metal of a Dell GX270 (with PATA disk, SATA may not work) and ESX 3.5 will work. Don't use VMware Workstation -- just load ESX 3.5 right onto the bare metal of the GX270.

From your other computer at home, install the Virtual Infrastructure Client (The VIC) and point the VIC to the GX270's IP address after ESX 3.5 is loaded. You'll then be able to see and manage your ESX 3.5 Dell GX270 server.

Datto

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