Cannot install ESXi Dell PowerEdge SC420

[sajbeach]

I have a Dell PowerEdge SC420 that I am trying to try to install ESXi on to test deployments with. I created the ISO and started the installation. The error message that I receive is 'Unsupported BIOS setting (CPUID is limited). Disable 'limit CPUID value' or 'Support legacy/NT4 OS' in BIOS.' I find nothing like that in the system BIOS. I know that the processor is probably not supported (2.53 GHz Celeron...stop laughing:), but I just want to test installing VMs with it. I've seen where people have added the line /vmkernel/checkCPUIDLimit = "FALSE" to the end of the /etc/vmware/esx.conf file with success, but I'm not sure how to go about that from the image loading from disk. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Steve

[scowse]

I have installed on SC430 but it is very different to yours. BIOS has CPUID settings and has a Pentium D 2.8Gig. The BIOS also allows me to boot from UFD

The storage controller is not supported so I am working on NFS.

[Jasemccarty]

I had this issue on an Optiplex 620, with an older bios (A03). So I updated the bios to A11, and then could disable the setting in the bios.

Installed without a hitch on the 620 (other than that).

Jase McCarty

http://www.jasemccarty.com

Co-Author of VMware ESX Essentials in the Virtual Data Center

(ISBN:1420070274) from Auerbach

[edifyyo]

I am having precisely the same problem. I solution to this will make my day!

[Jasemccarty]

Do you have the latest bios for the 420?

Jase McCarty

http://www.jasemccarty.com

Co-Author of VMware ESX Essentials in the Virtual Data Center

(ISBN:1420070274) from Auerbach

[edifyyo]

Jase,

Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately, I am running the latest BIOS for the 420 (A02) - there is no option to configure the CPU ID.

Is there a way configure the boot options, when booting the ISO, to have it ignore the CPU ID?

Thanks!

Nathan

[Jasemccarty]

The reason that I added the other bios links (in the other post), is because, maybe one of the others has the option. You could try them.

Jase McCarty

http://www.jasemccarty.com

Co-Author of VMware ESX Essentials in the Virtual Data Center

(ISBN:1420070274) from Auerbach

[edifyyo]

SOLUTION is here: http://communities.vmware.com/message/1011419#1011419

[maurizio_omisso]

Thank you all for the help. I had the same problem installing ESXi 3.5 3i to sc420 A02. Installation was done successfully, but after the reboot the same error occured.

With a life CD I edited the boot.cfg in the 5th partition and changed

kernelopt=

to

kernelopt=nocheckCPUIDLimit

Now it boots without errors.