VMware Cloud Community
Corsari
Contributor
Contributor
Jump to solution

How To add a SATA controller driver to ESXi 3.5 Install CD (edited)

Hi to all the community,

Today I downloaded and tried to install VMWare ESXi on a Core Duo Quad system.

The main board is an ASUS P5KPL-CM with Intel Chipsets G31and ICH7.

The pc is equipped with a SATA hdd.

The issue is:

Right after clicking install, I get a message such "Unable to find a support device to write the VMWare ESXi server"

Related to the issue I add this question:

Is it a must that the HDD on where to install, got to be BLANK/EMPTY? Or it is not?

In other words, what happen if ESXi installer finds out something on the disk (i.e. the disk is fully partitioned with a bootable Windows)? Does ESXi installer have an erase disk option or if any partition is present, the result is the issue I described above?

I ask it because I see that here http://www.vm-help.com/esx/esx3.5/Whiteboxes_SATA_Controllers_for_ESX_3.5_3i.htm are mentioned some systems with the ICH7 chipset.

Obviously it is a controller matter. On this pc, Windows XP Pro installs fine, no SATA drivers required.

That is the reason of this post.

Thank you all if you help me with the right tip.

Robert

Reply
0 Kudos
21 Replies
Dave_Mishchenko
Immortal
Immortal
Jump to solution

Go to configuration \ storage in the VI client and then click on add storage. The wizard should recognize the 2nd empty drive.

Reply
0 Kudos
Corsari
Contributor
Contributor
Jump to solution

Ok,

finally I installed vmware ESXi 3.5.0 update 3 on a cheap ASUS P5KPL-CM main board with:

processor: Core Duo Quad 6700

disk: 1 SATA hdd

cd/dvd: 1 SATA DVD burner

RAM: 2GB

Main issues to overcome have been:

- the ICH-7 controller is not properly recognized by the installer

- to make the ICH7 controller properly working you need to pay attention to the IDE controller configuration. I had to set the controller in COMPATIBLE mode with SATA ONLY option

- the onboard NIC (network card) is not recognized, nor a VIA one. I had to install a 3Com 3c905

Well after fixing the above issues, I simply followed the instructions on this page http://www.vm-help.com/esx/esx3i/ESXi_install_to_IDE_drive/ESXi_install_to_IDE_drive.php (kindly suggested by Dave.Mishchenko)

Now I got it up and running !!!

You can see some screen shots

Ciao and thank you all for the collaboration.

Reply
0 Kudos