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itpro_
Contributor
Contributor

ESXi works but ESX doesn't

Hi,

I have kind a odd problem. I've installed brand new MB (Tyan S5396) with 16 GB RAM and Adaptec 2820SA SATA RAID controller. This controller worked fine with ESX on another configuration, so it's not the controller that is the problem. Anyway, I see all my RAID configurations in POST, but when I boot ESX installation, it simply cannot see Adaptec 2820SA, while ESXi installation works just fine. Any idea what might be the problem???? I've tried with lates ESX build as well as ESXi. Thanks...

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koham
Contributor
Contributor

wonder if you want to do the following.

0. Did you verify if the said MB is supported by the VMware esx 3.5 HCL ??

1. Through ESX 3.5i create a partion and VMFS on one of the disks and see how that goes through.

2. Then boot from ESX 3.5 and see if the just created partion/vmfs mount point works for you ?

bye for now..

Not sure if it would help you.

bye for now

Nilesh

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Erik_Zandboer
Expert
Expert

Hi - I guess both your mainboard and SCSI controller are not on VMwares HCL. There is little tuning you can do - If it works, it works, if it does not (device not recognized at all), it is usually bad luck - Getting it going is hard of not impossible, since you cannot add any drivers within the hypervisor of either ESX or ESXi...

Visit my blog at http://www.vmdamentals.com
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itpro_
Contributor
Contributor

Well, SATA controller is on the VMware HCL list, MB is not since is the new MB with Intel S5400 chipset, but what's weird is that I can install ESXi and that's what I run ATM, but I cannot install ESX...

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