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magician09
Contributor
Contributor

Help with AMD Phenom ESXI 3.5 u3 - Microcode error

I have the following:

  • Gigabyte M3A78-EM updated to lastest bios

  • AMD Phenom 9600 x4 2.3 cpu b2

  • 8gb ddr-2 ram

  • supported sata raid w drives

I get the "purple screen of death" No supported microcode levels for this stepping of the AMD Family 10H B2 processor.

I was reading that a few people had to go back to u2 but I cant find it for download. This is my 3rd Esxi server and I need to get it loaded this weekend for a client. I could pull the processor out of my test rig for temp use till I get a older cpu. But my test rig and a 3800x 64 single core and I dont know if changing after installation to a dual or quad core would work?

Any Idea?

Thanks

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26 Replies
nick_couchman
Immortal
Immortal

Here's the download link:

http://www.vmware.com/download/download.do?downloadGroup=ESX_3I_INSTALLABLEU2

It can be found on the VI Download page:

http://www.vmware.com/download/vi/

Toward the bottom - all of the previous versions are listed.

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magician09
Contributor
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Thanks for u2 however I still get the microcode 0x0000 error. Guess I may need to get an older processor? Or? The Phenom 9600 has been out for over 1.5 years.

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magician09
Contributor
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I was able to get U2 to load on system with the following bugs.

1- when I boot the system the console will get to loading kernel but will not advance till I hit the spacebar several times until the unit is online? I have let it sit for 10 minutes and still not finish booting until I hit keys!!

2 - whenever I try and let any vm use more than 2 cores the vm is unstable. The infrustrure client error log shows that the amd family 10 b2 unsupported on cpu3 and cpu4. Hope this will be fixed.

Any suggestions?

Update:

I crashed after about 10 hours!!

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Paul_Mead
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I just went to upgrade from ESXi 3.5 u2 to u3 on my Asus AM3 mobo with AMD Phenom 9600 Quad B2 stepping and fell foul of the same pSOD regarding supported microcode Smiley Sad

Fortunately this is just a test machine and the u3 update backed out fine after the update attempt.

That said when I first went to use my ESXi machine this morning it had a screen of death showing (not sure when it died as I have not used it for a couple of weeks!), but that was all before trying the update.

I wish that vmware would come out and explain the B2 stepping issues - so that we know whether they are likely to fix this in the near future - or whether we should change our processors; because even if it is a test machine - at some point I am likely to want it to be stable and or put it into production. Is it an issue that the mobo bios can resolve - or can we force the use of 2 or 3 of the 4 processorsto ensure all works happily?

Not sure if vmware read these fora, but a response would be good.

Thanks, Paul Mead.

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kiddx
Contributor
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I was able to fix this by enabling HPT fix. Its the motherboard not the CPU btw, my old mobo worked but the new one does not, it supports AM3 (if that means anything). In CPU settings there was HPT FIX = AUTO. I set that to enabled and it came right up.

Also, this board has the LSI s-ata controller so it found the hdd drive. Asus m3a78 series all seem to have the lsi chip for sata.

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tlauder
Contributor
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kiddx - where did you find the HPT fix bios setting? I'm fighting the microcode issue with the following config:

BIOSTAR TA780G M2+

AMD Phenom 9500

8GB RAM

I've tried ESXi 3.5 Update 2 and it doesn't recognize the SATA controller, so I don't see the darn HDDs...

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks!

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kiddx
Contributor
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Mine was under cpu settings in the bios, I had to enable it to get past the micrcode on u2

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tlauder
Contributor
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No such luck here, darn. u2 just won't see my sata controller.

Guess it's VMWare Server until they get these issues resolved.

Thanks for responding!

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kiddx
Contributor
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Well, the microcode error is a cpu error, nothing about seeing the s-ata controller. You should look on some of the vmware whitebox sites for info on what motherboards/systems work.

Typically I get a silicon image or adaptec sata addin card to configure my system.

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jpayton
Contributor
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Kiddix,

You say you got it to work on the Phenom . . . is that the 9500 or one o the other processors?

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kiddx
Contributor
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Look at this thread:

http://communities.vmware.com/message/1137598

it has a walk through for doing what needs to be done with the same mobo type. I was only able to get 3.5u2 successfully installed at the end of the day.

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tlauder
Contributor
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I was able to get 3.5 U2 working with a SI add-in SATA card, because my on-board SATA controller wasn't supported (either was the on-board NIC). But at the end of the day, I got the Phenom 9500 working with 3.5 U2.

Thanks for the help earlier kiddx!

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kiddx
Contributor
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Sure, I use the pcix dual intel and a sil3512 sata card and seems great

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MCuzo
Contributor
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TLauder,

I know this is an old post but i have the same setup as you. Same MOBO, CPU, RAM etc.. I have been fighting this thing all day and saw your post. I am able to get past the PSOD with U2 but like you my SATA drive is not seen. I would like to know the exact model card you put in if you don't mind?? Went to the local store and picked up a card with the SI 3124 chip set and no go.

Since you have gotten this going is it stable? I would hate to go through all this to have more issues. I am very frustrated!!

Thanks in advance,

Mike

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kiddx
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Mine worked with a silicon image card. It didn't see the raid right, but worked with 2 1tb sata drives. Been using it for a month with 5 vms no issue I found my sil card for 15 bucks thru froogle some no name brand

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MCuzo
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Thanks for the quick reply Kiddx. I went down to micro center and got a SI 3512 and was able to get past the no disk issue. It finished loading then on reboot it takes for ever just to start loading. It has been loading for like 40min and it is only on the "loading hypervisor" screen and 25 percent.

Do you have the same motherboard? Is there something I should change in the bios?

This thing is kicking my $ss! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! I really didnt bother with the HCL. What a mistake.

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kiddx
Contributor
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Oh what mobo do u have? I used the asus m78 series I think. You would have to check my original msg. The install should take about 15 min.

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jpayton
Contributor
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I too, made the HCL mistake (not checking it). My setup is the ASUS board with an AMD Phenom 9500, which I was never able to get ESXI to load. I do have vmware server 2.0 under SUSE Linux running on the setup. No issues, just blazing.

I have another cpu which has an older AMD 64bit 3500+ process, that ESXi loaded up with only a hitch with the IDE drive. I modified the install script to return IFACEE_ISCSI, when the IDE Drive is found. It then shows the drive in the list, and I chosed it as the drive of choice for install. It has been working great since. It boots up very fast.

I have only two complaints about the whole matter:

1. ESXi works with the older processor but not the newer one? That is insane, that it does not work with the newer one.

2. When installing ESXi, it requires that you have at least a WINDoz box with .NET installed to use the interface. I am trying to get away from Windoz and all of the crap. To get around this, I have VM with XP on the Phenom setup, that I connect to to access the older ESXi setup. Works great. One day, we will be free . . . .

Thanks.

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/ / (_)__ __ ___ __

/ /__/ / _ \/ // /\ \/ / . . . t h e c h o i c e o f a

/____/_/_//_/\_,_/ /_/\_\ G N U g e n e r a t i o n . . .

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MCuzo
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Kiddx,

I resolved the boot issue. I had an IDE drive still attached to the motherboard during boot. I removed it since I wont get support for it anyway under ESXi. I appreciate all that replied to me.

For anyone that finds this thread the way I did I had to put in a compatible NIC too. I had a stack from the old days. Knew there was a reason to hoard them. LOL I am using a Broadcom NetXtreme BCM 5705 Gigabit Card.

I struggled the rest of the night getting a 2008 Windows server setup with NFS on a stand alone box but now I am cranking. I am going to use that for VM backup.

Till the next headache! Thanks!

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