Auto Deploy boot issue with ESXi 5.0 Update 1

[laurensdekoning]

For the past week I have been implementing Auto Deploy and I have ran into a few problems. Some where easily solved, some don't.

I haven't found a solutions for the problem I'm describing now: whenever I use the Image Builder to build a "standard" (with VMware Tools) image the ESXi Server won't boot up. It will start to boot ESXi and whenever it appears to be loading VMware Tools into memory it stops with the following error:

"Error loading /vmw/cache/c3/7a5f90d82ec0757dd9c601249bf321/tools.0a882fae6275ebd0ca25d71eb0147f7d"

"Fatal error: 4 (Unsupported)"

The thing is, the image I built is an exact clone of the defaults "standard" Image Profile from the "update-from-esxi5.0-5.0_update01.zip"-file.

I have attempted several images, also I've tried to fully rebuild the Auto Deploy cache. Unfortunately to no avail.

However when I build an image -without- tools (the no-tools image) it works like a charm.

Does anyone experience this too and might this be a common problem?

[John_David_Robi]

I'm having the same issue, though my setup is a little different.  I'm working with a vanilla 5.0.0-tools image, to which I've added the FDM as usual.  If booting up with an empty ItemSet (just the image), the system boots fine.  If it has a profile and cluster added to it, I get the same error.  If I remove it from that ruleset and add it to an image-only set again, it works again.  So the problem seems to be related to the config that vCenter is adding to the server, and not to the image itself.

[4nd7]

Hello,

I've noticed the error after I've modified the host profile already specified in the active rule. After I've refreshed the rule with CopyDeployRule using the same cluster and host profile, the host booted normally.

Hope this helps

[BL460c]

So what's the fix if the CopyDeployRule doesn't work?

my error code is slightly different though

[BL460c]

What does the error

Fatal error: 4 (Unsupported)

actually mean? Is it because it's trying to load a certain VIB that's not compatible with the host?

[laurensdekoning]

In the meantime I opened up a support call at VMware and after a few support sessions they supplied me with working TFTP files. The unsupported error was/is caused by a delay 'bug' in the tramp TFTP-file.

The PXE boot problems I have been having with the new TFTP files have also been fixed, this had to do with support for the integrated NIC of the BL460c G7 (supposedly).

I don't know when this fix will be released to the public, but so far it is working like a charm for me!

[BL460c]

Well that sounds familar, I also have BL460c G7's

I'll put in a ticket with vmware

[mujmuj]

Any update on this?  I cannot recover my hosts now.

Was there ever a solution or conclusion with vmware regarding the BL490c blade issues?  I have wiped all deploy rules and started over and still get the same error:

1. Add-EsxSoftwareDepot c:\tmp\VMware-Esxi-5.0.0-<buildnumber>-depot.zip
2. Add-EsxSoftwareDepot http://<vcenter server>/vSphere-HA-depot
3. New-EsxImageProfile -CloneProfile "ESXi-5.0.0-<buildnumber>-standard" -name "ESXiStatelessImage"
4. Add-EsxSoftwarePackage -ImageProfile "ESXiStatelessImage" -SoftwarePackage vmware-fdm
5. New-DeployRule -Name "FirstBoot" -Item "ESXiStatelessImage" -AllHosts
6. Add-DeployRule -DeployRule "FirstBoot"

[mujmuj]

It appears that updating the firmware on my BL490cG6 blade servers causes the issue. yay.

[mitchellm3]

Did downgrading the firmware fix the issue and if so to what level?  I can get my bl460 gen8 servers to autodeploy with the notools package but it errors loading the tools.  I can get the tools image to load if I don't add anything else to it.  Even if I only add the HA agent it will error loading the tools.

Update:  I am able to get the latest image with tools and HA agent to autodeploy correctly.  I then added 4 HP driver packages to the image and can boot from that now.  I'll try to see if I can get some of the HP agents to install now.

[denisshuman]

The solution for me was the settings, enable ESXi Dump Collector + Restart Auto Deploy