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omerfaruksen
Contributor
Contributor

Dell R720 and Broadcom network interface

Hi,

I have tried to install a new R720 server with 5.0 Update1 iso and it failed with "No network adapters"

So I have decided to build a custom iso using

1) Downloaded latest zip file ESXi500-201206001.zip from patch page of vmware

2) Downoaded VMware ESXi 5.0 Driver zip (BCM-NetXtremeII-3.0-735414.zip) for Broadcom NetXtreme II Network/iSCSI/FCoE Driver Set  from https://my.vmware.com/group/vmware/details?downloadGroup=DT-ESXi50-Broadcom-bnx2x-17254v502&productI...

3) Created  a custome profile using following commands using power cli

   a) Add-EsxSoftwareeDepot -DepotURL "C:\vmware\BCM-NetXtremeII-3.0-offline_bundle-735414.zip"

   b)Add-EsxSoftwareeDepot -DepotURL "C:\vmware\BCM-NetXtremeII-3.0-offline_bundle-735414.zip"

   c) New-EsxImageProfile -CloneProfile "ESXi-5.0.0-20120604001-standard" -Name "custom2" -AcceptanceLevel CommunitySupported

   d) Add-EsxSoftwarePackage -ImageProfile "custom2" -SoftwarePackage misc-cnic-register

        Add-EsxSoftwarePackage -ImageProfile "custom2" -SoftwarePackage net-bnx2

        Add-EsxSoftwarePackage -ImageProfile "custom2" -SoftwarePackage net-bnx2x

        Add-EsxSoftwarePackage -ImageProfile "custom2" -SoftwarePackage net-cnic

       Add-EsxSoftwarePackage -ImageProfile "custom2" -SoftwarePackage scsi-bnx2i

      Add-EsxSoftwarePackage -ImageProfile "custom2" -SoftwarePackage scsi-bnx2fxc

   e)   compare-esximageprofile -comparisonprofile "custom2" -referenceprofile "ESXi-5.0.0-20120604001-standard"


Equal               : False
PackagesEqual       : False
RefAcceptanceLevel  : PartnerSupported
CompAcceptanceLevel : CommunitySupported
OnlyInRef           : {}
OnlyInComp          : {Broadcom_bootbank_scsi-bnx2fc_1.72.51.v50.1-1OEM.500.0.0
                      .406165}
UpgradeFromRef      : {Broadcom_bootbank_net-cnic_1.72.50.v50.1-1OEM.500.0.0.47
                      2560, Broadcom_bootbank_net-bnx2_2.2.1l.v50.1-1OEM.500.0.
                      0.472560, Broadcom_bootbank_scsi-bnx2i_2.72.10.v50.2-1OEM
                      .500.0.0.472560, Broadcom_bootbank_misc-cnic-register_1.7
                      2.1.v50.1-1OEM.500.0.0.472560...}
DowngradeFromRef    : {}

And

    f) Export-EsxImageProfile -ImageProfile "custom2" -ExportToIso -FilePath "C:\Vmware\vmware4.iso"

Thus I have created custom image with new driver embedded to iso file. But again I get "No network adapters". On console of the installation I have verified that my broadcom network interface are seen using lspci -v

test.jpg

Is there something else i am missing? Can someone guide me on this.

I have also read http://communities.vmware.com/message/2027325

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13 Replies
omerfaruksen
Contributor
Contributor

It seems that my issue is not with bnx2 but with tg3 driver (Broadcom NetXtreme I Gigabit Ethernet Driver 3.120h.v50.2)

https://my.vmware.com/web/vmware/details/dt_esxi50_broadcom_tg3_3_120h_v50_2/dHRAYnRAd2piZHAlJQ==#dt...

has solved my issue. Now Nics are recognized as vmnic0,vmic1 ... vmic3

It seems that in ESXi500-201206001.zip there is still old driver dated

net-tg3                  3.110h.v50.4-4vmw.500.0.0.4... VMware     19.08.2011

Below is the screenshot for anyone interested

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davidvieira
Contributor
Contributor

Hi - Glad you figured it out.  In your first attempt, you were using the wrong driver package. There are two families of Broadcom controllers - NetXtreme I and NetXtreme II - and they use different drivers.  The 5720 is a NetXtreme I device.

Dave

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RBINL
Contributor
Contributor

Hello, how did you intergrate these drivers, or what standard build did you use?

I have used the ESXi-5.0.0-20120701001s-standard, and still get same mesage, also tried to add the drivers tg3-3.120h.v50, but get in Power CLI a error

Thanks,

Remco

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omerfaruksen
Contributor
Contributor

You must be sure that which driver you use. Some R720 models come with intel chipset. You probably use wrong driver.

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RBINL
Contributor
Contributor

Broadcom Gigabit Ethernet BCM5720 is in the machine, but get the message no networkcard detected.

Witch driver should I use?

Thanks,

Remco

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omerfaruksen
Contributor
Contributor

I have the same chipset on my R720. Then it should be tg3.

On following command at Powercli make sure net-tg3 is replaced with the one that you have added.

> compare-esximageprofile -comparisonprofile "custom2" -referenceprofile "ESXi-5.0.0-20120604001-standard"

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omerfaruksen
Contributor
Contributor

Also use ESXi-5.0.0-20120704001-standard not ESXi-5.0.0-20120704001s-standard maybe this is the reason i am not sure

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RBINL
Contributor
Contributor

Thanks, but with commando Add-EsxSoftwareeDepot I`m getting an error:

Add-EsxSoftwareDepot : Could not download from depot at file:///C:/vmware/tg3-3.120h.v50.2-547149/index.xml, skipping (('C:\\vmware\\tg3-3.120h.v50.2
-547149\\index.xml', '', "[Errno 4] IOError: <urlopen error [Error 2] Het systeem kan het opgegeven bestand niet vinden: 'C:\\\\vmware\\\\tg3-3.120h.
v50.2-547149\\\\index.xml'>"))
At line:1 char:21
+ Add-EsxSoftwareDepot <<<<  -DepotURL "C:\vmware\tg3-3.120h.v50.2-547149"
    + CategoryInfo          : ReadError: (System.String[]:String[]) [Add-EsxSoftwareDepot], Exception
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : ConnectDepotError,VMware.ImageBuilder.Commands.AddDepot

This did work with the other driver package.

Thanks for your help

Remco

I have checked and seems there is already net-tg3 in the software list and try to add it to my custom profile.

When I add is and compare, seems no difference.

So should be in the default ISO, but that ISO is not working, pffff. geting tiered.

Remco

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omerfaruksen
Contributor
Contributor

Just downloaded esxi 5.1 and seen that

at VMware-ESXi-5.1.0-799733-depot.zip same version of net-tg3 driver (VMware_bootbank_net-tg3_3.110h.v50.4-4vmw.510.0.0.799733.vib) that was in 5.0 update 1 so  think at Dell R720 we will live the same issue (No network cards found!) with 5.1 too.

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vdaniel
Contributor
Contributor

Same situation, solved with upgrade from 5. to 5.1:

http://v-front.blogspot.ch/2012/09/how-to-update-your-free-whitebox-esxi.html

:smileycool:

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davidvieira
Contributor
Contributor

Hi -

The drivers for the network controllers in the Dell x20 (12G) servers are not in-box yet. The kb article below describes in-box vs. async and how to manage them.

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=103467...

I hope this helps,

Dave

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Glenn7
Contributor
Contributor

Have a look at this link  http://communities.vmware.com/thread/416676  First link in that posting points to the DELL recovery ISO cd which has the correct driver installed for the BCM5720.  Read the whole post as the BCM5720 also has intermittent network loss with ESXi 5.0 and 5.0 U1.

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omerfaruksen
Contributor
Contributor

Sadly even  Vmware esxi 5.1.0 838463 does not include the required tg3 driver that supports BCM5720

For those need to install esxi 5.1 on R720 that has broadcom ethernet you can refer to

http://www.dell.com/support/drivers/us/en/19/DriverDetails?driverId=XWYR5

and you can download custom iso

ftp://ftp.us.dell.com/FOLDER00876460M/1/VMware-VMvisor-Installer-5.1.0-799733.x86_64-Dell_Customized...

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