Trouble with ESXi 5.1/5.5 on Z820

[VBill]

Hi all,

I have an HP Z820 I am trying to load ESXi 5.1 or 5.5 on. There are a few problems I am having.

First, I run into trouble during the install. It says virutalization is not supported or not enabled. It is enabled. Not sure why it is complaining.

Second, I have two on-board NICs and it only sees NIC0. I need both for my setup.

I have been fight this thing for a few days now and need some help. Thanks in advance!

[vijayrana968]

Check it through BIOS Setup (F10) under security settings that its enabled !

[VBill]

‌I have already verified in the bios that virtulisation is enabled.

[cykVM]

Hi,

as per HP Z820 Quickspecs (page 75) it has 1 Intel 82579LM GBit controller and 1 Intel Gigabit CT Desktop NIC with Intel WG 82574L chipset. VMware HCL lists the 82579LM as compatible from VMWare 6.0 onwards. You may try to install the newer version e1000e driver for VMWare 6.0 (e1000e version 2.5.4-5vmw). The 82574L should be the (already) working one.

For the virtualization thing: Which CPU you have and how much RAM?

cykVM

[VBill]

I am loading 6 right now. I am still getting the error: <HARDWARE_VIRUALIZATION WARNING: Hardware virtualization is not a feature of the CPU, or is not enabled in the BIOS>

However, Security - System Security - Data Execution Prevention Virtualization Technology (VTx) - Enabled is set.

I also get the error shown in the attached pic when trying to start a VM. I don't have an option to disable trusted execution though.

It has 32GB of ram, and an Intel Xeon E5-2643 @ 3.30 CPU.

I haven't been able to verify the models of the Nic cards. It does't show the model in the BIOS, only AMT on one of them. It does show them both now in the Network Adapters area. One problem solved.

Starting to get somewhere!

[cykVM]

Have you checked for a new(er) BIOS version at HP?

[VBill]

BIOS is now updated from 3.06 (or something like that) to 3.88. Still no luck launching a VM.

[cykVM]

Probably review the BIOS settings regarding VTx and VTd. There might have been a bug in the (older) BIOS.

Which (physical) processor is detected on the console?

[VBill]

I only have one processor in it and it does show it on the console,

[cykVM]

Maybe you could try to edit the .vmx file of your VM to have vhv.allow = "true" in it.

See Mandeep Singh Bahra

Still strange that it's complaining with the BIOS options enabled.

[VBill]

So I figured out how to add a NIC driver to 5.1. I still can't get the vm to launch though. I tried to find vhv.allow in the vmx file but there was no entry like that. I defaulted the BIOS to try it fresh and that didn't work either. I am getting the vitualization error during the install so that has me scratching my head to figure out why it can't tell vitualization is enabled. What am I missing????

[VBill]

OK, so I think I misunderstood about the vhv.allow in the vmx file. I thought it was already supposed to be there and I would just change "False" to "True." Obviously that is not the case and I need to add the statement. What I haven't figured out to this point is how to PROPERLY edit the vmx file. Can any one point me to specific instructions or give me a step by step post on this? I am running ESXi 5.1 as a barebones hypervisor.

From what I am gathering, I need to SSH into the host (the machine running ESXi...correct?) and add either vhv.enable = "TRUE" or vhv.allow = "TRUE". Not sure which one exactly though.

I am sure it is quite apparent I am no VMWare expert and I don't have access to one. I am just trying to get this thing going so I can build out the rest of the server.

[cykVM]

Oh, sorry, I meant vhv.enable = “true” above. This is valid from VMWare 5.1 and above.

You can use the method described in the blogpost I linked to above: ssh into the host and change to <datastore>/<vm-folder> and edit the vmx with vi editor (while the VM is powered off). vi might be a bit tricky to use if you never used it before.

You may also browse the datastore with vSphere client and point it to the VM's folder and download the vmx file to your local PC.

Afterwards get a proper text editor, like notepad++ (do not use Windows notepad) and open the vmx with that. Add the line to the vmx, save, and upload the vmx back to the VM's folder on the datastore.

[VBill]

This is getting a bit frustrating for sure. I figured out how to edit the .vmx file. I added both the enable and the allow at different times and still no luck. It keeps saying it cannot start a 64 bit guest OS and VT is not enabled in the BIOS. My CPU is a Xeon E5-2643 so it should be compatible. Not sure what to do from here.

[cykVM]

Have you checked if System Security -> Intel (VTd) is enabled in BIOS?

[VBill]

Sure have.

[cykVM]

Here are some further things you may check: Trouble-shooting Intel VT-x Issues

One question: You have installed ESXi directly onto the host and not as a nested installation under VMWare Workstation running under Windows 8.1 for example?

[VBill]

Correct. It is installed as a standalone hypervisor directly on the host.