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Dipak
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Guest VM unable to detect the Hard Disk

1. I just installed my First ESX 3.01 everything went on smooth. Now i am facing problem while creating the Guest VM, i am trying to install XP Pro with SP2 from bootable CD as well as ISO image, the setup starts but exits saying "no HDD found, press F3 to exist the setup"

2. My second observation is, if i am booting the guest host with either with ESX Host CDROM or Client CDROM/ISO Image, it happens good for the very first time. Incase i am aborting the installation and trying to do it again, the same doesn't boot at all with any of the options mentioned above. If i reboot the ESX server and try to do it again it happens for the first time, then the same problem.

Any thoughts guys.

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admin
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What do you mean? The SCSI controller type inside the VM you are trying to install[/b] should be BusLogic[/b]. You use the driver disk in that link I posted to provide the driver for the XP guest, the ESX hosts SCSI adapter type has nothing to do with it.

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oreeh
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1. What type of SCSI controller did you use in the VM?

You may have to download the buslogic driver from the VMware website.

2. I personally never had these problems but I recommend sticking to ISOs when installing VMs. It's the fastest and most reliable option.

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admin
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1/ You need this driver for XP VMs.

http://www.vmware.com/community/thread.jspa?messageID=378453

2/ Do you mean it won't boot from the same media source twice? Are you sure it's not just getting disconnected in the settings on VM restart?

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Dipak
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i am using SAS 1068, could you let me know the link from where i can download the drivers for XP

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Dipak
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right, it won't boot from the same device, i made sure the drive/iso is connected before the VM starts booting. That's surprise..

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oreeh
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take a look at the link Alex already posted

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oreeh
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That's by design.

A VM will only boot once from a CD. If you want to change this behavior enter the VM BIOS and change the boot order manually.

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admin
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Click the link I posted mate. It's a BusLogic SCSI driver you are after, remember the SCSI adapter and disk type for a VM are virtualised.

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Dipak
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i will try that once i am back home Smiley Sad

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Dipak
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is that LSI SAS1068 ? and Disk type is SCSI, that i remember.

Message was edited by:

Dipak

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admin
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What do you mean? The SCSI controller type inside the VM you are trying to install[/b] should be BusLogic[/b]. You use the driver disk in that link I posted to provide the driver for the XP guest, the ESX hosts SCSI adapter type has nothing to do with it.

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Dipak
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i don't remember what exactly it shows, i will try to follow the instructions to load the drivers if it's bus logic according to your earlier posting and post you updates.

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aozm48
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You need to set the VM to use the buslogic SCSI controller, you also need to attach a floppy image containing the vmware-scsi drivers to the VM. The drivers are pre-loaded on an ESX under vmimages/floppy-images. Simply attach the flp file located here, then during the intial windows setup, press F6 to specify an additional driver.

Hope this helps

Daniel

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virtech
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Have you read this?

http://www.vmware.com/pdf/GuestOS_guide.pdf

Page 38

here is a summary:

If you are using the virtual LSI Logic SCSI adapter, you must download the driver

from the download center at the LSI Logic Web site. Go to http://www.lsilogic.com/cm/DownloadSearch.do

and download for the LSI20320‐R SCSI adapter driver for your guest operating system

Installation Steps

1 Insert the installation CD in the CD‐ROM drive.

2 Power on the virtual machine to start installing the guest operating system.

3 If you are using the virtual BusLogic SCSI driver downloaded from the VMware Web site or the LSI Logic

SCSI driver downloaded from the LSI Logic Web site, you must take some special steps at this point in the

installation process. As the Windows XP installer loads, press the F6 key. This allows you to select the

additional SCSI driver required for installation. Press S to specify the additional driver. After you specify

the SCSI driver, press Enter to continue with setup.

4 Follow the installation steps as you would for a physical machine

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Dipak
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thanks guys, it worked.. I downloaded a .flp image from some other posting and used that to supply the driver and it started working. But one thing i am still wondering is where it says that one need buslogic driver? The only thing i can see is the SCSI HDD has been assigned for the Guest VM, is it in VMX file ? I am a Windows guy so hardly know anything about linux.

answer to my second qs, i changed the boot process inside the VM BIOS and now it's booting every time from the CD/ISO not just the first time.

anyway, thanks for prompt replies and correct answers, i really appreciate

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virtech
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Are you able to boot the vm now? what controller are you using? You can use either LSI or buslogic, instructions in my previous link.

Just make sure your VM is using the right controller for the driver you installed.

The reference to the scsi controller is indeed in the vmx file.

Message was edited by:

Mooihoek

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Dipak
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Yes, i do. everything seems to be working fine. i have another Qs but shall post it as new topic on Floppy access.

BTW thanks for the detail info.

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