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harry
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ESX3.5 Qlogic iSCSI QLE4062C ESX-boot takes 15 minutes due to qla4022 could not initialize

Need to prepare ESX-Server 3.5 offsite without ISCSI-Storage available. Boot from internal disk. I followed KB1004051 and made shure bootmode DHCP is disabled in iSCSI BIOS.

Anyhow I was not able even to install ESX3.5 from CD because QLA4022 driver wants to initiate. I went again into ISCSI BIOS and set IPV4 to NO. This helped me to install ESX3.5 succesfully.

But I made a test and switched ISCSI BIOS IPV4 back to YES and now a boot takes about 15 min to come up with message: Initialization for qla4022 failed with -19 meaning qla4022 driver is not loaded. Must I connect the iSCSI HBAs to the iSCSI Storage-Ports to get out of this behaviour ? Will it be sufficient if qla4022-driver will find the initiator's IP without LUNs mapped ? I do not know this behaviour when connection FC-HBAs.

Regards Harry

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LUKEMA25
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I tried a few things and I finally got it to install. I noticed this in the BIOS 1.13 readme notes :

6.1.3. Advanced Adapter Settings

-


Delayed ACK

Enter to toggle between Enabled and Disabled. The default is

enabled.

MTU

Enter to select either 1500 or 9000. The default is 1500.

Primary Boot Data Digest

Enter to toggle between Enabled and Disabled. The default is

disabled.

Primary Boot Header Digest

Enter to toggle between Enabled and Disabled. The default is

disabled.

Alternate Boot Data Digest

Enter to toggle between Enabled and Disabled. The default is

disabled.

Alternate Boot Header Digest

Enter to toggle between Enabled and Disabled. The default is

disabled.

All of my settings from the MTU down defaulted to enabled- so I disabled them. I also set my IP address and downgraded my firmware to 3.0.1.27. Somewhere in there it worked.

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RParker
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Did you turn off the boot bios for the Fibre HBA cards?

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harry
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I have this problems on iSCSI Adapters and not on FiberChannel HBAs. BIOS on the iSCSI is disabled via Bootmode=disabled.

I will connect the ESX35 Server via iSCSI to a NetApp Storage-System this wednesday and will post the results.

regards Harry

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christianZ
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What is the fw/bios versions?

What host's hardware there?

harry
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Hi Christian,

maybe you gave me the kick. Hardware is IBM X3650 and I loaded firmware on adapter as stated by QLOGIC: 3.0.1.33

Looking at IBM Serverproven they say: 3.0.1.27

The ISCSI connection is to NetApp and I could see in the NetApp-log that an initiator was sent. But this is the last entry and my ESX35 Server stucks. I have to reboot

disable IPv4 and I get up ESX35 unfortunately without qla4022.o loaded.

Any ideas ?

Regards Harry

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chrisy
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Go into the BIOS of the HBA and (checking both ports) make sure 'jumbo frames' is disabled. There's a bug with the 4062 and its current firmware that can stop ESX booting when jumbo frames is enabled. A BIOS update from QLogic is apparently imminent.

--

Chris

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christianZ
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If that hbas are IBM's oem controller then maybe you should try the another fw version.

And dont forget the hba bios should be enabled to boot from it.

In addition check this:

http://communities.vmware.com/message/806814#806814

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harry
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Hi Chrisy,

I do not boot from iSCSI. I boot from internal disk but ESX35 dedects the QLE4062c and wants to load VMware's qla4022.o driver.

There is no explicit check-box for jumbo frames. You have to set MTU to 9000 to enable it. But anyway it is set to 1500 by default.

Do you have this QLE4062C running or do you know somebody who has it running ?

Regards Harry

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LUKEMA25
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I am in the same boat as you Harry. If you find out anything please let me know.

thanks in advance.

Luke

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christianZ
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Which Netapp system have you there? On HCL I can see only the 3000series supported with iscsi hba.

Have you tried to clear all the luns configurations in hba bios?

Try to put the hba in another slot.

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LUKEMA25
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I tried a few things and I finally got it to install. I noticed this in the BIOS 1.13 readme notes :

6.1.3. Advanced Adapter Settings

-


Delayed ACK

Enter to toggle between Enabled and Disabled. The default is

enabled.

MTU

Enter to select either 1500 or 9000. The default is 1500.

Primary Boot Data Digest

Enter to toggle between Enabled and Disabled. The default is

disabled.

Primary Boot Header Digest

Enter to toggle between Enabled and Disabled. The default is

disabled.

Alternate Boot Data Digest

Enter to toggle between Enabled and Disabled. The default is

disabled.

Alternate Boot Header Digest

Enter to toggle between Enabled and Disabled. The default is

disabled.

All of my settings from the MTU down defaulted to enabled- so I disabled them. I also set my IP address and downgraded my firmware to 3.0.1.27. Somewhere in there it worked.

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harry
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Hi LUKEMA25,

you got it. In Germany we say " I kiss your feet" . I have no idea why the defaults are not set like stated in the readme notes. After reverting to the default settings and flashing back to firmware 3.0.1.27 ESX35 came up. What a relief after lots of hours of investigation and testing. I tried to flash to newer firmware 3.01.33 with no success. Your approach is absolutely correct. Thanks a lot again I was just on the way opening the service requests and I guess you know what would happen ...

Thanks again Harry

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LUKEMA25
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No problem. Thank you too. Your thread actually helped me out alot because I did not have troubleshoot the issues as much because you had already done some of the things I would have done.

Does anyone know what these settings are actully for? I am about to do some reseach to figure it out.

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doubleH
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anyone have any update from qlogic on this? i just created a sr with them to see what they say.

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MBroda
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Where can one download the 3.0.1.27 firmware? I have called Qlogic and they can't seem to find this version anywhere.

Any information would be appreciated.

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doubleH
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just to provide an update. i am currently running their beta firmware that has solved this issue. they said it should be released in a couple of weeks.

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smets
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Can I download that Beta version somewhere? I have the same problem.

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doubleH
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nope. i created a sr with them and begged for it.

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vacadios
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I had the exact same issue ... IBM-branded QLE4062C on a DL380 G5 w/ E7340 processors ... QLE4062C was running the "IBM" firmware 3.0.1.33 downloaded from Qlogic and still a no go .... I downloaded the "Qlogic" version of 3.0.1.33 and ... SUCCESS! I repeated this across 3 other boards with the same success.

... please let me know if this helped you and if you had the same result.

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hicksj
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FYI, we had the cards show up with 3.0.1.33, reflashed with the 3.0.1.33 from qlogic's site. No go.

The CD that came with the cards had 3.0.1.24, we reverted to these, and the qla4022 driver now loads during the installation. Whether this older version is going to cause problems down the road is yet to be known... at least we can boot now. I think we'll consider calling qlogic to see if we can get our hands on the beta firmware.

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