Already has a VMFS datastore?

[skegyuk]

Hi,

I am trying to create a datastore on an ESXi server, it has four HDD's and the other three are currently working fine, but when I try and create one on the fourth it comes back with the following error:

Any help is much appreciated.

Thanks,

Danny

[Dave_Mishchenko]

Was there an existing datastore on the disk at some time?  What output do you get for fdisk -l and how large is the drive?

[skegyuk]

Hi,

It comes back with the following

-----------

~ # fdisk -l

Disk /dev/disks/t10.ATA_____MB1000EBNCF_____________________________WCAW30862847________: 1000.2 GB, 1000204886016 bytes

255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 121601 cylinders

Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

                                                                               Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks  Id System

/dev/disks/t10.ATA_____MB1000EBNCF_____________________________WCAW30862847________p1             1       523   4193280    6  FAT16

Partition 1 does not end on cylinder boundary

/dev/disks/t10.ATA_____MB1000EBNCF_____________________________WCAW30862847________p2           524    121601 972559008+  fb  VMFS

Disk /dev/disks/t10.ATA_____MB1000EBNCF_____________________________WCAW30824400________: 1000.2 GB, 1000204886016 bytes

255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 121601 cylinders

Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

                                                                               Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks  Id System

/dev/disks/t10.ATA_____MB1000EBNCF_____________________________WCAW30824400________p1             1       523   4193280    6  FAT16

Partition 1 does not end on cylinder boundary

/dev/disks/t10.ATA_____MB1000EBNCF_____________________________WCAW30824400________p2           524    121601 972559008+  fb  VMFS

Disk /dev/disks/t10.ATA_____MB1000EBNCF_____________________________WCAW30847011________: 1000.2 GB, 1000204886016 bytes

255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 121601 cylinders

Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

                                                                               Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks  Id System

/dev/disks/t10.ATA_____MB1000EBNCF_____________________________WCAW30847011________p1             1       523   4193280    6  FAT16

Partition 1 does not end on cylinder boundary

/dev/disks/t10.ATA_____MB1000EBNCF_____________________________WCAW30847011________p2           524    121601 972559008+  fb  VMFS

Disk /dev/disks/t10.ATA_____MB1000EBNCF_____________________________WCAW30825468________: 1000.2 GB, 1000204886016 bytes

64 heads, 32 sectors/track, 953869 cylinders

Units = cylinders of 2048 * 512 = 1048576 bytes

                                                                               Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks  Id System

/dev/disks/t10.ATA_____MB1000EBNCF_____________________________WCAW30825468________p1             5       900    917504    5  Extended

/dev/disks/t10.ATA_____MB1000EBNCF_____________________________WCAW30825468________p2           901      4995   4193280    6  FAT16

/dev/disks/t10.ATA_____MB1000EBNCF_____________________________WCAW30825468________p3          4996    953870 971647704   fb  VMFS

/dev/disks/t10.ATA_____MB1000EBNCF_____________________________WCAW30825468________p4   *         1         4      4080    4  FAT16 <32M

/dev/disks/t10.ATA_____MB1000EBNCF_____________________________WCAW30825468________p5             5       254    255984    6  FAT16

/dev/disks/t10.ATA_____MB1000EBNCF_____________________________WCAW30825468________p6           255       504    255984    6  FAT16

/dev/disks/t10.ATA_____MB1000EBNCF_____________________________WCAW30825468________p7           505       614    112624   fc  VMKcore

/dev/disks/t10.ATA_____MB1000EBNCF_____________________________WCAW30825468________p8           615       900    292848    6  FAT16

Partition table entries are not in disk order

~ #

------------

The disk is 1TB.

Thanks,

Danny

[Sreejesh_D]

identify the fourth disk from this list and delete the partiion if it exists using fdisk.

[skegyuk]

Hi,

Can I ask how to delete the partiton, I think it has the ESXI install on the disk so dont want to break it!

Thanks,

Danny

[Dave_Mishchenko]

This disk is your ESXi install

System

/dev/disks/t10.ATA_____MB1000EBNCF_____________________________WCAW30825468________p1             5       900    917504    5  Extended

/dev/disks/t10.ATA_____MB1000EBNCF_____________________________WCAW30825468________p2           901      4995   4193280    6  FAT16

/dev/disks/t10.ATA_____MB1000EBNCF_____________________________WCAW30825468________p3          4996    953870 971647704   fb  VMFS

/dev/disks/t10.ATA_____MB1000EBNCF_____________________________WCAW30825468________p4   *         1         4      4080    4  FAT16 <32M

/dev/disks/t10.ATA_____MB1000EBNCF_____________________________WCAW30825468________p5             5       254    255984    6  FAT16

/dev/disks/t10.ATA_____MB1000EBNCF_____________________________WCAW30825468________p6           255       504    255984    6  FAT16

/dev/disks/t10.ATA_____MB1000EBNCF_____________________________WCAW30825468________p7           505       614    112624   fc  VMKcore

/dev/disks/t10.ATA_____MB1000EBNCF_____________________________WCAW30825468________p8           615       900    292848    6  FAT16

Partition table entries are not in disk order

[skegyuk]

Thanks - do you know the command I would need to use to Delete the VMFS partition?

Thanks,

Danny

[skegyuk]

Hi,

Any ideas on this?

Thanks,

Danny