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noumanqaiser
Contributor
Contributor

Cannot Create VMFS Datastore, Cannot Change the host configuration

Hi Everyone, 

I am running ESXI 7.0 on a Dell 3930 Rack PC. This PC has an NVME SSD and a 1TB Sata HDD plugged in. I used the Dell ESXI ISO image while setting up. 

I can see the NVM and PCH controllers when I browse storage. The name of controller showing is: 'Cannon Lake PCH-H AHCI Controller'

When I goto devices, I can also see the 'Local ATA Disk' there. Despite all attempts, I am not able to create a VMFS datastore and always receive an error saying 'cannot change host configuration'

I tried clearing the partition from ESXI Web client but wasn't successful either. The vmkernel logs show the following when I try to create a datastore:

2021-05-30T09:48:08.091Z cpu8:1049247)vmw_ahci[00000017]: ExecInternalCommandPolled:FAIL!!: Internal command 2f, 00
2021-05-30T09:48:08.091Z cpu8:1049247)vmw_ahci[00000017]: ExceptionHandlerWorld:Fail to get error log for port 0
2021-05-30T09:48:08.092Z cpu8:1049247)vmw_ahci[00000017]: _IssueComReset:Issuing comreset...
2021-05-30T09:48:08.226Z cpu8:1049247)vmw_ahci[00000017]: ExceptionHandlerWorld:fail a command on slot 1
2021-05-30T09:48:08.226Z cpu12:1049325)ScsiDeviceIO: 4062: Cmd(0x455a74543900) 0x28, CmdSN 0xe from world 1196852 to dev "t10.ATA_____ST1000LM0492D2GH172__________________________________ZGS23QAV" failed H:0x0 D:0x2 P:0x0 Valid sense data: 0x4 0x44
2021-05-30T09:48:08.226Z cpu12:1049325)0x0.
2021-05-30T09:48:08.264Z cpu8:1048723)vmw_ahci[00000017]: CompletionBottomHalf:strange irq(s), 0x4000000
2021-05-30T09:48:08.264Z cpu8:1048723)vmw_ahci[00000017]: CompletionBottomHalf:PORT_IRQ_IF_NONFATAL exception.
2021-05-30T09:48:08.264Z cpu8:1048723)vmw_ahci[00000017]: LogExceptionSignal:Port 0, Signal: --|--|--|--|--|--|IR|--|--|--|--|-- (0x0040) Curr: --|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|-- (0x0000)
2021-05-30T09:48:08.264Z cpu8:1049247)vmw_ahci[00000017]: LogExceptionProcess:Port 0, Process: --|--|--|--|--|--|IR|--|--|--|--|-- (0x0040) Curr: --|--|--|--|--|--|IR|--|--|--|--|-- (0x0040)
2021-05-30T09:48:08.264Z cpu8:1049247)vmw_ahci[00000017]: ExceptionHandlerWorld:Performing device reset due to Port IRQ Error.
2021-05-30T09:48:08.264Z cpu8:1049247)vmw_ahci[00000017]: ExceptionHandlerWorld:hardware stop on slot 0x1, activeTags 0x00000002
2021-05-30T09:48:08.286Z cpu8:1049247)vmw_ahci[00000017]: ExecInternalCommandPolled:port status: 0x40000001, tf status: 0x451
2021-05-30T09:48:08.288Z cpu8:1049247)vmw_ahci[00000017]: ExecInternalCommandPolled:FAIL!!: Internal command 2f, 00
2021-05-30T09:48:08.288Z cpu8:1049247)vmw_ahci[00000017]: ExceptionHandlerWorld:Fail to get error log for port 0
2021-05-30T09:48:08.289Z cpu8:1049247)vmw_ahci[00000017]: _IssueComReset:Issuing comreset...
2021-05-30T09:48:08.414Z cpu8:1049247)vmw_ahci[00000017]: ExceptionHandlerWorld:fail a command on slot 1
2021-05-30T09:48:08.414Z cpu12:1049325)ScsiDeviceIO: 4062: Cmd(0x455a744e2600) 0x28, CmdSN 0x15 from world 1196852 to dev "t10.ATA_____ST1000LM0492D2GH172__________________________________ZGS23QAV" failed H:0x0 D:0x2 P:0x0 Valid sense data: 0x4 0x44
2021-05-30T09:48:08.414Z cpu12:1049325)0x0.
2021-05-30T09:48:08.449Z cpu8:1049830)vmw_ahci[00000017]: CompletionBottomHalf:Error port=0, PxIS=0x08000000, PxTDF=0x40,PxSERR=0x00400100, PxCI=0x00000000, PxSACT=0x00000002, ActiveTags=0x00000002
2021-05-30T09:48:08.449Z cpu8:1049830)vmw_ahci[00000017]: CompletionBottomHalf:SCSI cmd 0x2a on slot 1 lba=0x0, lbc=0x22
2021-05-30T09:48:08.449Z cpu8:1049830)vmw_ahci[00000017]: CompletionBottomHalf:cfis->command= 0x61
2021-05-30T09:48:08.449Z cpu8:1049830)vmw_ahci[00000017]: LogExceptionSignal:Port 0, Signal: --|--|--|--|--|TF|--|--|--|--|--|-- (0x0020) Curr: --|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|-- (0x0000)
2021-05-30T09:48:08.449Z cpu8:1049247)vmw_ahci[00000017]: LogExceptionProcess:Port 0, Process: --|--|--|--|--|TF|--|--|--|--|--|-- (0x0020) Curr: --|--|--|--|--|TF|--|--|--|--|--|-- (0x0020)
2021-05-30T09:48:08.449Z cpu8:1049247)vmw_ahci[00000017]: ExceptionHandlerWorld:Performing device reset due to Task File Error.
2021-05-30T09:48:08.449Z cpu8:1049247)vmw_ahci[00000017]: ExceptionHandlerWorld:hardware stop on slot 0x1, activeTags 0x00000002
2021-05-30T09:48:08.461Z cpu8:1049247)vmw_ahci[00000017]: ExecInternalCommandPolled:port status: 0x40000008, tf status: 0x84c1
2021-05-30T09:48:08.462Z cpu8:1049247)vmw_ahci[00000017]: _IssueComReset:Issuing comreset...
2021-05-30T09:48:08.618Z cpu8:1049247)vmw_ahci[00000017]: ExecInternalCommandPolled:FAIL!!: Internal command 2f, 00
2021-05-30T09:48:08.618Z cpu8:1049247)vmw_ahci[00000017]: ExceptionHandlerWorld:Fail to get error log for port 0
2021-05-30T09:48:08.619Z cpu8:1049247)vmw_ahci[00000017]: _IssueComReset:Issuing comreset...
2021-05-30T09:48:08.661Z cpu8:1049247)vmw_ahci[00000017]: ExceptionHandlerWorld:fail a command on slot 1
2021-05-30T09:48:08.661Z cpu12:1049325)ScsiDeviceIO: 4062: Cmd(0x455a744aa700) 0x2a, CmdSN 0x2 from world 1196852 to dev "t10.ATA_____ST1000LM0492D2GH172__________________________________ZGS23QAV" failed H:0x0 D:0x2 P:0x0 Valid sense data: 0x4 0x44
2021-05-30T09:48:08.661Z cpu12:1049325)0x0.
2021-05-30T09:48:12.698Z cpu11:1049281)NMP: nmp_ResetDeviceLogThrottling:3776: last error status from device t10.ATA_____ST1000LM0492D2GH172__________________________________ZGS23QAV repeated 6 times
2021-05-30T09:48:42.644Z cpu7:1049176)INFO (ne1000): false RX hang detected on vmnic0
2021-05-30T09:51:12.698Z cpu3:1049363)DVFilter: 6344: Checking disconnected filters for timeouts
2021-05-30T09:52:20.250Z cpu2:1049176)INFO (ne1000): false RX hang detected on vmnic0
2021-05-30T09:52:32.136Z cpu8:1051618)vmw_ahci[00000017]: CompletionBottomHalf:strange irq(s), 0x4000000
2021-05-30T09:52:32.136Z cpu8:1051618)vmw_ahci[00000017]: CompletionBottomHalf:PORT_IRQ_IF_NONFATAL exception.
2021-05-30T09:52:32.136Z cpu8:1051618)vmw_ahci[00000017]: LogExceptionSignal:Port 0, Signal: --|--|--|--|--|--|IR|--|--|--|--|-- (0x0040) Curr: --|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|-- (0x0000)
2021-05-30T09:52:32.136Z cpu8:1049247)vmw_ahci[00000017]: LogExceptionProcess:Port 0, Process: --|--|--|--|--|--|IR|--|--|--|--|-- (0x0040) Curr: --|--|--|--|--|--|IR|--|--|--|--|-- (0x0040)
2021-05-30T09:52:32.136Z cpu8:1049247)vmw_ahci[00000017]: ExceptionHandlerWorld:Performing device reset due to Port IRQ Error.
2021-05-30T09:52:32.137Z cpu8:1049247)vmw_ahci[00000017]: ExceptionHandlerWorld:hardware stop on slot 0x1, activeTags 0x00000002
2021-05-30T09:52:32.159Z cpu8:1049247)vmw_ahci[00000017]: ExecInternalCommandPolled:port status: 0x40000001, tf status: 0x451
2021-05-30T09:52:32.161Z cpu2:1049247)vmw_ahci[00000017]: ExecInternalCommandPolled:FAIL!!: Internal command 2f, 00
2021-05-30T09:52:32.161Z cpu2:1049247)vmw_ahci[00000017]: ExceptionHandlerWorld:Fail to get error log for port 0
2021-05-30T09:52:32.162Z cpu2:1049247)vmw_ahci[00000017]: _IssueComReset:Issuing comreset...
2021-05-30T09:52:32.283Z cpu2:1049247)vmw_ahci[00000017]: ExceptionHandlerWorld:fail a command on slot 1
2021-05-30T09:52:32.283Z cpu12:1048622)NMP: nmp_ThrottleLogForDevice:3856: Cmd 0x28 (0x455a733c8440, 0) to dev "t10.ATA_____ST1000LM0492D2GH172__________________________________ZGS23QAV" on path "vmhba0:C0:T0:L0" Failed:
2021-05-30T09:52:32.283Z cpu12:1048622)NMP: nmp_ThrottleLogForDevice:3865: H:0x0 D:0x2 P:0x0 Valid sense data: 0x4 0x44 0x0. Act:NONE. cmdId.initiator=0x451a20b1a7b8 CmdSN 0x18a60
2021-05-30T09:52:32.283Z cpu12:1048622)ScsiDeviceIO: 4062: Cmd(0x455a733c8440) 0x28, CmdSN 0x18a60 from world 0 to dev "t10.ATA_____ST1000LM0492D2GH172__________________________________ZGS23QAV" failed H:0x0 D:0x2 P:0x0 Valid sense data: 0x4 0x44
2021-05-30T09:52:32.283Z cpu12:1048622)0x0.

 

Could someone help understand what could be causing the issue.

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nachogonzalez
Commander
Commander

Spoiler
HAve you checked the compatibility matrix?
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noumanqaiser
Contributor
Contributor

Hello, I believe the AHCI controller is compatible but was searching and cannot find any resource that confirms if 'Cannon Lake PCH-H AHCI Controller' is compatible with vmware esxi 7. I read somewhere that disabling the default AHCI driver by the following command may help:

esxcli system module set --enabled=false --module=vmw_ahci

I tried this and post restart the controller wont even display at all. So this had to be re-enabled. 

I also tried clearing out the partition table as this drive has no useful information but it never works, and I always recieve an 'input/output' error to any partedUtil command. It seems any write attempt to this device does not work.

When I try the partedUtil getptbl command, the partition format is described as unknown.

Do you think booting up the host with Linux LiveCD usb and clearing the partition with some better tool could help get rid of the unknown partition format and get ESXI to be happy with it?

FYI, before I setup ESXI, the HDD in question was a diskdrive for a Ubuntu OS and was accessible.

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