ESX 5.0 U1 hung on "Initilizing ACPI"

[Croydon]

I have a whitebox I'm trying to install ESXi 5.0 U1 on that is getting hung on Initilizing ACPI. Is there a way to bypass this stage? Maybe with kernel options? I have tried acpi=off and noacpi options with no success.

I'm using a Shuttle SZ77R5 with a Intel 3770 IvyBridge processor. I have a similar setup on a SZ68R5 with a SandyBridge that works great.

Any feedback/help would be really appreciated.

Cheers,

Croydon

[muxonarization]

I understand your answer wasn’t directed at me, but what device are you booting from then?

With the DQ77MK I always F10’d to boot from either a preinstalled usb key, an usb key with the install image or the install cd in my sata drive.

Von: m0chikun

Gesendet: Mittwoch, 4. Juli 2012 11:13

An: wackerbauer@pustet.de

Betreff: New message: "ESX 5.0 U1 hung on "Initilizing ACPI""

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ESX 5.0 U1 hung on "Initilizing ACPI"

reply from m0chikun<http://communities.vmware.com/people/m0chikun> in VMware ESXi 5 - View the full discussion<http://communities.vmware.com/message/2071338#2071338

[seetee]

MarBen, I can confirm the same behaviour (hanging at ACPI) with an Intel Mocassin Peak Desktop Board (DQ77MK) running an i7-3770 and 4 x 8Gb DDR3 1600Mhz Non-ECC Memory.

If you use the default settings for this Motherboard and only change the UEFI Boot from the default of Disabled to Enabled, then ESXi 5.0.0 U1 loads properly from CD/DVD and you can install on a USB stick - thanks for the tip M0chikun.  For more info about UEFI see - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unified_Extensible_Firmware_Interface  - this derived from Intel's EFI and is now a Specification designed as a replacement for BIOS.

I can confirm what M0chikun is also saying about needing to choose the Boot Device by hitting F10, even if you have changed the order of HDD's to the USB Drive first; and changed the boot device priority with HDD (USB Stick) as first; or change "Boot USB Devices First" from the default of disabled.

Once the USB Stick has loaded, and you change the BIOS back to UEFI Boot Disabled, you still need to press F10 and select the USB Stick to boot ESXi.

For the DQ77MK, the above applies to BIOS 34; 39 and 48.

So, if you are using a Board like the DQ77MK as a lab/test/backup ESXi, pressing F10 @ boot time isn't that big a deal.  You could alternatively just leave UEFI Boot to "Enabled" in the BIOS, and it boots normally.

It would be interesting to see if the Shuttle boards support UEFI Boot in their BIOS and what happens if this is changed from the Default of Disabled.

One caveat with the above is that I haven't created a datastore yet and run up some VM's, but can access through the vSphere Client and it looks ok.

One thing i liked about the DQ77MK is that has two onboard nics a 82574LM and the other being a 82579LM - the 82579LM being for remote management.  I discovered that ESXi 5 doesn't doesn't provide support for the 82579LM, so i just used an Intel Gigabit CT PCIe1x Desktop NIC which is based on the 82574LM....and when i booted ESXi using the installed 5.0.0 U USB stick, it found this NIC.

If you want to use the onboard 82579LM, there are a couple of third party drivers available, however, you might need to disable the LAN in the Intel Management BIOS Extensions - Ctrl+P @ Boot.  Anyway a couple of third party solutions are @:

http://www.ivobeerens.nl/2011/12/13/vmware-esxi-5-whitebox-nic-support/

http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1607992

[muxonarization]

Thanks a ton seetee, i changed back to the DQ77MK in order to try this out and it really is working now.

Though not with BIOS 0034, no combination worked.

I created a custom iso with ESXi customizer and e1000e driver, selecting to create an UEFI compatible image.

With 0039 and 0048 it worked like a charm (install from cd to local disk) with the enabled UEFI option.

I did not need to press F10 at boot at all, it all went well with the default boot order, also afterwards when booting from the local disk.

edit: disabling UEFI in bios results in no bootable media found

the AMT nic can be shared and kvm also works flawflessly

[seetee]

Good to hear that the custom build with the driver works with the DQ77MK's 82579 NIC.  Looks like the 82579 is also an issue on the S1200BT - Intel's latest Entry Level Serverboard - this board is on the VMWare ESXi HCL for all versions......so, VMWare should complete a driver for use in the standard build.

A couple of points about the Intel Ivy Bridge mobo's for others who want to build a whitebox lab/test/box....I chose the DQ77MK because it was only one of 3 Intel boards that support VT with directed I/O (VT-d) - the other two are DQ77CP; DQ77KB - see http://www.intel.com/support/motherboards/desktop/sb/cs-030922.htm

The DQ77CP has just been released and it looks as though it supports older peripherals - Parallel Port; PS/2, but it only has 1 NIC which is the 82579 - so not as good as the DQ77MK or KB.

The DQ77KB is an ITX board, so it is tiny, but downside is it only supports 16Gb Memory - 2 Nics, the same as the DQ77MK.

The DQ77EB doesn't support VT-d.....so not a perfect lab.

The ACPI is likely to do with Ivy Bridge/Panther Point chipset....and may be to do with USB3 which these motherboards support natively.  The USB3 is a definite plus for moving Virtual Machines around.  Not sure if UEFI or VMWare ESXi 5.0.0 U1 support USB3 yet?

[MarBen]

Hi seetee,

thank you very much for the extensive information!

The Shuttle-spec tells me that it indeed does support UEFI (I think I read otherwise in a computer magazine), which doesn't mean that ESXi will work, of course ...

Well, it looks like I'll really have to buy the Shuttle without knowing whether ESXi works or not. Unfortunately, the consumer rights here in Switzerland are pretty backward, so I won't be able to return the unit after giving it a shot.

Cheers

[muxonarization]

after some days of playing with AMT i disadvise sharing the nic with esxi.

i experienced a lot of packet loss when both AMT and the service console were using the same nic.

[seetee]

Hi muxonarization,

Did you disable the LAN in the Intel Management BIOS Extensions - Ctrl+P @ Boot to see if this fixed the issue with packet loss?  It would be useful to know if this returned it to its natural state.

btw, I'm very happy with the Intel DQ77MK using VMWare Workstation 804 - being able to have 32Gb DDR3 1600 Memory is great for test and dev environments.....but it is good to know that it functions with ESXi as well.

[muxonarization]

It seems to work when i switch ME off.

but i have enough other nics and really like the remove kvm. so i reinstalled the default image to make the 82579 nic 'invisible' to ESXi

[NucleusVM]

I am considering buying DQ77KB to run ESXi 5 on it. I saw in this forum post that both ethenet cards can be made to work, but what about the RAID controller? I want to be able to mirror my disks. Anyone tested that?

[muxonarization]

ESXi doesn't support those ICH/RST arrays, as they're software raids.

the hypervisor will only see the single disks.

you could use two RDM disks and put them in a software raid initiated by the vm

[NucleusVM]

What do you mean they are software raids? It's supposed to be on the motherboard. I was under the impression that it would function like any other raid controller which is embedded on a motherboard.

On your second point, do you mean I should install esxi on a usb stick, create a VM on it, and then do RDM from that VM on the 2 hard disks? And this VM would be running freenas or something?

[muxonarization]

those chips don't have any RAID logics, the array is enabled by the driver of the designated OS.

They may have a BIOS in which you configure an array, but ESXi will only see the disks attached, not the logical volume.

Yes, that freenas idea will work. Performance might suck if you remount it lateron in ESXi with nfs or iscsi as a datastore.

[seetee]

NucleusVM, a few comments on the DQ77KB - meant to put them in this thread but put in the other about ACPI.

See http://communities.vmware.com/message/2090179#2090179

[pizzulicchio]

I have updated the bios of my Intel DQ77KB to the latest version ( 0040 ) the file is named KBQ7710H.86A, enabled UEFI bios and changed all the settings that i need to change.

ALL IS WORKING GOOD and it boots perfectly.

This bios update has solved my problems. Now esxi 5 is be able to start. 🙂

[Osaili]

Any luck on this issue?

I'm having the same problem running Shuttle SZ77R5 with a Intel 3770 IvyBridge processor and latest BIOS Update SZ77R000.110

[MarBen]

Did you try to boot with the UEFI option enabled? If so, did you give the other possible workarounds in this thread a try?

Cheers

[aaosaili]

Hi MarBen,

Actually it only boots when I enable UEFI. I'm not bboting from a CD I'm using a usb.

I tried the following:

- Disable NIC from BIOS.

- Disable USB3 Support

- Disable UEFI

- Disable Power options.

- Disable CPU Turbo features.

- Set CPU Limit (this gave me an PSOD in before even the ACPI error).

- Togle SATA mode between AHCI, IDE and RAID.

I tried an older build of ESXi and the ESXi5 rollup 2. I could not get it byond this error.

I would like to try booting from a CD but i need to get me a CD Drive.

[MarBen]

Hi,

so basically you're saying that ESXi 5.0 works fine with the Shuttle if you enable UEFI and boot from an USB stick? I'm confused ...

Cheers

[Osaili]

Sorry for the confusion, I meant the installer will not boot except when I enable UEFI. In all cases it will stop at Initilizing ACPI.

I also tried to Install from CD, but no luck either.

I opened a ticket with Shutle support, I mentioned that other motherboard which is based on Intel Chipset Z77 is working fine. I waiting for thier reply. because I suspect something with the BIOS.

Regards, 

[MarBen]

Now I understand, thank you for the clarification!

And I'd also like to thank you for opening a ticket at the Shuttle support. However, I don't think that they will look into this too deeply ...

Do you mind keeping us up to date regarding this issue? I really appreciate your effort.

Cheers