ESX4 can't see local storage on IBM x3650 M2 with M5015 ServeRaid

[geosign]

Hello,

I have a brand new IBM x3650 M2 with an M5015 ServeRAID SAS Card.

Trying to install ESX4 on it but it cannot find the internal storage to install on.

We've made sure that we have the most recent firmware for the card and for the whole machine.

The drives are set up in the raid controller and formatted correctly as well.

Both the x3650 M2 and the M5015 are in the HCL for ESX4, but no matter what we try the ESX installer can't find the storage. The drivers needed are included in ESX4 but it doesn't seem to make a difference.

Has anyone successfully installed ESX on a x3650 M2 with that card?

Did you run into similar problems?

Thank you very much,

David

[weinstein5]

How much storage are you trying to add?

If you find this or any other answer useful please consider awarding points by marking the answer correct or helpful

[geosign]

There are two 73GB locally attached disks that came with the server, I have them mirrored.

Just trying to install VMWare ESX4 onto the server, but it can't see the disks and says there is nowhere to install ESX.

[Texiwill]

Hello,

The drivers are there, but do not seem to be loading on install. Does the installer say it is loading the megaraid_sas drivers? If not it may not like your revision of the controller. For this you may want to check with IBM. Else you may want to see what is up using the other installation screens.

Best regards,
Edward L. Haletky VMware Communities User Moderator, VMware vExpert 2009

Virtualization Practice Analyst[/url]
Now Available: 'VMware vSphere(TM) and Virtual Infrastructure Security'[/url]
Also available 'VMWare ESX Server in the Enterprise'[/url]
[url=http://www.astroarch.com/wiki/index.php/Blog_Roll]SearchVMware Pro[/url]|Blue Gears[/url]|Top Virtualization Security Links[/url]|
[url=http://www.astroarch.com/wiki/index.php/Virtualization_Security_Round_Table_Podcast]Virtualization Security Round Table Podcast[/url]

[athlon_crazy]

Same thing happen to me early this week on M2 with ServeRAD M5014. and from IBM M5014 is similar to M5015 but with bigger cache. The card is supported for M5015 in HCL & the driver is there but somehow it wont load in ESX 4. IBM even came to me and showing the compatible document from VMware about M5015 to prove it supported. Fast solution provided by IBM, they replaced the card with M10i raid card.

vcbMC-1.0.6 Beta

vcbMC-1.0.7 Lite

[blarod]

Hi, I've got the same problem and IBM offer me to change the 5015 card with a MR10i. The problem is you canno go back to the M5015 after the solve the issu because the array are not compatible.

The Solution is to download the drivers from lsi website. They provide drivers for VmWare on their website.

This card is a M5015. My server is running fine with that driver. You need to burn a CD and tell to VmWare installation that you will provide additinal drivers.

http://www.lsi.com/storage_home/products_home/internal_raid/megaraid_sas/6gb_s_value_line/sas9260de-...

My server (3650 M2 with M5015 and 4 disks expansions daugther card) is running fine with that driver since 1 week for now without any issues.

Benoit La Rochelle

[Rumple]

Great info as I just put one of these together tonight.

Little off topic though - we received the 4 HDD option Pak with the SAS expansion card and configured everything up on the M5015 just fine but noticed that all the drives attached to that sas expansion card are only running 3 Gbps vs 6 Gbps (whereas our drives on the one cable directly connected are running 6 Gbps.

[Iridium130m]

Hey Guys,

Just ran into this issue with ESX4i and the 3650M2 with the M5015...couldn't see storage to get it installed.

ESX4i Update 1 resolved the problem...i would try that with the full ESX 4 update 1 version.

Thanks!

Jason

[cgbsys]

Hi,

Just about to install ESX4i on an IBM x3550 M2 with an M5014 ServeRAID card so this thread has been of great interest !

Did you use the standard version or the one with IBM customization ?

Cheers

[Rumple]

I used the ibm virtual media key with esx 3.5 and upgraded it to esx 4 last night.

I think ibm customized just means the hardware monitoring stuff is included for all system components.

[Hiney]

Just to confirm, esx4.0 upd1 does correctly install on the x3650m2. Only problem is, we aren't ready to go esx4. want to stay on 3.5 to avoid a whole testing cycle.

"I have an inferiority complex, it's just not a very good one."