ESXI 6.5 installation fails - exited with status 255

[DennisKnoll]

[hussainbte]

format the drives and choose to install again.

recreate the local drives from RAID controller if you can.

ESXI installed is not able to format the local drive to create partitions.

check the below link

Formatting a new LUN in ESXi 5.x fails with the error: No Implementation: Support for adding partiti...

[DennisKnoll]

Thanks for your answer

it looks like its a bug in 6.5, 6.0u2 is installing without a problem, 6.5 is not even detecting that I allready got 6.0 installed.

I tried to install it in RAID mode - same, I formated the ssd disc into mbr / gpt and clean and it still gives me this I/O error on 6.5

[roberto2lini]

I'm getting the same error, did you find a way to install 6.5 in the end?

Best,

Roberto

[timweaver23]

Hi,

What hardware is this being installed onto?

Cheers

[baiy · Accepted solution]

new vmw_ahci driver only works on NCQ supported device, which requires both your SATA controller and disks support NCQ.

But I found your TOSHIBA SSD, THNSNC128GMMJ doesn't support NCQ.

https://smarthdd.com/database/TOSHIBA-THNSNC128GMMJ/CJSA0201/

[DennisKnoll]

Thanks, looks like I have to get a new SSD or implement the old driver into the iso

[jkghfjkasdhfjka]

Work Around In Place

I was able to get this to work and will come in handy for those of us who have labs and etc and do not want to go out and buy new SSDs.

1: Connect your SSD to a SATA to USB adapter. (you can get these on Ebay for super cheap)

2. Boot from a separate USB key which contains the ISO and install ESXi on the SSD attached USB drive. (it will show up and act like a USB drive when using the adapter)

3. Initial boot from fresh install needs to be done in USB mode with SATA to USB adapter. ESXi will not retain any changes after reboot because the new driver keeps you from writing to the SSD.

4. Disable the new VMW_AHCI driver and revert back tot he older driver with this command. esxcli system module set --enabled=false --module=vmw_ahci (more info here NXHut - IT and Windows - News)

5. Once you disable the new AHCI driver you can then make your changes and shut down.

6. Put SSD into normal SSD/SATA slot and boot up as normal.

All Done!!!

[NeedleNoseNed]

I know this is a super old issue but I wanted to share my solution with anyone who might stumble upon this post. I was putting ESXi 6.7 onto a homelab PC. I received the same error. I fired up Gparted and wiped the drive into something else then removed formatting. The install took no problem after that.