ESXi

Hello,

I'm trying desperately to install ESXi 6.7 on my mini-server but apparently my SSD is not recognized.

During the installation, I do not even have the window to propose me the installation on a disk, it starts directly in standalone on the USB key.

In addition, if I connect to the web client and I try to add a datastore, it does not offer me any disk, it's empty.

My motherboard is an Asus N3150I-C and my SSD is a PNY 120Gb CS900.

A compatibility problem? Someone sees a solution?

Thank you

In my experiences with PNY products, I've never seen one work with either ESXi or vSphere installs. I've had solid results with SandDisk and Kingston in comparison.

I would try another brand SSD on your host to see if it's something else with the motherboard or just the first SSD you tried.

I do not have another disk on hand but I'll see that. For you, it's a compatibility problem?

Does VMware HAL lists the Disks and controller ?

VMware Compatibility Guide - System Search

Is the SSD being connected internally on a controller that shows up correctly under ESXi? One of the issues with using commodity parts (especially motherboards) is you could very well run into blocking issues with the hardware. One BIOS version might be great, but the one before and one after it breaks it.

If the drive simply never shows up in either the install, or once the host boots into ESXi, then it's a compatibility issue. It MIGHT be fixed with the needed drivers (injected either into the install ISO, or post install).

Personally, since ESXi loads into memory, I've not seen any performance gain from running on fast storage. ESXi on USB thumb drives have had no performance difference than ESXi installed onto higher speed hard drives. I am talking about on either the exact same host, or an identical host.

In fact, I just saw that I could add my SSD as datastore so it is recognized and compatible. But then why do not I propose to install ESXi on it ?

Can it come from the fact that I'm forced to do the manipulation that we see in the link because of a crash at the time of the message "Relocating modules and starting up the kernel" ?

https://talesfromthedatacenter.com/2016/02/esxi-6-install-stuck-on-relocating-modules-and-starting-up-the-kernel/

Resolved, I don't know how.