I'm running ESX 4.1.0 (build 348481), and I'm trying to create a VM for Windows Home Server 2011. I set it up as a standard Windows Server 2008 R2 machine, with 4GB memory and a single processor. I gave it a 40GB drive and removed the floppy. When I try to boot, though, I get the following:
Windows Boot Manager
Windows has encountered a problem communicating with a device connected to your
computer.
This error can be caused by unplugging a removable storage device such as an
external USB drive while the device is in use, or by faulty hardware such as a
hard drive or CD-ROM drive that is failing. Make sure any removable storage is
properly connected and then restart your computer.
If you continue to receive this error message, contact the hardware
manufacturer.
Status: 0xc00000e9
Info: An unexpected I/O error has occurred.
I haven't added any USB devices, and the CD is mapped to the host drive. My system has an Intel i7-930 with 18GB of memory. All other VMs, including multiple Windows Server 2008 R2 systems, work fine.
Any suggestions are most welcome.
Possibly a bad CD. I presume you have ticked the connected tickbox.
Can you try booting off the cd on a physical machine?
If you have access to an ISO version upload it to ESXi and boot from it that way.
A good thought, but the DVD boots fine on a physical machine. I should mention that it's Windows factory-made media. In the VM it does begin the boot process, but after the initial screen that says "Windows is loading files..." I get the error message.
Are you able to complete the installation and it failed during the initial boot of Windows or it failed to boot from CD. If it failed to boot from the CD try by coping the ISO in to /vmimages/iso and connect the iso from it and try it,
Also disconnect all unwanted virtual devices like Floppy, usb controller etc.
RESOLVED: The problem seems to have been a flakey DVD drive. Although the DVD would boot and begin the load, it errored out when it began to read the disk contents. I was able to create a VM on my laptop using VMware workstation and then to import it into my ESX cluster. I replaced the DVD drive on my server, and I was able to successfully install directly. The symptoms were strange, but the net is faulty hardware.
Bad hardware. (see my last post)