Guest cannot format virtual disk

[LiveStalker]

Hello.

I have the

following problem:

On ESX 4 i create VM then start install OS Windows 2008 SP2.

Installation

comes to the stage of selecting partition, I select partition for instalation, after I get error that "cannot format disc".

I test another OS and get same result.

I test another virtual SCSI controllers ...same.

Befor (A few weeks earlier) I install some VMs and all was OK.

I

suspect that the problem may be in the disk subsystem ESX (for example,

some lock on the disk).

Please help me.

[golddiggie]

Which SCSI controller did you select for use with the Server 2008 configuration? What size is the virtual disk you created for use with 2008?

[LiveStalker]

LSI Logic SAS and test VMware Paravirtual.

Disc size 10 Gb (for core installation)

[golddiggie]

I believe it's Server 2008 that has issue with you selecting/creating too small of a virtual disc for it to be installed onto. Try creating a new virtual disc that's 40GB and install there (use thin provisioning if you don't have enough actual disc space to support the size). What are you using for storage for the VM's? I know the default size for Windows Server 2008 in ESX/ESXi is 40GB, so going to 1/4 of that could be the entire cause of your issue.

[LiveStalker]

>I believe it's Server 2008 that has issue with you selecting/creating too small of a virtual disc for it to be installed onto.

I have VMs (on other ESX) Win2008 in Core installation with 10Gb disk and it is work ok. Also I test install Win2003 with 40Gb disk but get same error "cannot format disc".

>use thin provisioning if you don't have enough actual disc space to support the size

I have enough disc space.

>What are you using for storage for the VM's?

Local Storage (local discs of my server)

>I know the default size for Windows Server 2008 in ESX/ESXi is 40GB, so going to 1/4 of that could be the entire cause of your issue.

If the problem was in a small disk, the installer reported

that, in my case is a serious error installation.

[golddiggie]

RAID configuration for the local discs? Type, and speed, of the local discs you're using (SATA, SAS, etc.)? Any errors coming up in the event log? Have you tried reaching out to support, or are you using the free (without VMware support agreement) version?

[LiveStalker]

RAID5 SATA

No error in log of ESX4

Subscription

support has ended.

But befor I create VMs and it work OK on this ESX. May be somewhere in the ESX configuration spoiled

[golddiggie]

OR one of the drives in the array is on it's way to Flakeville...

[LiveStalker]

What meaning Flakeville?

[golddiggie]

Going south, on it's way to non-functional, etc... I've seen more than a few issues traced back to hard drives just starting to go wonky/bad. Long before any standard tests would detect the issue. Some times only running deep scans with the manufacturer's tools actually gave an error code. Most times, there wasn't enough time between when the issue started, the tools were obtained, and the scan run to capture the error (before the drive completely failed). This is one of the biggest reasons for having multiple disc RAID arrays for any server type environment. Having a RAID 10, 50, or higher parity array is critical. Not only in IOPS, but for stability/reliability.

[mitry]

Today i have same problem and i found its start after i enable iSCSI adapter on host.

After disable iSCSI and reboot host partition formatted successful.

I use ESX 4.1 without additional updates.

Hope this helps somebody.

ps: hey, VMware developers, thing this is work for yours