How to: Install Windows Server 2008 R2 (64-bit) in ESXi 4.1-260247 with "LSI Logic SAS" controller?

[chrkad]

Hi,

I have a newly installed ESXi 4.1-260247 on a Fujitsu-Siemens PRIMERGY RX300 S4 with 2x Intel Xeon E5420 @ 2.5 GHz, with 36 GB RAM.

Storage controller is a LSI MegaRAID SAS 1078 with 6x750 GB SATA-disks configured with 3xRAID-1 logical drives. BIOS Version 4.06 Rev. 1.04.2519

I'm now trying to install "Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 64-bit" in a virtual machine, but fail since the virtual harddisk cannot be found.

I've tried with all different SCSI Controller Types, but when running the "Create Virtual Machine"-wizard, it suggests "LSI Logic SAS". I've tried "LSI Logic Parallel" and "VMware Paravirtual" but it hasn't worked. However, I have not tried "BusLogic Parallel", since it clearly says "not recommended for this guest OS".

I've been unable to find documentation on how and where I can locate the "LSI Logic SAS"-driver to be able to continue the installation. The

Windows Server 2008 R2-installation is an ISO obtained directly from Microsoft eLicensing.

I've also downloaded the floppy drivers "pvscsi-Windows2008.flp" and "vmscsi.flp" from the ESXi-server, but the Windows Setup program doesn't find any valid drivers on them.

I've also extracted the files "windows.iso" from the ESXi machine, but no drivers there as well.

So my question is, what modell is the "LSI Logic SAS", I suppose I can download these from LSI directly, only I need to know what modell?

Any help appreciated.

Thanks!

Regards,

Christian

[digitlman77 · Accepted solution]

chrkad,

I think you have the very problem I was having. Trying to install 2008 R2 and it was asking for drivers?

The issue wound up being a corrupted ISO from MS.

Try downloading the ISO using the java-based download manager. This will tell you if your download is getting disrupted, as mine was. It will also checksum the image once finished to make sure you got the whole thing. Just downloading it via HTTP doesn't do this.

I wound up downloading the image from home and burning a DVD and taking that back into the office,

[chrkad]

Wow, that was embarrassing. How come I didn't check that first? But yeah, I had the exact same problem as you, booting from the ISO worked and I could choose region & language. The setup started to complain about missing drivers before the setup-window where you choose which version of 2008 to install (full, core, and so on).

Thanks! :smileysilly:

//Christian

edit:

Got a new .ISO and everything went well!

[davercyclone]

Hi had this exact problem with downloaded ISO from MS!!

All fixed once I used the download manager.

[DavidMa20111014]

I followed this post and was hopeful when I read it, however I continue to get the CD-ROM driver error message when attempting to install W2K8R2 (64bit) on ESX v4.1-26024. I used the download manager from Microsoft. Is there a different download manager you used? Also, perhaps there's a difference in the W2K8 R2 media between the original post and mine. I downloaded mine last night (2/6/11).

BTW, the disk I created is able to create a physical server on a HPxw4400 - at least as far as passing the point this install fails on the Virtual Machine.

Thanks!

David M

[vMcCormick]

David

I am suffering the same issue. Did you move past this successfully?

cheers