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Drizzt201110141
Contributor
Contributor
‎09-29-2011 06:17 AM

Installing ESXi 5

Hey all,

I am new to ESXi and I am trying to install this on a P8P67 motherboard and have configured RAID 1 with 2 500GB hard drives.  I can install windows and choose to install to the single RAID but when I go to install ESXi5 I see both drives and not my single RAID configured setup.  If I choose 1 of these drives it only installs to one of the drives.

Any ideas?

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5 Replies
wdroush1
Hot Shot
Hot Shot
‎09-29-2011 06:22 AM

Hardware-assisted software RAID, it isn't RAID-On-Chip, requires Windows drivers.


Super annoying, especially when configuring a RAID-1.

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Drizzt201110141
Contributor
Contributor
‎09-29-2011 06:28 AM

Does this mean that I will not be able to install ESXi in a RAID 1 setup?

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wdroush1
Hot Shot
Hot Shot
‎09-29-2011 06:29 AM

Drizzt wrote:

Does this mean that I will not be able to install ESXi in a RAID 1 setup?

Correct, without purchasing a RAID card that supports full hardware RAID. I hear you can pick them up for about $100 off the HCL, but I can't back that up (haven't looked myself).

The other option is to go with a VSA (Virtual SAN Appliance) and pass through your drives to your VSA if you don't want to purchase a RAID card.

rajvm256
Enthusiast
Enthusiast
‎09-29-2011 06:29 AM

the later part of your question. Yes it will install only in one disk and the rest will be configured to be used as a VMFS volumes for keeping your VMs.  Did you have a look at the HCL to see if it is supported. Something I found why googling Smiley Happy http://serverfault.com/questions/274809/esxi-raid-on-intel-ich10r . Perhaps that is why it wont support.

Thanks | http://virtualvm.info/
Drizzt201110141
Contributor
Contributor
‎09-29-2011 06:34 AM

Thanks all.

I will investigate further on what my next move is.

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