Unable to set a SAN LUN as dump Partition on ESXi5.0

[chelsio1]

I tried the following steps to enable a SAN LUN as a dump partition :

1-  Created a dump partition :

/sbin/partedUtil setptbl /vmfs/devices/disks/naa.60a98000572d505a576f6a524e617431 gpt '1 2048 4002047 9D27538040AD11DBBF97000C2911D1B8 0'

2- Deactivated the present active dump partition:

~ # esxcli system coredump partition set -u
~ # esxcli system coredump partition get
   Active:
   Configured:

3- Activated and configured the SAN LUN as dump partition:

~ # esxcli system coredump partition set --partition=naa.60a98000572d505a576f6a524e617431:1
esxcli system coredump partition set --enable=true

~ # esxcli system coredump partition get
   Active: naa.60a98000572d505a576f6a524e617431:1
   Configured: naa.60a98000572d505a576f6a524e617431:1

~ # esxcfg-dumppart -l
VM Kernel Name                                                             Console Name                                                                                   Is Active   Is Configured
t10.ATA_____ST3500413AS_________________________________________5VMSH91Z:7 /vmfs/devices/disks/t10.ATA_____ST3500413AS_________________________________________5VMSH91Z:7 no          no
naa.60a98000572d505a576f6a524e617431:1                                     /vmfs/devices/disks/naa.60a98000572d505a576f6a524e617431:1                                     yes         yes

~ # esxcli system coredump partition list
Name                                                                        Path                                                                                            Active  Configured
--------------------------------------------------------------------------  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  ------  ----------
t10.ATA_____ST3500413AS_________________________________________5VMSH91Z:7  /vmfs/devices/disks/t10.ATA_____ST3500413AS_________________________________________5VMSH91Z:7   false       false
naa.60a98000572d505a576f6a524e617431:1                                      /vmfs/devices/disks/naa.60a98000572d505a576f6a524e617431:1                                        true        true

4- But whenever the ESXi5.0 host hits a PSOD, it is unable to dump the coredump and the following mesage is observed in /var/log/vobd.log

[GenericCorrelator] 163476813us: [vob.user.host.coredump] An unread host kernel core dump has been found.

Please help me resolve this .

Did I miss any step ?

[chelsio1]

I have attached the output of "ls /vmfs/devices/disks" on the affected ESXI5.0 Host .

The PSOD image reported earlier says "Coredump to Disk Slot 16 of 19", but the above output suggests more than 19 ????

[john23]

If its success it goes slot 1 of 1....anyhow ls output shows all mapped devices...

what esxcfg-dumppart -f shows you ..(for fcoe active)

[chelsio1]

Whenever I configure the local vmcore as dump partition, the PSOD displays "slot 1 of 1".

However, when the SAN LUN is configured as dump partition, the PSOD displays "slot 16 of 19".

[chelsio1]

~ # esxcfg-dumppart -f
Partition name t10.ATA_____ST3500413AS_________________________________________5VMSH91Z:7 -> /vmfs/devices/disks/t10.ATA_____ST3500413AS_________________________________________5VMSH91Z:7
Partition name naa.60a98000572d505a634a6a524f685a59:1 -> /vmfs/devices/disks/naa.60a98000572d505a634a6a524f685a59:1

~ # esxcfg-dumppart -t
naa.60a98000572d505a634a6a524f685a59:1  /vmfs/devices/disks/naa.60a98000572d505a634a6a524f685a59:1

~ # esxcfg-dumppart -l
VM Kernel Name                                                             Console Name                                                                                   Is Active   Is Configured
t10.ATA_____ST3500413AS_________________________________________5VMSH91Z:7 /vmfs/devices/disks/t10.ATA_____ST3500413AS_________________________________________5VMSH91Z:7 no          no
naa.60a98000572d505a634a6a524f685a59:1                                     /vmfs/devices/disks/naa.60a98000572d505a634a6a524f685a59:1                                     yes         yes

[john23]

The Core Dump:

Starting coredump to disk Starting coredump to disk  Dumping using slot 1 of 1...using slot 1 of 1... log

This  section of the purple diagnostic screen indicates that the contents of  the VMkernel memory are being copied to the vmkcore partition.

good kb for :

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=100425...

It should work !! no idea why its not working for fcoe