Upgrade .vmdk created in 4

[joeainsworth24]

I have an image of Windows Server 2003 that is syspreped and saved as a starting image for my ESXi 4.1 installs.  When I try to use the same .vmdk on ESXi 5, it never starts.  The virtual machine powers on, but the guest never boots.  No Post, nothing.

Any experience on this out there?

Thanks in advance.

[continuum]

there is no significant difference regarding boot-ability between virtual hardware 7 and 8
I dont think that the vmdk is the reason

[ranjitcool]

Okay so you don't even see the POST ? No vmware bios or no info at all?

Did you make any custom changes to the vmx when you created a new vm?

Try this. Remove the vmdk and power on the vm, you should see post and boot should fail. If you see that then attached the vmdk while vm is powered on and reboot the vm and see the differences.

Let us know

RJ

Please award points for helpful or correct answers.

[joeainsworth24]

It appears there is something else at play.  I can't even create a new machine and boot to an .iso.  Thanks for the replies.

[ranjitcool]

Ah so now we know that vmdk is not really at fault and something messed up in esxi.

So any errors you see? Or anything in event logs?

RJ

[joeainsworth24]

Definitely not the .vmdk file.  I did a complete re-install of the hypervisor, yet can't get a guest to boot properly.  The hardware is a Dell 2950, Dual Quad Core/16gb Ram.  Does show to be on the HCL.

Incidently, all looks right after the install of the hypervisor.  Datastores are created, I can copy to/from, etc.  Just can't get a guest to boot/post.

[ranjitcool]

Okay, you don't see it in the hypervisor console right.

Are you and the hypervisor on the same network? Is port 903 open between your system running vclient and the hypervisor? if 903 cannot be opened enable vmauthd proxy and use port 902.

Are you seeing this all across the board, as in for all vms?

RJ

[joeainsworth24]

That is right, any virtual guest I create, I see nothing in the Console tab of the vsphere client. I am on a local area network. Firewall on my local Windows 7 machine is off. I see know reason why port 903 would not be open.

From: RJ <communities-emailer@vmware.com<mailto:communities-emailer@vmware.com>>

Reply-To: communities-emailer <communities-emailer@vmware.com<mailto:communities-emailer@vmware.com>>

Date: Mon, 5 Dec 2011 15:15:35 -0600

To: Joe Ainsworth <JoeAinsworth@townsquaremedia.com<mailto:JoeAinsworth@townsquaremedia.com>>

Subject: New message: "Upgrade .vmdk created in 4"[pxfssv-qzi6-1475m]

VMware Communities<http://communities.vmware.com/index.jspa>

Upgrade .vmdk created in 4

reply from RJ<http://communities.vmware.com/people/ranjitcool> in VMware ESXi 5 - View the full discussion<http://communities.vmware.com/message/1875514#1875514

[ranjitcool]

Can you ssh into the hyp and see the logs?

May be go through them for some errors?

If you are close to the hyp, walk up to it and connect it to your system directly point to point.

I don't think its the hw or esxi. I dont think its the guest issue either.

I am still suspecting the network. Is the hyp able to send over 903. 903 for the hyp should be open.

RJ

[joeainsworth24]

RJ,

This turns out to be something drastically wrong with the Windows 7 machine that vSphere was running on.  Showed port 902 open (as well as a few others, like 161 for SNMP) but they in fact were not.

thanks for your help on this.

[ranjitcool]

Thanks, I am glad you were able to open the ports!!

Please mark the answer so i can get some points for the effort

Thanks for the update again!

OOOOPS! did not see you were a step ahead of me thanks!!

RJ