What might cause MultiProcessor_configuration_not_supported?

[mauricev]

I am using the original build of ESXi 4 and just recently I installed from an iso, a virtual machine of Windows Server 2008 64-bit set with 4 CPUs. It installed just fine, I ran the updates and not only that, I even cloned the system, downgraded the clone to two CPUs and that one worked too. On the physical machine, I added a second processor. Still, both booted up and ran just fine. I tried cloning the second system and then on this third system, Windows began repeatedly blue screening with the error MultiProcessor_configuration_not_supported. Then I tried started up the second machine it started doing it too. All this while, the original machine was running just fine, so I shut it down and tried to boot it and now it's making the same complaint! What could be causing this behavior? A recent (November-December) update, perhaps?

[DSTAVERT]

Check the stepping level of the processors and make sure they match. Make sure the processors are the same family. You haven't posted much information and none about your hardware platform.

[RParker]

Well first it may be a moot point, try just 1 PROC. Also change the configuration for the VM to single proc, change the HAL inside the OS to 1 CPU, then if you NEED more processors change the VM to 2 or more processors, and let Windows plug and play for additional hardware/

You definately will not need 4 processors in a VM, 2 is even questionable. I would test it first. Just because the physical box was configured with 2/4 processors doesn't mean the VM can utilize or take advantage of more than 1 processors. VM's are much different than physical. They don't work the same way.

9 times out of 10 having more procs inside a VM is a waste.

[DSTAVERT]

Make sure the BIOS and other firmware is up to date.

[mauricev]

Check

the stepping level of the processors and make sure they match. Make

sure the processors are the same family. You haven't posted much

information and none about your hardware platform.

Yes, they match. The motherboard is a SuperMicro X7DW3 and the processors are L5420s. The system has been functional for at least a week with these two processors.

Well first it may be a moot point, try just 1 PROC. Also change the configuration for the VM to single proc, change the HAL inside the OS to 1 CPU, then if you NEED more processors change the VM to 2 or more processors, and let Windows plug and play for additional hardware/

You definately will not need 4 processors in a VM, 2 is even questionable. I would test it first. Just because the physical box was configured with 2/4 processors doesn't mean the VM can utilize or take advantage of more than 1 processors. VM's are much different than physical. They don't work the same way.

9 times out of 10 having more procs inside a VM is a waste.

Changing back to one CPU allowed me to boot. I'm not sure what you mean by changing the HAL in W2K8. It's just "ACPI x64-based PC". What I was able to do was open msconfig and tell it "Detect HAL". Then I shutdown and in VMWare, I set it back to two CPU and it booted, but then on the subsequent reboot, it's crashing again.

(I hear on the too many CPU deal, but right now I can't get 2 if it were the way to go.)

Make sure the BIOS and other firmware is up to date.

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Yes. it is.

[mauricev]

If I let it boot and blue screen enough times, it gives up on failing and boots OK. Weird.

[mauricev]

It looks like the CPU is defective. I'll have more info when it's replaced.

Well first it may be a moot point, try just 1 PROC. Also change the configuration for the VM to single proc, change the HAL inside the OS to 1 CPU, then if you NEED more processors change the VM to 2 or more processors, and let Windows plug and play for additional hardware/

You definately will not need 4 processors in a VM, 2 is even questionable. I would test it first. Just because the physical box was configured with 2/4 processors doesn't mean the VM can utilize or take advantage of more than 1 processors. VM's are much different than physical. They don't work the same way.

9 times out of 10 having more procs inside a VM is a waste.

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Four vCPUs reduced to three and the answer is...

[mauricev]

It turns out the stepping was different. esxcfg-info reports stepping for each core of the CPU, and I misread the stepping of another core on the first CPU as one for the second.

Perhaps ESX should record an error and report it to the GUI when it sees a stepping mismatch.

[DSTAVERT]

Glad you found the problem. Supermicro usually has very specific versions of the processor that it supports. Check to see if they both have support. There may be some minor help with a specific version of the BIOS. I don't know how far apart the stepping values are but if they aren't several generations apart you might try getting the Intel microcode updates. ESX(i) supports microcode updates.

place the microcode in /etc/vmware/microcode/intel

Matching the processors is definitely a better option but make the match you choose is on the Supermicro supported list.