windows guests bluescreens on install

[pinne65]

Hello,

I have recently upgraded from ESXi 3.5 to 4.1. But I'm running into problems installing Windows guests.

During the install process Windows XP Pro 32 and Windows 7 Ultimate 32 and 64 all blue screens during the installation process.

The only Windows guest that survived was 2003 Server R2 32.

Other than that I'm running 3 Ubuntu 10.04 64 servers successfully.

Does anyone have a clue what's going on?

[Dave_Mishchenko]

Welcome to the VMware Communities forums.  What sort of blue screens are you experiencing?

[dquintana]

Wellcome Pinne,

Are you selecting adecuate OS in the vm configuration?

In wich stage you got the blue screen?

Diego

[samansalehi]

Dear Friend

By default, ESX will use the LSI Logic driver when  deploying a new Windows XP virtual machine. The LSI Logic driver is not  found on the CD-ROM media, so Windows XP will not continue with the  installation if this driver is not found.

I think, it is better to use this weblog: http://virtrix.blogspot.com/2007/09/vmware-installing-windows-xp-on-esx.html

For windows 7, the ESX 4.1, i think vmware solve the problem.

If it is useful, would u please mark it as "Helpful" or "Correct"?

Thank u

saman

[bulletprooffool]

Firstly, make sure that the hardwrae you select is in fact for the correct operating system.

Secondly, if you are using some sort of an image (ghost etc), you are probably missing drivers for your VM in the image.

Have a look at : http://support.microsoft.com/kb/216206 for understanding bluescreens - the 0x??????? number that appears will help direct you towards the source of the issue.

Good luck

[pinne65]

Thanks everybody for the suggestions. Here's some more info:

Yea, I have thoroughly checked that I'm selecting the correct platform for the guests.

I'm getting stop# 0x50, 0x8e, 0x24, 0x0a, .... But sometimes the guest is just simply powered off without showing a blue screen.

For Windows 7 this always happens while expanding the Windows files at different percentages of completion.

On Windows XP I get a little bit further into the installation dialog

It also seems like Win 2003 server 32 R2 can't install, getting stop 0x24 while copying files.

I'm just playing around with this at home using pretty old hardware, which is not on the approved list, Intel dg965ss w dual core 6300. So I guess that could be a cause also. But I never had any problems like this on Esxi 3.5

[idle-jam]

Can you do a memory/or hardware test of the host from your BIOS (some of the manufacturer has those in built)

[samansalehi]

Dear Freind as idel-jam said; let's try to test the hardware, if it is a standard server, it has diagnostic software.

Would u please response if u need more information?

[pinne65]

Thanks everybody!

Problem solved. I turns out my motherboard can handle 8GB 667 MHz memory, but only 4GB 800 MHz. I had loaded it with 8GB 800 Mhz. Removing 4GB fixed it.

[samansalehi · Accepted solution]

Sorry if i could not help.