Can't get new VMware installation on network

[Dadoo2]

I have a generic machine with an Intel i5000PX motherboard on which I'm trying to install ESX 3.0.1. After the install is finished and the machine reboots, there's no network connection.

When I was using the on-board (Gilgal chipset) Ethernet connections, the machine would come up with the "0xbad0001 trying to get a valid VMKernel MAC address" message. Since I'm new to VMware and I wasn't sure whether or not that chipset was supported, I tried disabling the on-board Ethernet and installing a new (Broadcom, PCIe) card. I don't get the 0xbad0001 error anymore, but I still don't have a network connection.

I'm sure there's nothing wrong with either the on-board Ethernet or the expansion card, since we had both Linux and Windows installed on this machine, previously, and they worked fine.

Anyone know what to do, here?

Thanks

[waynegrow]

When you disable the on-board NIC, do you assign the Broadcom to the Service Console?

[skippy33]

you can try this commands:

esxcfg-nics -l

ethtool vmnic0

You will see which interface is view and what link they have

[Dadoo2]

When you disable the on-board NIC, do you assign the

Broadcom to the Service Console?

I disabled the onboard NIC in the BIOS, then did a complete re-install. I assume VMware would have handled that automatically.

If not, how do I make that assignment?

[MayurPatel]

During the installation you will arrive at the network configuration screen you will be prompted to select the Network Interface you wish to use for the service console.

This is the screen where you enter the Host IP details.

Since you only have one NIC there should only be one in the choice list.

If ESX detect a compatible NIC it will display in the setup, if for some reason it doesn't detect the NIC it will flag a message.

I have always used the Intel Pro 100's for my lab ESX machines and never had any problems.

Message was edited by:

MayurPatel

[Dadoo2]

you can try this commands:

esxcfg-nics -l

ethtool vmnic0

You will see which interface is view and what link

they have

"esxcfg-nics -l" output:

Name PCI Driver Link Speed Duplex Description

vmnic0 0b:00.00 tg3 Up 1000Mbps Full BCM5751 GE

"ethtool vmnic0" output:

Settings for vmnic0:

Supported ports: \[ MII ]

Supported link modes: 10baseT/Half 10baseT/Full

100baseT/Half 100baseT/Full

1000baseT/Half 1000baseT/Full

Supports auto-negotiation: Yes

Advertised link modes: 10baseT/Half 10baseT/Full

100baseT/Half 100baseT/Full

1000baseT/Half 1000baseT/Full

Advertised auto-negotiation: Yes

Speed: 1000Mb/s

Duplex: Full

Port: Twisted Pair

PHYAD: 1

Tranceiver: internal

Auto-negotiation: on

Supports Wake-on: g

Wake-on: d

Current message level: 0x000000ff (255)

Link detected: yes

[MayurPatel]

Run 'esxcfg-vswif -l' to list the vswif0 (service console) switch configuration details, it should display something like this:

Name Port Group IP Address Netmask Broadcast Enabled DHCP

vswif0 Service Console xx.xx.xx.xx 255.255.255.0 xx.xx.xx.xx true false

If it displays this information correctly then try pinging the gateway IP address that you have set to see if the Host has a path to your router.

[bggb29]

If you do not see a connection shwoing vswf or if ifconfig does not show a nic assigned to vswf try this

Esxcfg-vswif – Creates and updates service console network settings. This command is used if you cannot manage the ESX Server host through the VI Client because of network configuration issues

This is from Mike Lavericks manual at RTFM

© RTFM Education

Recreating your vswif0 Interface

Note:

• OK, suppose something horrible goes wrong and you loose your vswif0

interface – this is how you would recreate it...

1. Logon locally to the ESX host or use your ILO card (do you have

choice!)

2. Create a new switch

esxcfg-vswitch -a vSwitch0

3. Create a new portgroup

esxcfg-vswitch -p "Service Console" vSwitch0

4. Assign a NIC

esxcfg-vswitch –L vmnic0 vSwitch0

5. Assign a vswif interface and set its ip/sn:

esxcfg-vswif –a vswif0 -p "Service Console" i 192.168.2.102 –n

255.255.255.0

[Dadoo2]

Run 'esxcfg-vswif -l' to list the vswif0 (service

console) switch configuration details, it should

display something like this:

Name Port Group IP Address Netmask Broadcast Enabled DHCP

vswif0 Service Console 10.0.0.84 255.255.248.0 10.0.7.255 true false

f it displays this information correctly then try

pinging the gateway IP address that you have set to

see if the Host has a path to your router.

I can't ping \*anything* on the network. It's as if the Ethernet cable isn't connected. Yes, I checked for that. I even moved the cable around between different switches and different ports.

[Dadoo2]

If you do not see a connection shwoing vswf or if

ifconfig does not show a nic assigned to vswf try

this

I'm guessing that, since I got an error message from the "esxcfg-vswitch -a vSwitch0" command, that says "vSwitch0" already exists, these steps aren't going to help me. If it helps you any, here's the output from "esxcfg-vswitch -l":

Switch Name Num Ports Used Ports Configured Ports Uplinks

vSwitch0 32 3 32 vmnic0

Portgroup Name Internal ID VLAN ID Used Ports Uplinks

VM Network portgroup1 1 0 vmnic0

Service Console portgroup0 1 1 vmnic0

[MayurPatel]

Having you tried pinging the host (10.0.0.84) itself from the console, if you can ping the host itself then that will eliminate any issues with the network configuration of your service console NIC.

Then the problem lies on the network to which the host SC NIC is connected to.

And if you can't ping the host it self then you know there is a problem with the host service console network configuration.

[skippy33]

"esxcfg-nics -l" output:

Name PCI Driver Link Speed Duplex

Description

vmnic0 0b:00.00 tg3 Up 1000Mbps Full

BCM5751 GE

tool vmnic0" output:

Settings for vmnic0:

Supported ports: \[ MII ]

Supported link modes: 10baseT/Half 10baseT/Full

00baseT/Half 100baseT/Full

000baseT/Half 1000baseT/Full

Supports auto-negotiation: Yes

Advertised link modes: 10baseT/Half 10baseT/Full

00baseT/Half 100baseT/Full

000baseT/Half 1000baseT/Full

Advertised auto-negotiation: Yes

Speed: 1000Mb/s

Duplex: Full

Port: Twisted Pair

PHYAD: 1

Tranceiver: internal

Auto-negotiation: on

Supports Wake-on: g

Wake-on: d

Current message level: 0x000000ff (255)

Link detected: yes

The result of this command shows that you are connected on LAN, is there any VLAN in your compagny? It's perhaps the problem