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J-H
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Creation of vmfs3 file system failed on Intel S5000PSLROMB based system

Hello

I would appreciate if somebody could help me to solve the issue creating a vmfs3 file system on my new ESX test system.

I have created a white box system using the S5000PSLROMB motherboard, which is on the HCL.

The motherboard has the latest BIOS. I have 4 disks connected to the ROMB disk controller. The controller is based on the LSI1068 chip. I haven’t setup a RAID set, because I only have the ROMB card and I haven’t purchased the RAID activation key for the ROMB card.

According to my understanding of the HCL this is not necessary. There is a note in the HCL for systems marked with “1” – ‘Only the LSI hardware RAID configuration is supported’. But none of the S5000PSLROMB based systems have the mark “1”.

Installing ESX 3.0.1 was successful without an error message. When I logged on to the system after the first reboot I recognized that the vmfs3 file system was not mounted. I had created a partition on the first local disk and specified it should format it as vmfs3.

I tried to create a new vmfs3 on another disk connected to the ROMB card using the VI client. This was not successful and the error message is: “Error during the configuration of the host: Unable to find file system for partition vmhba0:8:0:1”

On the service console I verified with vmkload_mod –l that the vmfs3 module is loaded.

I used fdisk to verify that a partition for the vmfs3 has been created on the first local disk during the ESX installation and on the other disk I selected using the VI client. The partition type is also correctly set to “fb”.

I tried to create the vmfs3 from the command line, but this was also not successful:

vmkfstools -C vmfs3 -S disk4 /vmfs/devices/disks/vmhba0\:8\:0\:0

Creating file system on "vmhba0:8:0:0" with blockSize 1048576 and volume label "disk4".

Usage: vmkfstools -C vmfs3 /vmfs/devices/disks/vmhbaW:X:Y:Z

Error: Operation not permitted

The vmkernel log file contains the following information:

Jan 18 08:51:03 pc3 vmkernel: 0:00:39:00.955 cpu5:1038)FS3: 130:

Jan 18 08:51:03 pc3 vmkernel: 0:00:39:01.003 cpu5:1038)SCSI: 8021: vmhba0:8:0:1 status = 2/0 0x5 0x20 0x0

Jan 18 08:51:03 pc3 vmkernel: 0:00:39:01.003 cpu5:1038)WARNING: SCSI: 7916: status Not supported, rstatus #c0de00 for vmhba0:8:0. residual R 999, CR 80, ER 3

Jan 18 08:51:03 pc3 vmkernel: 0:00:39:01.003 cpu5:1038)WARNING: FS3: 2484: reservation error: Not supported

Jan 18 08:51:03 pc3 vmkernel: 0:00:39:01.003 cpu5:1038)WARNING: FS3: 2919: Failed with bad001f

Thanks for your help

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nzsteve
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"What do you mean with ?

“You could try creating a RAID1 set using the ROMBs hostraid, you might have more luck that way.”

Do you refer to the SATA/SAS ports on the motherboard? "[/i]

Sorry, my mistake, looks ROMB sku doesnt come with the integrated SAS hostRAID that the PSLSAS sku does (ftp://download.intel.com/support/motherboards/server/sb/raidsupportmatrix_v10.pdf). I thought it did.

I agree that it looks like the 1064 controller should work, but if it isnt I guess it isnt. Ive not tried it before to know for sure if it should or not, but your FW is up to date. Even if it did work its just presenting a single disk, which probably isnt the best place to be storing virtual machines.

Looks like your best bet is going to be to add either the activation key, or a SAS RAID controller to the system.

Sorry I couldnt be more help,

Steve

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J-H
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Hello

There are several servers that are using the S5000PSLROMB motherboard on the HCL. Is somebody using one of them, and can confirm that the server using the SROMBSAS18E card without the RAID activation option can create a VMFS file system?

Thanks

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nzsteve
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Hi,

As far as I know you DO need the activation key to be supported (but note I havent tried on a system that doesnt have it installed), so its looks like the HCL could be missing the '1' from these systems. You could try creating a RAID1 set using the ROMBs hostraid, you might have more luck that way.

Even if you could get it to work without the activation key + cache your performance is going to be terrible. The ROMB card is just a plain SAS controller with basic hostraid. You really need the key. cache and a BBU to get the performance youd need to run VMs off. (part numbers here ftp://download.intel.com/support/motherboards/server/sb/sl_config_guide_1_30.pdf)

If you can't get the right parts remove the ROMB and add any card from the IO hcl to the system. Should work without probs (The SRCSAS18E definatly works).

Hope that helps,

Steve

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nzsteve

J-H
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Thanks for this helpful, but disappointing news.

I have opened a support request and let’s see what I get as an answer.

What do you mean with ?

“You could try creating a RAID1 set using the ROMBs hostraid, you might have more luck that way.”

Do you refer to the SATA/SAS ports on the motherboard?

I tried that, but ESX even did not see my disks. I think this is the Intel 6321ESB chip, and it looks like the device has no drivers included in ESX.

If I need the RAID key or have to use another controller, then it would have been better if I bought the S5000PSLSATA motherboard. The saved 200 Euro would have been better spent on controller!

I already used all 4 internal disk ports of the SRCSAS18E. This will be a difficult decision after I already had some hassle to get a S5000PSLROMB board with a material master number 886037 to have official Quad Core support from Intel.

Okay, maybe I buy a HP Smart Array P400 or P600 with BBWC. But I’m not sure about using them in non HP servers.

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J-H
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Hi

I have an additional question. What cards do the LSI1068 and LSI1068E entry in the IO HCL refer to?

The SROMBSAS18E of the S5000PSLROMB is a LSI 1068 based card.

These are the details of the one shipped with my motherboard:

LSI Logic MPT SAS BIOS 6.10.00.00 (2006.09.07)

FW 1.16.00.00-IT

Thanks

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nzsteve
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"What do you mean with ?

“You could try creating a RAID1 set using the ROMBs hostraid, you might have more luck that way.”

Do you refer to the SATA/SAS ports on the motherboard? "[/i]

Sorry, my mistake, looks ROMB sku doesnt come with the integrated SAS hostRAID that the PSLSAS sku does (ftp://download.intel.com/support/motherboards/server/sb/raidsupportmatrix_v10.pdf). I thought it did.

I agree that it looks like the 1064 controller should work, but if it isnt I guess it isnt. Ive not tried it before to know for sure if it should or not, but your FW is up to date. Even if it did work its just presenting a single disk, which probably isnt the best place to be storing virtual machines.

Looks like your best bet is going to be to add either the activation key, or a SAS RAID controller to the system.

Sorry I couldnt be more help,

Steve

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J-H
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The RAID activation key AXXRAK18E and 512 MB RAM (KVR400D2S8R3/512I) arrived.

After setting up my disks as RAID LUNs ESX is happy and creating VMFS was successful.

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abrajuka
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J-H,

I've been looking for a S5000PSLROMB 886037 for several weeks, but I can find only older revisions. Could you please tell me where it has been possible for you to order your motherboard ?

Thanks,

Andrea

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J-H
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It also spent months until I got the right one and received the money back for the incorrect ones.

Finally I found this company

EDV-Service Stefan Pfefferkorn

http://www.edv-pfefferkorn.com/

and ask them to buy it there

http://www.microtronica.de/web_ctrl?show_part=0&search_token=s5000pslromb&partDescription=&SupplierN...

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abrajuka
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Thanks !

The first site has nothing on it, but the second is quite interesting, and I've just sent a request for info about costs and delivery times.

Why haven't you ordered straight from the second ? Do they sell to end-users ?

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