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JamieStarr
Contributor
Contributor

ESX Install Issue with HP Proliant ML110 G5 Server

Hello everyone....

I just purchased a HP ML110 with 8GB of memory and I am trying to install ESX server 3. When the server boots into the installation and gets to the "Installation Method" I of course choose "Local CD-ROM" but when I do I get "No Driver Found"

"Unable to find any devices of the type needed for this installation."

Someone please help!!!

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14 Replies
Dave_Mishchenko
Immortal
Immortal

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JamieStarr
Contributor
Contributor

Dave

Thanks for replying. So another question for you and everyone else, I am new to Vmware and this is a personal test system to setup my own ESX server. I saw that one

guy use ftp to install ESX. If I did that and once the installation is complete will ESX then recognize the cd-rom?

Thanks again!!!

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Dave_Mishchenko
Immortal
Immortal

I would think you'll be OK. Once ESX is booting it will be vmkernel that deals with hardware and that's not the same code that is running the install. On my systems where I've had this problem it hasn't been a concern at all if the CD works after the install as I use ISO images for VM installs and don't bother with CDs for the most part.

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JamieStarr
Contributor
Contributor

Ok...I just tried the option to install via FTP and HTTP. I am still getting the "No Driver Found" Now I am really stumped...Help!!!

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Dave_Mishchenko
Immortal
Immortal

How far do you get with the HTTP / FTP install (option to set IP address)? What sort of NIC and disk controller does the system have.

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JamieStarr
Contributor
Contributor

The server has the following:

On board SATA raid - Storage Controller - Serial ATA ( Serial ATA-150 ) PN 447430-001

SATA DVD Rom Drive

Network adapter - PCI Express - Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet

Once the install gets to the point where you choose whether to install from a CD-ROM, FTP or HTTP. No matter what I choose it comes back with "No Driver Found"

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Dave_Mishchenko
Immortal
Immortal

Are you able to get anything more specifc (e.g. LSI 1068 / Intel Pro / etc). ESX is supported (and recognizes) a limited hardware set. It may be that the install doesn't recognize the NIC or disk controller. Looking at the quickspecs here - http://h18000.www1.hp.com/products/quickspecs/12867_na/12867_na.HTML do you have the SATA controller or SAS controller? Likewise I'm not sure you'll have luck with the NC105i NIC. Ideally you would want an Intel or Broadcom NIC. Take a look at the list here - http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vi35_io_guide.pdf. I use an Intel Pro 1000 GT in my whiteboxes which can be bought fairly cheaply. Or you might have a spare NIC around.

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JamieStarr
Contributor
Contributor

It appears the SATA Modes: Integrated 6 ports SATA controller with embedded RAID is integrated in this server

It also appears the server has the Embedded NC105i PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Server Adapter.

Tomorrow I will go buy a compatible nic and try the ftp install

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Dave_Mishchenko
Immortal
Immortal

You might want to try installing Windows / Linux to find out the specific the specific PCI id for the SATA controller. If you can get that, we can check the PCI id files to see if it will be recognized at all. I've seen at least one thread regarding ESX 3.5 running on a ML110 but it may have been that the server had the SAS controller.

Also with SATA controllers it seems ESX won't work with them if RAID is enabled and the driver for the SATA controller usually requires a software component to make RAID work. If you have RAID setup, you might want to try it as JBOD. Also, you may have a BIOS option to disable RAID on the SATA controller and then run it as a regular SATA controller.

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JamieStarr
Contributor
Contributor

Ok

I will install windows and get that PCI information about that contoller also I will purchase a Intel NIC

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KiwiSi
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Hi all,

I'm looking at compiling details on the compatibility and, where necessary, work-arounds for installing ESX on the HP Proliant ML110 and ML115 range of servers. These low cost servers make for a great test ESX lab.

I have put together an article of my experiences building an ESX v3.5 test lab on an ML110 G4 which has proven to be quite popular. This can be found here.

I have received a number of queries off the back of this article on whether the ML110 G5 and ML115 series of servers are also compatible? This has prompted me to gather as much user experiences with installing ESX on these different generations and models of Ml110/115 servers so as to assist the ESX community then once I have enough details present it via a new informative article.

Click here for more details.

Thanks,

Simon

http://www.techhead.co.uk

Simon Seagrave TechHead VMware vExpert 2009,2010,2011,2012 http://techhead.co http://twitter.com/kiwi_si
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oshener
Contributor
Contributor

I have just received my HP Proliant ML 110 G5 (Part #: 455948-035), and just changed Serial ATA mode to "Serial ATA" and enabled Intel Virtualization Tech in BIOS.

Then downloaded free ESXi (VMware-VMvisor-InstallerCD-3.5.0_Update_2-103909.i386.iso) from VMWare , installation took just 9 minutes, and ESX is working nice.

No storage controller no NIC problems , NC 105i is Broadcom 5722 chipset and it is listed in I/O Compatibility Guide For ESX Server 3.5 and ESX Server 3i (Last Updated: July 30, 2008)

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paul_harris
Contributor
Contributor

I followed this install, SATA to sata, enabled VT, installed and now when I reboot my ML110 G5, I get "operating system not found". Updated the rompaq to the most recent july08 version, blew away the EFI system on the disk, reinstalled again without any problem and it just wont boot more than twice.

The install goes ok, reboots after the install into the config section where ponit a browser at it, go to download the viclient (which the link doesnt work for)... change the IP details and reboot again, nothing.. second reboot after the install just wont happen.

Any ideas?

EDIT : I just tried to Killdisk the disk again and got a disk not ready error in a s.m.a.r.t util. Pulling the power cable and restarting the system boots into vmware again. Its almost as if esxi3.5u2 is killing the controller while shutting down/rebooting the server.

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paul_harris
Contributor
Contributor

Hmmm, follow up here. Rebootign esxi the first time after install shows me the MBR at LBA0 and EFI at LBA1 (as it should be).

Boot into ESXi and configure it, reboot it, I now find the MBR gone and the EFI PART at LBA0.... this isnt good as now the drive is unbootable...

Is been some time since I last saw something like this, a faulty ide channel blew away the first 16 bytes of a drive before but never a complete sector moving back like this.

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