ESX3 Scripted Installation stops at partitioning

[murtuk]

i create a kicktstart-file with the webinterface of the ESX, store it on floppy, boot the HP DL380 G4 from installation-cd and start the installation with : "esx ks=floppy method=cdrom"

but soon the installation stops with the following message :

"The following errors occurred with your partitioning:

Please specify a mount point for this partition"

and on console 3 there is the following message :

*anaconda floppy device fd0

*Running kickstart %pre script(s)

*All kickstart %pre script(s) have been run

*hard drives = 5

*moving (1) to step networkdevicecheck

*moving (1) to step partitionobjinit

*moving (1) to step autopartitionexecute

*skipping drive

*skipping drive

*skipping drive

*skipping drive

in my system there are 4 SAN-LUNs (sda-sdd) and a HP raid drive (cciss/c0d0) and the ESX should be installed on the lokal drive.

i tried different kickstart-files and different notations in the kickstart-file but its always the same.

what is the problem ?

[GavinJ]

Could you post your kickstart file.

Cheers

Gavin

[Banshee]

Murtuk,

Maybe you can take a look at this kickstart and edit it to your specification.

http://www.rtfm-ed.co.uk/downloads/hp.cfg

greetz,

Albert

[murtuk]

this is my kickstart-file :

\----

---

\# Auto-Generated Scripted Install Configuration file.

\# This file is used for VMware ESX Server Scripted Install Deployment

\# Installation Method

cdrom

\# root Password

rootpw --iscrypted $1$jJ1DUBNq$Er6yC8RVyle/VoFCikoKM.

\# Authconfig

auth --enableshadow --enablemd5

\# BootLoader ( The user has to use grub by default )

bootloader --driveorder=cciss/c0d0 --location=mbr

\# Timezone

timezone --utc Europe/Vienna

\# X windowing System

skipx

\# Install or Upgrade

install

\# Text Mode

text

\# Network install type

network --bootproto static --ip 131.130.229.3 --netmask 255.255.255.192 --gateway 131.130.229.1 --nameserver 131.130.1.11 --hostname vmware01.cc.univie.ac.at --addvmportgroup=0 --vlanid=309

\# Language

lang en_US

\# Langauge Support

langsupport --default en_US

\# Keyboard

keyboard de-latin1-nodeadkeys

\# Mouse

mouse generic3ps/2 --device psaux

\# Reboot after install ?

reboot

\# Firewall settings

#firewall --disabled

\# Clear Partitions

clearpart --all --initlabel --drives=cciss/c0d0

\# Partitioning

part /boot --fstype ext3 --size 100 --ondisk=cciss/c0d0 --asprimary

part / --fstype ext3 --size 3000 --ondisk=cciss/c0d0 --asprimary

part swap --size 1600 --ondisk=cciss/c0d0 --asprimary

part None --size 100 --fstype vmkcore --ondisk=cciss/c0d0

part /var --fstype ext3 --size 2000 --ondisk=cciss/c0d0

part /tmp --fstype ext3 --size 1000 --ondisk=cciss/c0d0

part /home --fstype ext3 --size 10000 --ondisk=cciss/c0d0

\# VMware Specific Commands

vmaccepteula

vmlicense --mode=server --server=27000@vcserv01.univie.ac.at --edition=esxFull

%packages

@base

%post

%vmlicense_text

\----

---

but i also tried different dictions, for example :

"ondrive" instead of "ondisk", with or without "="

or

"part vmkcore --size 100 --fstype vmkcore --ondisk cciss/c0d0" instead of

"part None --size 100 --fstype vmkcore --ondisk cciss/c0d0"

Thanks,

murtuk

[gogogo5 · Accepted solution]

Have you tried disconnecting your SAN LUNs and start the installation again. Once ESX is running, attach your SAN and carry on from there.

[GavinJ]

Yes, sounds like your SAN LUN's are being presented ahead of your local disk - check your bios boot order and make sure the hba is set after the local disk/raid card. If all else fails mask the LUN's off from the server - I try not to present any SAN disks to ESX servers being built as a rule.

[murtuk]

wow...it works !!

i have disconnected the SAN and it works.

but why i have to disconnect the SAN ? when i install manually i don't have to do this.

thanks !

murtuk

[virtech]

If you dont dissconnect your SAN luns then you can format them during the scripted install.

[GavinJ]

When running the install manually you have the option to select from the disks presented which ones you want to partition.

When running an automated build, if the disk presentation order has the SAN LUN's higher up the order than local disk then the ks.cfg will just try to partition that - but as the controller would be presented as SDA instead of CCISS the install falls over. I'm guessing this is what is happening in your environment.