Mounting root failed after install / upgrade to ESX Server build 64607

[alex_sw]

Hello!

I got "Mounting root failed" error after fresh install of ESX Server 3.5 build 64607 and after upgrade from ESX Server 3.0.2 build 52542 to ESX Server 3.5 build 64607. I got Intel RAID Controller SRCU41L, which in fact is LSI MegaRAID SCSI 320-1, supported by ESX Server. It works perfect with ESX server 3.0.2 build 52542.

1. lspci -v

01:0a.0 RAID bus controller: LSI Logic / Symbios Logic LSI Logic MegaRAID (rev 01)

Subsystem: Intel Corporation: Unknown device 0520

Flags: bus master, 66Mhz, slow devsel, latency 64, IRQ 20

Memory at fc8f0000 (32-bit, prefetchable)

Expansion ROM at feb90000

Capabilities: Power Management version 2

1. lspci -vn

01:0a.0 Class 0104: 1000:1960 (rev 01)

Subsystem: 8086:0520

Flags: bus master, 66Mhz, slow devsel, latency 64, IRQ 20

Memory at fc8f0000 (32-bit, prefetchable)

Expansion ROM at feb90000

Capabilities: Power Management version 2

Can someone help, please?

[petedr]

I didn't have this issue myself but I have seen a couple of board threads where people had similar issues that you could check out.

http://communities.vmware.com/thread/118733

http://communities.vmware.com/message/833574

[azn2kew]

In some cases when you install ESX 3.5 on a system with a SATA controller, the install will complete but will fail to boot with the error "mounting root failed". The problem is that ESX does not recognize the specific SATA but you may be able to edit the PCI id database files to get ESX to load a driver that is compatible with the SATA controller that you are using. You are not able to add Linux drivers to an ESX system, but ESX does install a number of drivers for SATA controllers including models from Intel, nVidia and Promise Technology.

Reinhard Partmann posted a method on this VMware forum thread using a boot CD to edit the PCI id files. The below method uses the service console of the ESX install. The below example was done on a system with a ECS GEFORCE6100SM-M2 /AMD Sempron 3000+ which uses the NVIDIA Geforce6100 chipset for storage.

1) Setup a single SATA with no RAID.

2) Installed an Intel Pro/1000 NIC (the onboard is not supported)

3) Installed ESX

4) On the first reboot, I selected the Service Console only (troubleshooting mode) boot option.

5) Let the host boot up and logged in.

6) Edited the file /etc/vmware/pciid/sata_nv.xml - changed the last entry to use a device ID of 03f6 (and I updated the device name to MCP61 SATA Controller). I was able to determine the device ID by running lspci and looking for the device ID of an unknown IDE / SATA controller.

7) After saving the file, I ran esxcfg-pciid

😎 Rebooted and the controller came up fine.

I did have to re-format the default vmfs partition with vmkfstools -C vmfs vmhba32:0:0:x, as the VI client did not see any free space on the drive. In hindsight I would not create a VMFS partition during the install next time I do this.

If you found this information useful, please consider awarding points for "Correct" or "Helpful". Thanks!!!

Regards,

Stefan Nguyen

iGeek Systems LLC.

VMware, Citrix, Microsoft Consultant

[Dave_Mishchenko]

You may also want to look at this patch - http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1003448.

[alex_sw]

I saw this discussion. My RAID is not SATA and there is entry with my device ID (1960) in megaraid2.xml. I don't think it will help.

2 All: Unfortunally, this is production server, so I'll try during scheduled downtime.

[alex_sw]

No luck. Patches and editing megaraid2.xml and simple.map did not help.

[ssmichel]

I ve been installed VMware ESX 3.5 update 2 on a server with:

Intel Motherboard model: P5000SL with 02 Quadcore Xeon @ 2,3Ghb + Adaptec SCSI (No Raid mounted) model 29230A and 05 disks SCSi model Seagate 300Gb.

After installed the ESX by CD (i´ve installed in another server and the media seems OK), i got this message in the 1st boot:

Mounting root failed. Dropping into basic maintenance shell.

To collect logs for VMware, connect a USB storage device and

run 'bin/vm-support '.

Machine will be rebooted when you exit from this shell.

I dont use RAID and no SATA ...

Thanks for help.