Problem with update from esx 3.0.2 to 3.5

[nicola_mauro]

Hello, i have upgrade my esx server 3.0.2 to esx 3.5 after upgrade when the system start up i receive this error "Kernel Panic: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on 00:00" can you help me?

Thanks

[azn2kew]

I believe you might have a bad disks which can be fix by running the commands specified here.

http://communities.vmware.com/thread/93910

Hope that helps!

Azn2kew

[WillFulmer]

What model server are you using?

HP BL460c here and same issues upgrading 3.0.2 -> 3.5. Same panic issue: Kernel Panic: VFS: Unable to mount root fs

[rixu]

I upgraded my test ESX Server running on bl460c (using local SAS drives), worked just fine. So the machine is not the reason. Unless the problem is with old firmwares or something like that, I ran the latest HP firmware update CD (7.91 I think) to update the latest firmware on the blade before the upgrade.

[WillFulmer]

Can you tell me your partition sizes as well as BIOS level and any other relevant firmware levels?

Thanks

-Will

[WillFulmer]

I did come across a similar issue on another post. If your upgrade from 3.0.2 to 3.5 failed with a Kernel Panic......had you applied all of the 3.0.2 patches released on 1/2/2008? This could be a common factor.

[andres_bohren]

I have the same prolem. I have a HP DL385 Server and tried to update from ESX 3.0.2 to 3.5. The Upgrade went fine until reboot. There i had the error. Unable to mount root FS. I tried to change the Kernel start parameters to root=/dev/cciss/c1d0p1 to c1d0p3 - no luck :o(

I had applied the Jan Patches for ESX 3.0.2 - do you think this is the Problem?

What do you recommend to do?

Thank's

Andres Bohren

[WillFulmer]

Seems to be the common factor of everyone upgrading from 3.0.2 to 3.5 and the kernel panics.

[atc]

I have the HP DL385 in my production ESX 3.0.2 hosts too. I know that 3.5 requires HP mgmt v7.9.1 and it also mention uninstalling the previous version of HP mgmt prior to installing v7.9.1. Did you do both of these?

Any luck?

[andres_bohren]

I did't know that ESX 3.5 need the HP Agents 7.91. But in the Upgrade from 3.0.1 to 3.0.2 i could update the HP Agents after the update.

And i would say an error on booting the Kernel (not finding the root FS) and a incompatible Service are really two diffrent things.

Regards

Andres Bohren

[lamw]

I don't believe the HP Agents are the cause of the issue, I know we've had an instance running and old HP Agent on ESX 3.x that caused the ESX Server to reboot unexpectly but not with the kernel panic issue that you're talking about.

You can refer to this thread for a solution that I've found that may work for you:

http://communities.vmware.com/message/854867#854867

[atc]

Yeah, in this case it's not related. But usually I would not upgrade unless it's supported.

[andres_bohren]

Thanks for the Link. Seems to be the JAN Patches...

Did someone try to uninstall the JAN Patches and then upgrade?

Regards

Andres Bohren

[WillFulmer]

Upgrade here was attempted without any HP Agents installed. We did not try to first uninstall the Jan patches, it only took a few more mins per server to do a clean install vs. upgrade, plus it gave piece of mind for a cleanly installed 3.5 server.

[andres_bohren]

VMware Updated the Knowledge Base with the following Article:

I have updatet my two HP DL385 Servers now in the console and after that the additional Commands like the KB suggest. After that reboot - we are now running ESX 3.5 ;o)

Regards

Andres Bohren