Can not get connectivity to ESX 3 server after instillation

[George_B]

I have been trying to install and configure ESX 3.0 standard on an HP DL380 but I am having continuing problems getting connectivity to it. I have tried re-installing it a couple of times now and it is just not giving me any useful pointers as to why it is not working.

Originally I had configured it with a static IP address but I could not get access to it. I went into the CLI and used esxcfg-vswitch to make sure that I was using live network connections to the console connected virtual switch but that was all ok.

I checked the interface settings using esxcfg-vswif but they where all correct. I then changed it to DHCP and it would fail to get an IP address even though other devices can pick one up fine.

I have noticed that I get this error on boot up. It says FAILED instead of OK.

'VMkernel gateway ERROR: Unable to get COS default route'

If I enable DHCP it also waits for a while before failing. Once the server is booted to the main console screen it gives two warnings in red:

Cpu6:1038)Init: 1586: Invalid vmkernel id: 0. Distributed vmfs checking may not work.

Cpu7:1037)Mod:490: Initialization for vmfs2 failed with -1

Any pointers as to why i can not get it to work on the network even with a completely vanilla 'Next,Next'Next' install would be much appreciated.

[George_B]

Well having moved the server to a new switch I have connectivity and I have fully patched the server to deal with this error:

Cpu6:1038)Init: 1586: Invalid vmkernel id: 0. Distributed vmfs checking may not work.

It is now giving the correct error relating to the network :

Init: 1586: Invalid vmkernel id:0. Error in network configuration. VMFS-2 distributed locking may not work.

along with :

Mod: 490: Initialization for vmfs2 failed with -1

Now I know the first one is caused by some network problems but is the second related to the first? Also now I actually have connectivity I do not know why it is giving me these network errors any ideas?

[TiBoReR]

Yes, look at your ESX hostname and domain name. Check the DNS server address too.

[George_B]

I did not bother configuring the domain as I am installing a new AD server and domain onto the box. Thanks for the advice I will check it out with the domain we have at the moment.