ESX 3.5U4 won't mount root on HP DL380 G6

[tjacquart]

Hello,

I have a problem installing ESX 3.5U4 on a HP DL380 G6 server.

When i try to start in normal or debug mode, the root filesystem won't mount and i am stuck in a busybox. But i encounter no such issue in troubleshooting mode.

Can someone with a similar setup help me on this ? It's really problematic as this platform delivery is critical.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Best regards.

Thomas JACQUART.

[VMvareUpgrade]

Hey Guy,

Please can you be more explicite on what you try to do?

Do you try to upgrade ESX 3.5U4 from a previous version to a new version?

Do you try to Migrate with a clean installation?

Which kind of installation do you try to do?:Installing with a CD? Installing with a ZIp file?

Why do you need to install by a debug mode and why do you call normal mode?

|The Best Guy

|MSc in IT, University of Evry

|MCSE(Microsoft), CCA(Citrix)

|Paris-France

[tjacquart]

Hi,

I am trying to install 3.5U4 full iso (not the patch) from scratch on a new hp DL380G6 server.

I use a usb cdrom as the installation media.

Everything goes fine until the installation complete and the server boot for the first time

Once in grub i have 3 choises

1. boot esx

2. boot in debug mode

3. boot in troubleshouting mode

The first two will not mount root correctly "mounting root failed", like if the raid controller wasn t properlly reconized.

In troubleshouting mode the filesystems are correctly mounted and the module magaraid-sas seems to be loaded.

Maybe an incorrect pci id for raid controller ?

Thanks.

Best regards

Thomas.

[jabeltor]

Hi,

we have same problem with the p410i controller. We have tried to install both ESXi 3.5 U3 and ESX 3.5 U4 server but the problem persists. Apparently there is no compatibility problem but installation is not possible.

As a last test we have installed ESXi 4 and it works fine.

Does anybody know wich steps to follow to solve the problem?

Thanks,

Regards

[tjacquart]

Hello,

I ve found the problem.

Not well documented indeed ...

The raid group where ESX system will be installed must be less than 2TB in size.

So it s recommended to create a smaller mirror or raid 5 for the system and larger one for datastores.

Best regards

Thomas.