ESX Boot Error - Cannot open root device "UUID=e18f03fb-275a-43e4-a0b2-6d5b5ea31201" or 00:00

[FJ-Dean]

I am getting this error on boot.

Cannot open root device "UUID=e18f03fb-275a-43e4-a0b2-6d5b5ea31201" or 00:00

Please append a correct "root=" boot option

Kernel panic : VFS : Unable to mount root fs on 0:0

kernel 0xc0100000 -s .data 0xc038d000 -s .bss )xc0443380

I reset the system and choose "VMware ESX Server (debug mode)" from the boot menu and the system asked me if I wanted to file check the partions. I did and rebooted using the default "VMware ESX Server" boot option getting the same error.

So if I am going to edit the "root=" optionas suggested above, where do I get the correct information?

Thanks,

Dean

[RParker · Accepted solution]

Is this ESX 3.5 (console version).. If it is, just reinstall as a NEW install, and preserve existing VMFS datastore.

You can be up and running in 10 minutes, tops.

[Texiwill]

Hello,

Boot back into Debug Mode then once you have a prompt login as root and run 'esxcfg-boot -rg' to rebuild the initrd and grub. It sounds like your MBR is corrupt for some reason, that grub is having issues, or the initrd was incorrect. If you run 'esxcfg-boot -h' you will see a list of things you can use to repair this. You may want to try the '-b' option as well.

Best regards,

Edward L. Haletky

VMware Communities User Moderator

====

Author of the book 'VMWare ESX Server in the Enterprise: Planning and Securing Virtualization Servers', Copyright 2008 Pearson Education.

SearchVMware Blog: http://itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com/virtualization-pro/

Blue Gears Blogs - http://www.itworld.com/ and http://www.networkworld.com/community/haletky

As well as the Virtualization Wiki at http://www.astroarch.com/wiki/index.php/Virtualization

[FJ-Dean]

Thanks for your responces.

I played around with the 'esxcfg-boot commands long enough to totally screw up the disk, I could no longer boot into debug mode.

I ended up reloading as suggested by RParker.

Thanks Again,

Dean