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The-Kevster
Contributor
Contributor

SATA Support Clear as Mud!?

From the updated I/O sheet this is what's mentioned on supported SATA controllers....

Supported SAS/SATA Dual Controllers

ESX Server 3.5 supports selected SATA devices connected to dual SAS/SATA controllers. This support is limited to ESX Server 3.5. It is not included with ESX Server 3.0.x.

The supported dual SAS/SATA controllers are:

  • mptscsi_2xx (PCIE) ‐ LSI1078*

  • mptscsi_pcie ‐ LSI1068E (LSISAS3442E)*

  • mptscsi_pcix ‐ LSI1068 (SAS 5)*

  • aacraid_esx30 ‐ IBM serveraid 8k SAS controller*

  • cciss ‐ Smart Array P400/256 controller*

So what is the best PCIE card for me to put into my S5000PAL server that will use the above driver, if only someone could make a list :smileygrin:

Thanks,

Kev

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bards1888
Contributor
Contributor

Sounds like you might not be running 'esxcfg-pciid' ?

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jmbabcock007
Contributor
Contributor

I know I have run that utility before and that it runs as part of the script that fixes it inside ubuntu, but are you saying that it should be run as a service on startup or everytime before you reboot to keep your current configuration?

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rpartmann
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

Hi,

if you have "repaired" your ESX with a boot cd you have do do a

further step when you first start the ESX server afterwards.

This is why?

you are patching the initrd-image and then you can boot.

But when the ESX server shuttsdown/reboots it recreated a new initrd image.

-> change *.xml files and do a esxcfg-pciid

With the next reboot all changes tok place for an working startup.

reinhard.

ps: Award points if you find answers helpful. Thanks.
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rpartmann
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

Hi,

the parameter for esxcfg-pciid is invalid!

When you want to create the initrd file in a script you should use

"esxcfg-boot -r"

reinhard.

ps: Award points if you find answers helpful. Thanks.
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jmbabcock007
Contributor
Contributor

Hello, thanks for the response. Just so I am understanding you correctly, are you saying in your last post that all that needs to be done is modify the entry in your script so that each line as the -r added to it?

I am assuming this is the section of your script that I need to modify:

touch /mnt/eroot/etc/init.d/rp-esxcfg-pciid-boot

echo "#!/bin/bash" >> /mnt/eroot/etc/init.d/rp-esxcfg-pciid-boot
echo "esxcfg-pciid" >> /mnt/eroot/etc/init.d/rp-esxcfg-pciid-boot
echo "sleep 5" >> /mnt/eroot/etc/init.d/rp-esxcfg-pciid-boot
echo "rm /etc/rc3.d/S99rp-esxcfg-pciid-boot" >> /mnt/eroot/etc/init.d/rp-esxcfg-pciid-boot
chmod a+x /mnt/eroot/etc/init.d/rp-esxcfg-pciid-boot
cd /mnt/eroot/etc/rc3.d/
ln -s ../init.d/rp-esxcfg-pciid-boot S99rp-esxcfg-pciid-boot

thanks

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rpartmann
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

Hi,

i wrote a second mail,

sorry for the "-r" error on my side.

The snipplet below creates a script which is being started on startup.

reinhard.

>Hello, thanks for the response. Just so I am understanding you

>correctly, are you saying in your last post that all that needs to

>be done is modify the entry in your script so that each line as the

>-r added to it?

>

>I am assuming this is the section of your script that I need to modify:

>touch /mnt/eroot/etc/init.d/rp-esxcfg-pciid-boot

>

echo "#!/bin/bash" >> /mnt/eroot/etc/init.d/rp-esxcfg-pciid-boot
>echo "esxcfg-pciid" >> /mnt/eroot/etc/init.d/rp-esxcfg-pciid-boot
>echo "sleep 5" >> /mnt/eroot/etc/init.d/rp-esxcfg-pciid-boot
>echo "rm /etc/rc3.d/S99rp-esxcfg-pciid-boot" >>
>/mnt/eroot/etc/init.d/rp-esxcfg-pciid-boot
>chmod a+x /mnt/eroot/etc/init.d/rp-esxcfg-pciid-boot
>cd /mnt/eroot/etc/rc3.d/
>ln -s ../init.d/rp-esxcfg-pciid-boot
>S99rp-esxcfg-pciid-boot
>

thanks

ps: Award points if you find answers helpful. Thanks.
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DanielGould
Contributor
Contributor

I'm running an ML115 with the internal SATA drives, with the nvidia RAID enabled (2 x 500GB SATA drives in a RAID-1 setup) using ESXi 3.5 and it works fine. I had issues with ESX 3.5 and it didn't like it. So, use ESXi 3.5 if you can

Dan

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jmbabcock007
Contributor
Contributor

Ok, no problem. I will add the -r to everything and give it another try.

nice work on the script by the way, it definitely helps.......If it was not for the script, i would have been looking at buying something that would work with ESX out of the box.

tks

Jeremy

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excelsi
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Hi Reinhard,

now i have copied the vmfsqueuetool.log from my esx where you find the detailed failure message

at esx bootup.

Thanks in advance.

Michael

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excelsi
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

FYI....



<span style="font-weight: bold"> ESX/X.5 ate 2 </span>

|

EXTREMELY URGENT PROBLEM WITH ESX/ESXi 3.5 Update 2 – UPDATE


Dear VMware Customers,

Please

find the latest update about the product expiration issue. From this

point on, we’ll provide an update every two hours. Thanks.

Problem:

An

issue has been discovered by many VMware customers and partners with

ESX/ESXi 3.5 Update 2 where Virtual Machines fail to power on or

VMotion successfully. This problem began to occur on August 12, 2008

for customers that had upgraded to ESX 3.5 Update 2. The problem is

caused by a build timeout that was mistakenly left enabled for the

release build.

Affected Products:

  • VMware ESX 3.5 Update 2 & ESXi 3.5 Update 2

  • Reports of problems with ESX 3.5 U1 with the following 3.5 Update 2 patch applied.
    1. ESX350-200806201-UG

  • No other VMware products are affected.

What has been done?

  • Product
    and Web teams pulled the ESX 3.5 Update 2 bits from the download pages
    last night so no more customers will be able to download the broken
    build.

  • VMware Engineering teams have isolated the cause of the problem and are
    working around the clock to deliver updated builds and patches for
    impacted customers.

  • A Knowledgebase article has been published (http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1006716), but traffic to the knowledgebase is causing time outs. A new static page has been published at http://www.vmware.com/support/esx35u2_supportalert.html that customers and partners will be able to view.

  • The phone system has been updated to advise customers of the problem

  • Vmware partners have been notified of the issue.

Workarounds:

  1. Do not install ESX 3.5 U2 if it has been downloaded from VMware’s website or elsewhere prior to August 12, 2008.

  2. Set the host time to a date prior to August 12, 2008. This workaround
    has a number of very serious side affects that could impact product
    environments. Any Virtual Machines that sync time with the ESX host and
    serve time sensitive applications would be broken. These include, but
    are not limited to database servers, mail servers, & domain
    administration systems.

Next Steps:

VMware to notify customers who have downloaded this version and provide

an update every two hours.

Resolution:

VMware

Engineering has isolated the root cause and is working to produce an

express patch for impacted customers today. The target timeframe is

6pm, August 12, 2008 PST.

FAQ:

  1. What would this express patch do?

    More information will be provided in subsequent communication updates.

  2. Will VMware still reissue the upgrade media and patch bundles in the timeframe that has been communicated?

    Yes. We still plan to reissue upgrade media by 6pm, August 13 PST
    (instead of noon, August 13 PST) and all update patch bundles later in
    the week. We will provide an ETA for the update patch bundles
    subsequently. NOTE: the "patch bundles" referred to here are for the
    patches listed above under "Affected Products" and the other bundles
    released at GA. They are not the same as the express patch which is
    targeted for 6pm, August 12, 2008 PST as stated above.

  3. Why does VMware plan to reissue the upgrade media before the patch bundles? That is a wrong priority call!

    This is not a matter of priority. Since we can get done building and
    testing the upgrade media before the patch bundles, we want to make
    that available to customers first instead of reissuing all the binaries
    later in the week.

  4. Can VMware issue a patch that opens the licensing backdoor in the next hour as a critical measure?

    There is no licensing backdoor in our code.

  5. Does this issue affect VC 2.5 Update 2?

    No.

  6. What is VMware doing to make sure that the problem won’t happen again?

    We are making improvements on all fronts. The product team had
    endeavored to deliver a release with support customers deem important.
    But we fell short and we are deeply sorry about all the disruption and
    inconveniences we have caused. We have identified where the holes are
    and they will be addressed to restore customers’ confidence.

Never trust any update Smiley Wink

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jmbabcock007
Contributor
Contributor

This post is for rpartmann,

I tried to modify the script as you suggested but I must be doing something wrong as it did not work.

I changed all the entries to look like this:

touch /mnt/eroot/etc/init.d/rp-esxcfg-pciid-boot-r

echo "#!/bin/bash" &gt;&gt; /mnt/eroot/etc/init.d/rp-esxcfg-pciid-boot-r

echo "esxcfg-pciid" &gt;&gt; /mnt/eroot/etc/init.d/rp-esxcfg-pciid-boot-r

echo "sleep 5" &gt;&gt; /mnt/eroot/etc/init.d/rp-esxcfg-pciid-boot-r

echo "rm /etc/rc3.d/S99rp-esxcfg-pciid-boot-r" &gt;&gt; /mnt/eroot/etc/init.d/rp-esxcfg-pciid-boot-r

chmod a+x /mnt/eroot/etc/init.d/rp-esxcfg-pciid-boot-r

cd /mnt/eroot/etc/rc3.d/

ln -s ../init.d/rp-esxcfg-pciid-boot-r S99rp-esxcfg-pciid-boot-r

Have I done something incorrectly?

Thanks

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rpartmann
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

Hi,

the "-r" is a parameter for a command.

i thought incorrectly to an other command where "-r" is ok, but

esxcfg-pciid does not need any parameter.

what errors-messages exactly/how far - do you get?

bye,

reinhard

I tried to modify the script as you suggested but I must be doing

something wrong as it did not work.

>

I changed all the entries to look like this:

>

>touch /mnt/eroot/etc/init.d/rp-esxcfg-pciid-boot-r

>echo "#!/bin/bash" >> /mnt/eroot/etc/init.d/rp-esxcfg-pciid-boot-r

>echo "esxcfg-pciid" >> /mnt/eroot/etc/init.d/rp-esxcfg-pciid-boot-r

>echo "sleep 5" >> /mnt/eroot/etc/init.d/rp-esxcfg-pciid-boot-r

>echo "rm /etc/rc3.d/S99rp-esxcfg-pciid-boot-r" >>

>/mnt/eroot/etc/init.d/rp-esxcfg-pciid-boot-r

>chmod a+x /mnt/eroot/etc/init.d/rp-esxcfg-pciid-boot-r

>cd /mnt/eroot/etc/rc3.d/

>ln -s ../init.d/rp-esxcfg-pciid-boot-r S99rp-esxcfg-pciid-boot-r

>

>Have I done something incorrectly?

yes, sorry for that

ps: Award points if you find answers helpful. Thanks.
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jmbabcock007
Contributor
Contributor

No problem.

After I run the script to fix the initrd image and reboot, I am able to load vmware and configure it, etc. Then once I reboot, it is right back to the "cannot mount root" error and I am stuck at the sh prompt.

would it help if after I fix it and boot into console for the first time, if I ran the esxcfg-pciid once, would that fix it?

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rpartmann
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

Hi,

check the xml files after your first boot.

if the correct pci id`s of your SATAcontroller (lspci -vnn) are

within the correct file then run esxcfg-pciid

then it should boot always.

reinhard.

ps: Award points if you find answers helpful. Thanks.
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excelsi
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Hi Reinhard,

now I'm totally confused....:-(

I reinstall my ESX completely new with version 3.5 without any updates.

Then i tried to execute both gosata versions (0.61 and 0.62).

The effect was that both scripts fail although at least version 0.61 goes perfect some weeks before.

I attached what the console gived out.....very strange...so probably a failure on myside

BR

Michael

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jmbabcock007
Contributor
Contributor

Hello, rpartmann.

when you said in your last post to check the xml files, do you mean to check each and every xml file in the etc/vmware/pciid folder? I did run the lspci -vnn command, and a lot of stuff came back. I did record all the numbers, not sure which ones exactly I need but I am assuming it is the id number. I checked the sata_nv.xml file and the correct numbers were in there, I think. The main number I need I believe is 037f, which is always there no matter what after I run the script to fix the initrd image file. It is strange though why this does not work for me, according the the website that lists working whitebox systems with ESX, my mother board is on there "Asus M2N-Sli Deluxe" and all the guy said he had to do was edit the sata_nv.xml file and add the number 037f.

So, after checking the sata_nv.xml file I ran the esxcfg-pciid and rebooted, still the same problem "cannot mount root". So I ran the fix script again and I am now waiting to try the next idea..........

I should note that when I booted up after fixing it once again, I paid close attention to the boot up and I noticed that the command that runs from the fix script "rp-esxcfg-pciid-boot" fails. I am wondering if that is the problem??

If I try to run that from the command line after I am booted in, it says it is an invalid command and the only one that works is the esxcfg-pciid.......

Any more ideas, or what files I could look at to determine what the problem is?

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Alginon
Contributor
Contributor

Has anyone applied the new patches yet and if so were there any problems?

Regards

John

Please consider the environment, only print out this email if absolutely necessary.

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excelsi
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Hi John,

i have applied the new fixed Update2 patches on my ESX.

The only problem is that i cannot execute the gosata script to get working my nvidia mcp sata onboard controller.

But I have told this problem and the failure messages to Reinhard.

BR

Michael

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rpartmann
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

Hi,

sorry was busy and we had a public holiday.

1.) no console output.

2.) installed 3.5u2 in my ML115G1 (dont worry, onboard hdd will be

detected as hdaX)

3.) boot 3 option -> Serviceconsole only

4.) cd /etc/vmware/pciid

5.) vi sata_nv.xml

changed the last entry from 037e to 037f (this might be a different value

depends on your system..

use lspci and lspci

-vnn, to resolve)

Message:

ps: Award points if you find answers helpful. Thanks.
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blackforce
Contributor
Contributor

Have you tried running vms on it? I managed to get update 2 working on mine but had issues with the host crashing once vms running on it. Would be interested to know if u have vms working on it with a load.

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