Windows machines wont boot with 2 different Virtual Disks on 2 different

[aaronaaron]

Hello,

Using esx.3.5.0 update 3

I have a problem where if i have a brand new VM of Win 7 or Win 2008 r2 with or without vmtools.

if i reboot it upto 10 times without installing anything, it will get to the black windows loading screen and then reboot and then reboot and try to boot to safe mode, it still wont boot. rendering the machine useless.

The only unique item on these vms is the following.

Windows machines have 2 different Virtual Disks 1 on a VMFS lun (c: vmfs version 3.21), and a RDM VMFS (d:)

3 questions

Is it a problem to have 2 different disks with 2 different file store types?

Would this be causing the issues that we are seeing above?

Also i thought you could not ?vmotion/clone? a VM if it has disks in 2 different locations?

I tested and i can vmotion a live VM with disks stored on 2 different luns.

[aaronaaron]

also would it be a problem if 1 store was running vmfs 3.2.1 and the other store is running 3.31 and a v disk on each is used for the 1 VM?

[vmroyale · Accepted solution]

Hello.

Using esx.3.5.0 update 3

I have a problem where if i have a brand new VM of Win 7 or Win 2008 r2 with or without vmtools.

if i reboot it upto 10 times without installing anything, it will get to the black windows loading screen and then reboot and then reboot and try to boot to > safe mode, it still wont boot. rendering the machine useless.

Windows 7 and 2008 R2 are not supported in this release. Update 5 brings support for these two operating systems. Getting to U5 is possibly the solution.

3 questions

Is it a problem to have 2 different disks with 2 different file store types?

No.

Would this be causing the issues that we are seeing above?

It is unlikely.

Also i thought you could not ?vmotion/clone? a VM if it has disks in 2 different locations?

I tested and i can vmotion a live VM with disks stored on 2 different luns.

VMotion requires shared storage. Local storage would create a problem, if you tried to change hosts.

also would it be a problem if 1 store was running vmfs 3.2.1 and the other store is running 3.31 and a v disk on each is used for the 1 VM?

No. This is explained in kb 1005325.

Good Luck!

[ablej]

We had this same issue and only option was to go to Update 5.

David Strebel

www.holy-vm.com

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