ESXi4U1 doesn't install on HP z800 with SAS disks

[morisgi]

Hello,

Does anyone has a hint to install ESXi4 Update 1 on an HP z800 with SAS disk ?

The MB has an integrated SAS LSI1068E controller, which seems to be supported (PCIID 1000:0058). The installer starts OK up to the yellow screen when it loads the mptsas.o driver where it hangs for 5 min (see log below), then continue but without discovering HDDs. I have 2 SAS disks (73GB and 146 GB), and no SATA to fallback. I have

updated to the latest z800 1.18 BIOS. The MPT BIOS is 6.22.00.00, FW

is 1.25.03.00-IR. I don't know how to update those anyway, and probably should not.

I tried to add the install oem.tgz on a USB key with the subvendors PCI ids in simple.map and pci.ids files but it still hangs.

Here is exerpt from the /var/log/messages (more logs attached):

Feb 10 08:27:41 vmkernel: 0:00:00:18.222 cpu9:4596)Loading module mptsas ...

Feb 10 08:27:41 vmkernel: 0:00:00:18.222 cpu9:4596)Elf: 2320: <mptsas> symbols tagged as <GPL>

Feb 10 08:27:41 vmkernel: 0:00:00:18.238 cpu9:4596)module heap : Initial heap size : 1048576, max heap size: 20971520

Feb 10 08:27:41 vmkernel: 0:00:00:18.238 cpu9:4596)module heap mptsas: creation succeeded. id = 0x4100b1800000

Feb 10 08:27:41 vmkernel: 0:00:00:18.238 cpu9:4596)<6>Fusion MPT SAS Host driver 4.00.37.00.27vmw

Feb 10 08:27:41 vmkernel: 0:00:00:18.238 cpu9:4596)<6>Fusion MPT base driver 4.00.37.00.27vmw

Feb 10 08:27:41 vmkernel: 0:00:00:18.238 cpu9:4596)<6>Copyright (c) 1999-2007 LSI Corporation

Feb 10 08:27:41 vmkernel: 0:00:00:18.238 cpu9:4596)PCI: driver mptsas is looking for devices

Feb 10 08:27:41 vmkernel: 0:00:00:18.238 cpu9:4596)PCI: Trying 0000:00:1a.0

Feb 10 08:27:41 vmkernel: 0:00:00:18.238 cpu9:4596)PCI: Trying 0000:00:1a.1

Feb 10 08:27:41 vmkernel: 0:00:00:18.238 cpu9:4596)PCI: Trying 0000:00:1a.2

Feb 10 08:27:41 vmkernel: 0:00:00:18.238 cpu9:4596)PCI: Trying 0000:00:1a.7

Feb 10 08:27:41 vmkernel: 0:00:00:18.238 cpu9:4596)PCI: Trying 0000:00:1b.0

Feb 10 08:27:41 vmkernel: 0:00:00:18.238 cpu9:4596)PCI: Announcing 0000:00:1b.0

Feb 10 08:27:41 vmkernel: 0:00:00:18.238 cpu9:4596)PCI: Trying 0000:00:1c.0

Feb 10 08:27:41 vmkernel: 0:00:00:18.238 cpu9:4596)PCI: Announcing 0000:00:1c.0

Feb 10 08:27:41 vmkernel: 0:00:00:18.238 cpu9:4596)PCI: Trying 0000:00:1c.4

Feb 10 08:27:41 vmkernel: 0:00:00:18.238 cpu9:4596)PCI: Announcing 0000:00:1c.4

Feb 10 08:27:41 vmkernel: 0:00:00:18.238 cpu9:4596)PCI: Trying 0000:00:1c.5

Feb 10 08:27:41 vmkernel: 0:00:00:18.238 cpu9:4596)PCI: Announcing 0000:00:1c.5

Feb 10 08:27:41 vmkernel: 0:00:00:18.238 cpu9:4596)PCI: Trying 0000:00:1d.0

Feb 10 08:27:41 vmkernel: 0:00:00:18.238 cpu9:4596)PCI: Trying 0000:00:1d.1

Feb 10 08:27:41 vmkernel: 0:00:00:18.238 cpu9:4596)PCI: Trying 0000:00:1d.2

Feb 10 08:27:41 vmkernel: 0:00:00:18.238 cpu9:4596)PCI: Trying 0000:00:1d.7

Feb 10 08:27:41 vmkernel: 0:00:00:18.238 cpu9:4596)PCI: Trying 0000:00:1f.2

Feb 10 08:27:41 vmkernel: 0:00:00:18.238 cpu9:4596)PCI: Trying 0000:00:1f.5

Feb 10 08:27:41 vmkernel: 0:00:00:18.238 cpu9:4596)PCI: Trying 0000:01:00.0

Feb 10 08:27:41 vmkernel: 0:00:00:18.238 cpu9:4596)PCI: Announcing 0000:01:00.0

Feb 10 08:27:41 vmkernel: 0:00:00:18.238 cpu9:4596)PCI: Trying 0000:02:00.0

Feb 10 08:27:41 vmkernel: 0:00:00:18.238 cpu9:4596)PCI: Announcing 0000:02:00.0

Feb 10 08:27:41 vmkernel: 0:00:00:18.238 cpu9:4596)PCI: Trying 0000:0f:00.0

Feb 10 08:27:41 vmkernel: 0:00:00:18.238 cpu9:4596)PCI: Announcing 0000:0f:00.0

Feb 10 08:27:41 vmkernel: 0:00:00:18.238 cpu9:4596)PCI: Trying 0000:1c:00.0

Feb 10 08:27:41 vmkernel: 0:00:00:18.238 cpu9:4596)PCI: Trying 0000:37:09.0

Feb 10 08:27:41 vmkernel: 0:00:00:18.238 cpu9:4596)PCI: Announcing 0000:37:09.0

Feb 10 08:27:41 vmkernel: 0:00:00:18.238 cpu9:4596)PCI: Trying 0000:41:00.0

Feb 10 08:27:41 vmkernel: 0:00:00:18.238 cpu9:4596)PCI: Announcing 0000:41:00.0

Feb 10 08:27:41 vmkernel: 0:00:00:18.238 cpu9:4596)<7>mptbase: ioc0: Initiating bringup

Feb 10 08:27:43 vmkernel: <6>ioc0: LSISAS1068E B3: Capabilities=

Feb 10 08:28:14 vmkernel: 0:00:00:50.838 cpu14:4596)<4>mptbase: ioc0: WARNING - Issuing Reset from mpt_config!!

Feb 10 08:28:31 vmkernel: 0:00:01:07.942 cpu12:4596)<6>mptbase: ioc0: Attempting Retry Config request type 0x1, page 0x2, action 0

Feb 10 08:28:46 vmkernel: 0:00:01:22.944 cpu8:4596)<4>mptbase: ioc0: WARNING - Issuing Reset from mpt_config!!

Feb 10 08:29:18 vmkernel: 0:00:01:55.040 cpu8:4596)<4>mptbase: ioc0: WARNING - Issuing Reset from mpt_config!!

Feb 10 08:29:35 vmkernel: 0:00:02:12.124 cpu14:4596)<6>mptbase: ioc0: Attempting Retry Config request type 0x1, page 0x1, action 0

Feb 10 08:29:50 vmkernel: 0:00:02:27.126 cpu8:4596)<4>mptbase: ioc0: WARNING - Issuing Reset from mpt_config!!

Feb 10 08:30:22 vmkernel: 0:00:02:59.214 cpu8:4596)<4>mptbase: ioc0: WARNING - Issuing Reset from mpt_config!!

Feb 10 08:30:39 vmkernel: 0:00:03:16.282 cpu4:4596)<6>mptbase: ioc0: Attempting Retry Config request type 0x0, page 0x2, action 0

Feb 10 08:30:54 vmkernel: 0:00:03:31.282 cpu4:4596)<4>mptbase: ioc0: WARNING - Issuing Reset from mpt_config!!

Feb 10 08:31:26 vmkernel: 0:00:04:03.226 cpu4:4596)<4>mptbase: ioc0: WARNING - Issuing Reset from mpt_config!!

Feb 10 08:31:43 vmkernel: 0:00:04:20.158 cpu1:4596)<6>mptbase: ioc0: Attempting Retry Config request type 0x9, page 0x0, action 0

Feb 10 08:31:58 vmkernel: 0:00:04:35.160 cpu4:4596)<4>mptbase: ioc0: WARNING - Issuing Reset from mpt_config!!

Feb 10 08:32:15 vmkernel: 0:00:04:52.110 cpu4:4596)Skipping because ioc is NULL due to HW issues!

Feb 10 08:32:15 vmkernel: 0:00:04:52.110 cpu4:4596)PCI: driver mptsas claimed 0 device

Feb 10 08:32:15 vmkernel: 0:00:04:52.110 cpu4:4596)<6>Fusion MPT misc device (ioctl) driver 4.00.37.00.27vmw

Feb 10 08:32:15 vmkernel: 0:00:04:52.110 cpu4:4596)<6>mptctl: Registered with Fusion MPT base driver

Feb 10 08:32:15 vmkernel: 0:00:04:52.110 cpu4:4596)<6>mptctl: /dev/mptctl_sas @ (major,minor=10,222)

Feb 10 08:32:15 vmkernel: 0:00:04:52.110 cpu4:4596)Mod: 2986: Initialization for mptsas succeeded with module ID 33.

Feb 10 08:32:15 vmkernel: 0:00:04:52.110 cpu4:4596)mptsas loaded successfully.

So it seems to load the driver fine, but is not able to probe disks. Any idea ?

Thx.

Gilles.

[morisgi]

I am planning to purchase instead a LSI 8888ELP MEGARAID host controller.

It seems supported but do anyone report a success with this card and ESXi 4.0.

Regards.

Gilles.