Missing NTLDR - ESXi3.5

[itlk]

Hi,

I read the ESXi has to be installed directly "on metal" so I tried to install the ESXi3.5 on a new hardware (no OS has been installed before). After booting and few steps (license agreement,.,..) I get the error saying, that the HDD was not recognized. The HDD is WD, SATAII.

When I started computer without the ESXi CD, the message "Missing NTLDR" shows up after the bios is started. Does it mean, if I want to install ESXi I have to first install the WIndows OS on the system, so there would be windows loader NTLDR?

Thanks,

Lubomir

[max_inglis]

Do you have fibre HBAs in the box? I had this error when I installed ESX with HBAs connected to our SAN fabric one time, and the bootloader was trying to make the SAN disks the boot source.

Max Inglis

http://ITangst.blogspot.com

[itlk]

No, I don't.

Lubomir

[abufa]

The biggest we have with the esxi is the hardware. ¿Have you reviewed the hardware on the HCL?

¿The disc was formatted before attempting to install esxi?

It seems you had installed another operating system before, and the esxi installation has failed.

[see2k]

Apart from a bad write on the MBR, is it possible that you have another boot device plugged into the server?

USB drives, Floppy disks etc?? I get that error message a lot when I have floppy in a drive.

Otherwise repair the grub image by loading a linux rescue CD and repair grub...

Chroot the disk, grub -> root (hdx,x), kernel /boot/...., setup (hdx). SHould work.

[Elitoh]

"""""I get the error saying, that the HDD was not recognized. The HDD is WD, SATAII"""""" I don't think this has anything to do with your hard drive. But on the other hand does with the On- Board SATA controller. What is the brand of computer that you are using? If it is a build what components did you use?(In other words give us some info about the system, Mobo, CPU, HD controller) You may want to start on your bios to make sure the settings are correct. By the way the NTLDR no found is an error that some motherboards will give you when there is no OS.

[Elitoh]

Another thing to think about is if you are using On board raid... Don't most of these onboard raid setups are not supported.