Unable to import ESXi server into Datacenter

[stwynam]

Hi!

I'm having an issue with an ESX3i server and trying to import it into a Datacentre. I am booting from a USB fob with ESX3i on it and via the VC server, trying to import this server into a newly created Datacentre. The ESX host has VM's on it which are running fine. The thing is, I have sucessfully done this for another ESX3i host, which is identical as I ghosted the USB pen image. The import wizard recognised the server, and can see the VM's on it and authenticates the logon credentials but it gets to 19% and then hangs and the VI client loses connection with the VC server and then the server crashes and you have to manually reboot it.

Could this be a hardware issue?

Any thoughts on the issue would be great, thanks!:8}

[stwynam]

Is anyone able to help on this issue? Are there any pointers you can give? Any more info required?

Thanks for looking!

[espi3030]

From Virtual Center when you right click on the DataCenter and select "Add Host" that's when your system crashes? Can you provide any screenshots to get a better picture of what is happening?

[stwynam]

Hi there,

I right-click and select "new host" and I put in the IP address and it finds the ESXi server and lists the VMs currently on it without problem so it all looks promising. You can go all through the wizard without issue, it is afterwards as it is adding the host in and gets to 19% complete that it then locks up, you loose connection with the VI client and cannot get back on with the VI client so I have had to physically reboot the server. I have tried several times, all with the same results.

I shall post some screenshots shortly!

Thanks again.

[stwynam]

Is anyone able to help me on this please? 😐

[Dave_Mishchenko]

What sort of host is it and have you checked the log files?

[Chamon]

Have you tried a different host? Maybe your issue is that it is the exact copy of another host being managed by VC. So it see's the same host ID and freaks out. I know Very technical

I have always built from scratch using kickstart scripts.

[rpayton]

I had something similar happen today. Hear me out: I was playing with the ftp server on esxi, and decided to test up/down speeds. So I tried transferring a 2GB iso image to /tmp. It kept erroring out, and finally I gave up (good speeds though!).

Then, I go to add the new esxi server to my "datacenter" and it kept erroring out. MY problem (which may or may not be your problem) was that the partial file left behind during the failed ftp transfer ... ate up all the available space in /tmp - and vCenter was trying to copy files to that directory. When it couldn't it would error out. As soon as I deleted the iso file from /tmp, everything started working great.

Hope this help you!