"The VMware ESX Server does not have persistent storage."

[technowiz]

I've installed VMware ESXi 3.5 installable on a server with an Adaptec 3405 RAID controller. The ESXi build number is 123629. I have 4 1TB drives configured in a RAID 5 array for a total 2.73TB. When I install VMware it sees the RAID array with the correct size and successfully installs. However after I reboot and connect with the VI Client I get the message about the server not having persistent storage and no datastores are shown. If I go to Storage Adapters it shows Adaptec SCSI as vmhba2 with capacity 2.73TB. However when I add storage and select Disk/LUN it shows the capacity as 2.73TB but only 744GB available. I've never encountered this before. How do I access the full capacity? I thought maybe it was because I was still on the trial license but applying the license serial number hasn't made any difference. Also after it did this the first time I recreated the RAID array and started with a fresh install of VMware. Both times it is only seeing 744GB available.

[AntonVZhbankov · Accepted solution]

Maximum LUN size supported = 2TB, so you have to split your RAID to 2 volumes, less than 2TB each

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[technowiz]

Ok I can do that. Any idea why the space available is showing up as 744GB?

[K-MaC]

Hey Technowiz. The reason is simply because that is what is remaining after it encounters the 2TB limit. As you stated in your inital post you have 2.73TB available. 2.73TB-1.99TB=744GB. Hope this answers your question.

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Cheers

Kevin

[berrykd]

Hello,

I have installed VMware ESXi 3.5 update 4 on a Dell PowerEdge R710 with an MegaRAID SAS 1078 RAID controller. The ESXi build number is 153875. I have 2 146 GB drives mirrored for a total 146 GB because I will be connecting to a Dell MD3000i SAN. When I install VMware it sees the RAID array with the correct size and successfully installs. However after I reboot and connect with the VI Client I get the message about the server not having persistent storage and no datastores are shown. I carved out approx. 118 GB for the vmfs3 volume during install, but it does not show. If I go to Storage Adapters it shows megaRAIID as vmhba0 with 1 target at a capacity of 136.13 GB If I choose to create a datastore it shows that it will destroy the current disk layout which I do not want to do. The current disk layout show the 118.32 GB VMFS volume but no datastores are present. What have I missed during this install?

Thanks

Kevin

[Dave_Mishchenko]

Hello Kevin, welcome to the VMware Community forums. You might try a resignature as described here - http://www.vm-help.com/esx/esx3i/no_persistent_storage_after_upgrade.php. What you've experienced isn't the norm for an install. Just as an aside, there is a Dell specifc install CD for Update 4. It'll included Dell specific CIM providers which will enhance the ability of ESXi to monitor the health of the hardware.