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jonny7219
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ESXi 5 install fails in Workstation 9

I'm having problems getting ESXi 5 to install in Workstation 9.

At first it worked fine and I had it setup on 5 or so vm's. I then deleted these.

Now whenever I try to install it there is an error message "Logs are stored on non-persistent storage.  Consult product documentation to configure a syslog server or a scratch partition." then it hangs without completing.

I created a template from one of the earlier installs and I can deploy from that ok. I can't see any differences in the settings between the vm's that are working and those that aren't.

I'm sure I'm doing something stupid, anyone got any ideas?

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admin
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That looks like the banner screen (Alt-F11).  I think the installer has switched screens on you.  What happens if you press Alt-F2?

View solution in original post

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admin
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Can you post your configuration file?

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jonny7219
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Workstation config file;

.encoding = "windows-1252"
authd.client.port = "902"
authd.proxy.vim = "vmware-hostd:hostd-vmdb"
authd.proxy.nfc = "vmware-hostd:ha-nfc"
installerDefaults.autoSoftwareUpdateEnabled = "yes"
installerDefaults.autoSoftwareUpdateEnabled.epoch = "21335"
installerDefaults.componentDownloadEnabled = "yes"
installerDefaults.dataCollectionEnabled = "yes"
installerDefaults.dataCollectionEnabled.epoch = "21335"
prefvmx.minVmMemPct = "50"

Should have said I'm installing from the VMvisor 5.0.0U1 ISO.

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admin
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Sorry; I meant the VM configuration file.  It's the .vmx file in the VM's folder.

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jonny7219
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Wasn't sure which one you meant, I guessed wrong!

Here's the .vmx;

.encoding = "windows-1252"
config.version = "8"
virtualHW.version = "9"
numvcpus = "2"
scsi0.present = "TRUE"
scsi0.virtualDev = "lsilogic"
memsize = "2048"
scsi0:0.present = "TRUE"
scsi0:0.fileName = "VMware ESXi 5.vmdk"
ide1:0.present = "TRUE"
ide1:0.fileName = "Z:\vmware\VMware-VMvisor-Installer-5.0.0.update01-623860.x86_64.iso"
ide1:0.deviceType = "cdrom-image"
floppy0.startConnected = "FALSE"
floppy0.fileName = ""
floppy0.autodetect = "TRUE"
ethernet0.present = "TRUE"
ethernet0.connectionType = "nat"
ethernet0.virtualDev = "e1000"
ethernet0.wakeOnPcktRcv = "FALSE"
ethernet0.addressType = "generated"
usb.present = "TRUE"
ehci.present = "TRUE"
ehci.pciSlotNumber = "34"
pciBridge0.present = "TRUE"
pciBridge4.present = "TRUE"
pciBridge4.virtualDev = "pcieRootPort"
pciBridge4.functions = "8"
pciBridge5.present = "TRUE"
pciBridge5.virtualDev = "pcieRootPort"
pciBridge5.functions = "8"
pciBridge6.present = "TRUE"
pciBridge6.virtualDev = "pcieRootPort"
pciBridge6.functions = "8"
pciBridge7.present = "TRUE"
pciBridge7.virtualDev = "pcieRootPort"
pciBridge7.functions = "8"
vmci0.present = "TRUE"
hpet0.present = "TRUE"
displayName = "VMware ESXi 5"
guestOS = "vmkernel5"
nvram = "VMware ESXi 5.nvram"
virtualHW.productCompatibility = "hosted"
vhv.enable = "TRUE"
powerType.powerOff = "hard"
powerType.powerOn = "hard"
powerType.suspend = "hard"
powerType.reset = "hard"
extendedConfigFile = "VMware ESXi 5.vmxf"
scsi0.pciSlotNumber = "16"
ethernet0.generatedAddress = "00:0c:29:87:14:f9"
ethernet0.pciSlotNumber = "33"
usb.pciSlotNumber = "32"
vmci0.id = "-830008071"
vmci0.pciSlotNumber = "35"
uuid.location = "56 4d 1f ab d7 99 ae 0e-32 6e 82 57 ce 87 14 f9"
uuid.bios = "56 4d 1f ab d7 99 ae 0e-32 6e 82 57 ce 87 14 f9"
cleanShutdown = "TRUE"
replay.supported = "FALSE"
replay.filename = ""
scsi0:0.redo = ""
pciBridge0.pciSlotNumber = "17"
pciBridge4.pciSlotNumber = "21"
pciBridge5.pciSlotNumber = "22"
pciBridge6.pciSlotNumber = "23"
pciBridge7.pciSlotNumber = "24"
usb:0.present = "TRUE"
usb:1.present = "TRUE"
ethernet0.generatedAddressOffset = "0"
vmotion.checkpointFBSize = "33554432"
softPowerOff = "FALSE"
usb:0.deviceType = "hid"
usb:0.port = "0"
usb:0.parent = "-1"
usb:1.speed = "2"
usb:1.deviceType = "hub"
usb:1.port = "1"
usb:1.parent = "-1"
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admin
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That looks fine.  2GB is barely adequate, but it should suffice for a small nested VM.  Is this a fresh VM with a clean virtual disk?

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jonny7219
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Yes, clean install with new virtual disk. Didn't customise anything, just used the standard default settings. Again, it's strange as it worked at first and then suddenly stopped. Can't think of any options I changed other than for the Workstation "additional memory" which I've now changed back.

The 2Gb was the default setting, though this is only for a vSphere lab so will only be running a few small Linux vm's on the hosts.

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admin
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Try removing the prefvmx.minVmMemPct line from your Windows configuration file.

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jonny7219
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I editied the config file and restarted Workstation but no change - same error as before.

Would it be any help if I posted the .vmx from the ESXi install that is working? This was deployed from a template I created from one of the working ESXi installs before the problem started. I tried a compare but they are totally different, I guess as the install completed on the template copy?

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admin
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jonny7219 wrote:

Would it be any help if I posted the .vmx from the ESXi install that is working?

I don't know.  Let's see it!

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jonny7219
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OK, this is the .vmx from a working ESXi (deployed from a template created from an ESXi install before the problem started);

.encoding = "UTF-8"
displayname = "ESXi 5 Template"
guestos = "other-64"
virtualhw.version = "9"
config.version = "8"
numvcpus = "2"
cpuid.coresPerSocket = "1"
memsize = "4096"
pciBridge0.present = "TRUE"
pciBridge4.present = "TRUE"
pciBridge4.virtualDev = "pcieRootPort"
pciBridge4.functions = "8"
pciBridge5.present = "TRUE"
pciBridge5.virtualDev = "pcieRootPort"
pciBridge5.functions = "8"
pciBridge6.present = "TRUE"
pciBridge6.virtualDev = "pcieRootPort"
pciBridge6.functions = "8"
pciBridge7.present = "TRUE"
pciBridge7.virtualDev = "pcieRootPort"
pciBridge7.functions = "8"
vmci0.present = "TRUE"
floppy0.present = "TRUE"
floppy0.fileType = "device"
floppy0.autodetect = "FALSE"
floppy0.startConnected = "FALSE"
floppy0.clientDevice = "FALSE"
ide1:0.fileName = "ESXi 5 Template-file1.iso"
ide1:0.clientDevice = "FALSE"
ide1:0.present = "TRUE"
ide1:0.deviceType = "cdrom-image"
ide1:0.autodetect = "TRUE"
ide1:0.startConnected = "TRUE"
usb.present = "TRUE"
ehci.present = "TRUE"
ethernet0.present = "TRUE"
ethernet0.virtualDev = "e1000"
ethernet0.connectionType = "nat"
ethernet0.startConnected = "TRUE"
ethernet0.addressType = "generated"
ethernet0.wakeonpcktrcv = "false"
scsi0:0.present = "TRUE"
scsi0:0.deviceType = "disk"
scsi0:0.fileName = "ESXi 5 Template-disk1.vmdk"
scsi0:0.mode = "persistent"
scsi0.virtualDev = "lsilogic"
scsi0.present = "TRUE"
vmci0.unrestricted = "false"
toolscripts.afterpoweron = "true"
toolscripts.afterresume = "true"
toolscripts.beforepoweroff = "true"
toolscripts.beforesuspend = "true"
extendedConfigFile = "ESXi 5 Template.vmxf"
virtualHW.productCompatibility = "hosted"
scsi0.pciSlotNumber = "16"
ethernet0.generatedAddress = "00:0c:29:0b:e6:dd"
ethernet0.pciSlotNumber = "33"
usb.pciSlotNumber = "32"
ehci.pciSlotNumber = "34"
vmci0.id = "906749661"
vmci0.pciSlotNumber = "35"
uuid.location = "56 4d 5d 7f a2 c1 96 17-71 58 1b f9 36 0b e6 dd"
uuid.bios = "56 4d 5d 7f a2 c1 96 17-71 58 1b f9 36 0b e6 dd"
cleanShutdown = "TRUE"
replay.supported = "FALSE"
replay.filename = ""
scsi0:0.redo = ""
pciBridge0.pciSlotNumber = "17"
pciBridge4.pciSlotNumber = "21"
pciBridge5.pciSlotNumber = "22"
pciBridge6.pciSlotNumber = "23"
pciBridge7.pciSlotNumber = "24"
usb:0.present = "TRUE"
usb:1.present = "TRUE"
ethernet0.generatedAddressOffset = "0"
vmotion.checkpointFBSize = "33554432"
softPowerOff = "FALSE"
usb:0.deviceType = "hid"
usb:0.port = "0"
usb:0.parent = "-1"
usb:1.speed = "2"
usb:1.deviceType = "hub"
usb:1.port = "1"
usb:1.parent = "-1"
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admin
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There are several differences between the working and the non-working configurations:

1) The working configuration has 4GB of memory.

2) The working configuration has virtualized hardware-assisted virtualization disabled.

3) The working configuration has the guest OS type set to "Other 64-bit."

4) The working configuration has no virtual HPET.

None of these should be a problem, but you can try working down the list:

1) Increase memory to 4GB.

2) Disable "virtualized hardware-assisted virtualization" on the Processors tab of VM settings.

3) Change the guest OS type to "Other 64-bit."

4) Edit the .vmx file and change hpet0.present = "TRUE" to hpet0.present = "FALSE"

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jonny7219
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I made all the changes (one by one) but still no luck - same error as before.

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admin
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Have you verified the checksum on your ESXi 5.0 installer image?

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jonny7219
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I have now - it's fine.

One other thing I've noticed, after the installer has finished loading as it switches from the yellow loading screen to the "Welcom to the..." message it looks like a red error message comes up. Can't see what it is as it's only on the screen for a split second. Tried figuring out what it says but no luck.

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admin
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Alt-F12 should get you to the vmkernel log screen, so that you can see the message.

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jonny7219
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Tried that already - only alert is the error I posted.

Though the vmkernel log suggests it has entered debug mode. A message saying to consult the compatibility guide. Then repeated messages (every 5 minutes) referencing nmp_throttlelogfordevice:2318 / mpx.vmhba1:c0:t0:l0" / scsideviceio: 2322.

Can't see anything else obvious in the vmkernel log, but I'm obviously not an expert.

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jonny7219
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Not sure if this helps much but....I removed the hard disk from the ESXi that the install was failing on and attached the hard disk from the ESXi that is working (installed from template) and it is running ok.

Which maybe rules out a config error and points to something being up with the hard drive that is being attached during setup of the new vm?

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admin
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Did you change any of the defaults when setting up the new virtual disk?

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jonny7219
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Pretty certain that the first installs I did (which worked) were with the typical settings and nothing changed.

But I've tried every combination - typical with single file and multipe file disks, with the same result each time.

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