Unable to Detect Storage Devices/Create DataStore ESXi 5.5

[Judacoth]

Hey there,

I've got an ixsystems server that I am running ESXi 5.5 evaluation copy on. Contained is 4 1TB drives in Raid 10.  I've installed ESXi and been able to set up the root username and password, but when I go to create my datastore, and select Disk/LUN, I get nothing.  No storage options come up.

I've spent the last several hours troubleshooting, checking that it detects my storage devices, and looking up drivers.  I think it could be a driver issue, but am not sure which driver I may need to detect my drives.

So far the info I have is -

System: iX-1104-813M-350

Intel Xeon CPU E5620 @ 2.40 Ghz

S/N: C813M0B01M40109

P/N: CSE-813M

The Raid device appears to be:

SCSI storage controller Mass storage controller:

LSI MegaRAID SAS 8 208ELP/8208ELP

This is just a fun side project I figured I'd do to try and get back into VMware.  I tried the LSI MegaRAID SAS 9240-8i drivers, and even in desperation the aacraid-1.2.1.52011-4328882 drivers as well since I ran a command from putty that appeared to display aacraid within the device list as well, but still nothing.

I also followed another guide which pointed me towards setting up an iSCSI connection, but that didn't make any difference either.

Can anyone help point me in the right direction as to what I'm doing wrong, or if it is indeed even a driver issue?

Thanks in advance.

[NathanosBlightc]

Hi.

What is the type of your disks (and also controller)? I mean SATA, SAS, SSD ....?

Establish a SSH connection or Provide a Shell access. then try:

lspci -v | grep -i SATA (type of your disks) or lspci -v | grep -i 1f.2

Then select the disk device id and find the suitable device driver that has been integrated with your ESXi version.

Now you can add it to source of ESXi installer .ISO with tools like ESXi customizer (google it) and install your host again.

[IRIX201110141]

Try lsi-mr3 version 0.255.03.01-2vmw or megaraid_sas version 6.604.54.00-1OEM. Please check out VMware Compatibility Guide - I/O Device Search  and select your ESXi version in the dropdown.

Regards

Joerg

[Judacoth]

Thanks for the reply,

So I ran the lspci -v | grep -i SATA command and get back the following

0000:00:1f.2 IDE interface Mass storage controller: Intel Corporation ICH10 4 port SATA IDE Controller [vmhba0]

0000:00:1f.5 IDE interface Mass storage controller: Intel Corporation ICH10 2 port SATA IDE Controller [vmhba1]

They are 4 SATA drives formatted in NTFS

I also downloaded the scsi-megaraid-sas-6.604.54.00-1OEM.550.0.0.1331820.x86_64 drivers, and loaded the .vib file into temp.

Following that I ran "esxcli software vib install -v /tmp/scsi-megaraid-sas-6.604.54.00-1OEM.550.0.0.1331820.x86_64.vib --no-sig-check" from a putty shell and rebooted.  After reboot, I still am not able to detect LUN's/Disk Drives when I go to create a datastore.

I also can't run the ESXi customizer as I am on Windows 10, and don't have a non Windows 10 device available other than a Mac.

[NathanosBlightc]

I think you downloaded only controller driver, and need to have disk device driver too. (your installation procedure is OK)

can you search for any other information about disk devices by running lspci -vv  that can lead us to find exact disk device model?!

[IRIX201110141]

Iam not aware that there is such a thing as a "disk device driver".

Try the lspci -vv again and try to find any related to your MegaSAS Controller. Maybe you shoud grep for ''9240 ", 208', 'Mega', 'SAS' rather than SATA. If you dont find anything your HBA isnt recognize by our computer at boot it is just dead.

If you find something we need to pull out the DeviceID which  will be reportet. Its based on that ID if the driver is responsible for that device or not. Go back to the VMware driver download page and you see the IDs listet at the top. If youre know what looking for than VMware Knowledge Base ( Identifying correct driver for ESXi/ESX host PCI devices (HBA)) will be help.

Can you tell us more about your MegaSAS HBA lik the vendor or so?

As long as you dont need to hack or modify the device driver please dont waste time with ESXi Customer. You dont need it because your ESXi is already installed and youre able to install drivers from command line.  The ESXi Customer is required if you cant install ESXi because you dont have the right Network or Storage Driver on  the VMware vanilla or OEM Install media for your Hardware.

Regards

Joerg

[IRIX201110141]

I thought you have a real SAS 9240-8i one. If you have a 8208elp than there is no driver listet on VMware Compatibility Guide - I/O Device Search (i have searched for "elp" to find the big brothers of your HBAs).

Hacking driver or just by a certied one.

Regards
Joerg

[Judacoth]

Yes, I ran the lspci -vv again and got the following info:

~ # lspci -vv

0000:00:00.0 Host bridge Bridge: Intel Corporation 5520/5500/X58 I/O Hub to ESI Port [PCIe RP[0000:00:00.0]]

         Class 0600: 8086:3405

0000:00:01.0 PCI bridge Bridge: Intel Corporation 5520/5500/X58 I/O Hub PCI Express Root Port 1 [PCIe RP[0000:00:01.0]]

         Class 0604: 8086:3408

0000:00:02.0 PCI bridge Bridge: Intel Corporation 5520/5500/X58 I/O Hub PCI Express Root Port 2 [PCIe RP[0000:00:02.0]]

         Class 0604: 8086:3409

0000:00:03.0 PCI bridge Bridge: Intel Corporation 5520/5500/X58 I/O Hub PCI Express Root Port 3 [PCIe RP[0000:00:03.0]]

         Class 0604: 8086:340a

0000:00:07.0 PCI bridge Bridge: Intel Corporation 5520/5500/X58 I/O Hub PCI Express Root Port 7 [PCIe RP[0000:00:07.0]]

         Class 0604: 8086:340e

0000:00:09.0 PCI bridge Bridge: Intel Corporation 7500/5520/5500/X58 I/O Hub PCI Express Root Port 9 [PCIe RP[0000:00:09.0]]

         Class 0604: 8086:3410

0000:00:14.0 PIC Generic system peripheral: Intel Corporation 7500/5520/5500/X58 I/O Hub System Management Registers

         Class 0800: 8086:342e

0000:00:14.1 PIC Generic system peripheral: Intel Corporation 7500/5520/5500/X58 I/O Hub GPIO and Scratch Pad Registers

         Class 0800: 8086:3422

0000:00:14.2 PIC Generic system peripheral: Intel Corporation 7500/5520/5500/X58 I/O Hub Control Status and RAS Registers

         Class 0800: 8086:3423

0000:00:14.3 PIC Generic system peripheral: Intel Corporation 7500/5520/5500/X58 I/O Hub Throttle Registers

         Class 0800: 8086:3438

0000:00:16.0 System peripheral Generic system peripheral: Intel Corporation 5520/5500/X58 Chipset QuickData Technology Device

         Class 0880: 8086:3430

0000:00:16.1 System peripheral Generic system peripheral: Intel Corporation 5520/5500/X58 Chipset QuickData Technology Device

         Class 0880: 8086:3431

0000:00:16.2 System peripheral Generic system peripheral: Intel Corporation 5520/5500/X58 Chipset QuickData Technology Device

         Class 0880: 8086:3432

0000:00:16.3 System peripheral Generic system peripheral: Intel Corporation 5520/5500/X58 Chipset QuickData Technology Device

         Class 0880: 8086:3433

0000:00:16.4 System peripheral Generic system peripheral: Intel Corporation 5520/5500/X58 Chipset QuickData Technology Device

         Class 0880: 8086:3429

0000:00:16.5 System peripheral Generic system peripheral: Intel Corporation 5520/5500/X58 Chipset QuickData Technology Device

         Class 0880: 8086:342a

0000:00:16.6 System peripheral Generic system peripheral: Intel Corporation 5520/5500/X58 Chipset QuickData Technology Device

         Class 0880: 8086:342b

0000:00:16.7 System peripheral Generic system peripheral: Intel Corporation 5520/5500/X58 Chipset QuickData Technology Device

         Class 0880: 8086:342c

0000:00:1a.0 USB controller Serial bus controller: Intel Corporation 82801JI (ICH10 Family) USB UHCI Controller #4

         Class 0c03: 8086:3a37

0000:00:1a.1 USB controller Serial bus controller: Intel Corporation 82801JI (ICH10 Family) USB UHCI Controller #5

         Class 0c03: 8086:3a38

0000:00:1a.2 USB controller Serial bus controller: Intel Corporation 82801JI (IC    H10 Family) USB UHCI Controller #6

         Class 0c03: 8086:3a39

0000:00:1a.7 USB controller Serial bus controller: Intel Corporation 82801JI (ICH10 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller #2

         Class 0c03: 8086:3a3c

0000:00:1d.0 USB controller Serial bus controller: Intel Corporation 82801JI (ICH10 Family) USB UHCI Controller #1

         Class 0c03: 8086:3a34

0000:00:1d.1 USB controller Serial bus controller: Intel Corporation 82801JI (ICH10 Family) USB UHCI Controller #2

         Class 0c03: 8086:3a35

0000:00:1d.2 USB controller Serial bus controller: Intel Corporation 82801JI (ICH10 Family) USB UHCI Controller #3

         Class 0c03: 8086:3a36

0000:00:1d.7 USB controller Serial bus controller: Intel Corporation 82801JI (ICH10 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller #1

         Class 0c03: 8086:3a3a

0000:00:1e.0 PCI bridge Bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 PCI Bridge

         Class 0604: 8086:244e

0000:00:1f.0 ISA bridge Bridge: Intel Corporation 82801JIR (ICH10R) LPC Interface Controller

         Class 0601: 8086:3a16

0000:00:1f.2 IDE interface Mass storage controller: Intel Corporation ICH10 4 port SATA IDE Controller [vmhba0]

         Class 0101: 8086:3a20

0000:00:1f.3 SMBus Serial bus controller: Intel Corporation 82801JI (ICH10 Family) SMBus Controller

         Class 0c05: 8086:3a30

0000:00:1f.5 IDE interface Mass storage controller: Intel Corporation ICH10 2 port SATA IDE Controller [vmhba1]

         Class 0101: 8086:3a26

0000:01:00.0 Ethernet controller Network controller: Intel Corporation 82574L Gigabit Network Connection [vmnic0]

         Class 0200: 8086:10d3

0000:02:00.0 Ethernet controller Network controller: Intel Corporation 82574L Gigabit Network Connection [vmnic1]

         Class 0200: 8086:10d3

0000:05:00.0 SCSI storage controller Mass storage controller: LSI MegaRAID SAS 8208ELP/8208ELP

         Class 0100: 1000:0059

0000:06:04.0 VGA compatible controller Display controller: Matrox Electronics Systems Ltd. MGA G200eW WPCM450

         Class 0300: 102b:0532

I also performed the requested grep cmds:

~ # lspci -v | grep 208

0000:05:00.0 SCSI storage controller Mass storage controller: LSI MegaRAID SAS 8208ELP/8208ELP

--

~ # lspci -v | grep Mega

0000:05:00.0 SCSI storage controller Mass storage controller: LSI MegaRAID SAS 8208ELP/8208ELP

~ # lspci -v | grep SAS

0000:05:00.0 SCSI storage controller Mass storage controller: LSI MegaRAID SAS 8208ELP/8208ELP

I was actually able to figure out how to get the customizer tool to work in Windows 10 by following this little guide here: http://p2vme.com/2015/08/esxi-customizer-and-windows-10-fix/

I reinstalled my ESXi 5.5 with the driver I mentioned above, but alas still no LUN's  

[IRIX201110141 · Accepted solution]

SCSI storage controller Mass storage controller: LSI MegaRAID SAS 8208ELP/8208ELP

         Class 0100: 1000:0059

Read my posts from above. ESXi doesnt have a driver for your HBA. Looking to  MegaRAID SAS 8208ELP and RAID 5 to is clears out that your HBA is stone aged old. Use a supportet one or hack around in the driver/pcimap.

Regards,

Joerg

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[NathanosBlightc]

Search your Controller Class ID in following link, maybe you find something to work:

https://vibsdepot.v-front.de/wiki/index.php/Welcome

[Judacoth]

Well first let me thank everyone who's taken time out of there day's/nights to help me with this little project of mine.

At this point I'm inclined to agree that there is no driver available, mostly due to the sheer age of the device I'm running ESXi on. I did search for my controller's class ID in the aforementioned link (https://vibsdepot.v-front.de/wiki/index.php/Welcome) but unfortunatly did not find anything.  I'm not much of a scripter/programmer, so hacking or making my own driver for my HBA is simply out of the question for me.

At this time I'm going to mark the above response about my HBA being stone age old as correct.  I can't really expect much, I knew this device was really old, which is why I got it for free from one of my clients after I replaced it for him with a QNAP. 

Thanks again for all your help guys.  I'll consider this thread closed at this time.