Help! Need VMFS Datastore solution for Dell GX520

[Danfall]

Hello,

Yesterday I was able to install ESX 3.5 on a Dell GX520 workstation which uses SATA drive technology. However the install did not create a VMFS Datastore. Could anyone recommend a compatable external adapter\drive technology that would allow me to create an external VMFS datastore. Might an external sata (esata) drive work. Am I going to be forced to go with an external scsi solution?

This is for test purposes as a tool in helping me prepare for the VCP exam.

Thank you,

Dan Fallon

[RParker]

Am I going to be forced to go with an external scsi solution?

Unfortunately yes, SAS is preferable, and it depends on the controller. Apparently ESX doesn't support that controller for VMFS. SCSI / SAS will give you better performance anyway.

[Danfall]

Thanks for the advice. Since I only paid $125 for the GX520 I don't think I want to pay more then that for a scsi or sas adapter and drive. Is there any way I can use a usb

jump drive?

Another idea that someone offered was to replace my main HD with a Scsi drive.

Thanks

[athlon_crazy]

Just wonder, did your redhat service console detect your original sata drive?

System Engineer

Zen Systems Sdn Bhd

Malaysia

www.no-x.org

[Jasemccarty]

Why don't you take an "old" box, and run either FreeNAS or Openfiler on it.

Then you can present iSCSI or NFS to your ESXi box.

Jase McCarty

http://www.jasemccarty.com

Co-Author of VMware ESX Essentials in the Virtual Data Center

(ISBN:1420070274) from Auerbach

_{Please consider awarding points if this post was helpful or correct}

[Danfall]

Jase,

I'm looking at the user guide now on the FreeNas site. You mention esx3i.

Can I also use this with ESX 3.5? How long is FreeNas free?

Have you tried this? What was your hardware configuration?

About the Vmware Image that's on the FreeNas site - what can I do with it? Can I use the VMware player and run the vmware image from my vista laptop networked to my GX520 to provide me NAS storage to create a vmfs datastore and build VM's on? Since I only have my lap top and the GX520, ( and assuming the above assumption is true) will I only be able to administor the VMFS datastore and create VM's from the ESX server console? Any way to get VI client into the mix without having another PC?

Thanks for the help

Dan Fall

[Jasemccarty]

FreeNAS is as the name implies. Free.

And yes, you could run a FreeNAS VM on your laptop for storage.

You might also want to consider that your laptop will have to be up and running anytime you wish to use your ESX/ESXi box.

You might want to invest in a SATA RAID controller, something like an Adaptec 2410SA or 2610SA. They can be had on eBay for about $60-$100. This controller has seen success with ESX/ESXi.

You wouldn't need your laptop on at that point.

Jase McCarty

http://www.jasemccarty.com

Co-Author of VMware ESX Essentials in the Virtual Data Center

(ISBN:1420070274) from Auerbach

_{Please consider awarding points if this post was helpful or correct}

[Danfall]

Jase,

Since the GX520 only has one SATA Port internally, based on your experience what PCI to Sata I\O card

(does not have to be RAID or Adaptec) would you recommend so that I can add one additional SATA drive

internally? This is assuming that the addition of another VMware supported Sata I\O card and drive could

also solve the problem.

Thanks,

Dan Fall

[Jasemccarty]

I personally like the 2610SA.

But you could check out Dave's list here: http://www.vm-help.com/esx/esx3.5/Whiteboxes_SATA_Controllers_for_ESX_3.5_3i.htm

That list shows some cards others have had success with.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but te GX520 uses an ICH7 chipset right?

You could modify the oem.tgz, and have the onboard work. Check out this page to see how to modify your oem.tgz: http://www.vm-help.com/esx/esx3i/customize_oem_tgz.php

Cheers,

Jase

Jase McCarty

http://www.jasemccarty.com

Co-Author of VMware ESX Essentials in the Virtual Data Center

(ISBN:1420070274) from Auerbach

_{Please consider awarding points if this post was helpful or correct}

[Danfall]

Jase,

Yes, the ICH7 chipset is the one and it appears the motherboard is of type 945 with a 3Ghz P4 EMT64 CPU.

I will try to modify the oem.tgz, file. I assume this is a linux file and the link you gave me goes into detail on how to modify that file.

If I can get this to work it will make my day!

Thanks for all your help it is very much appreciated.

Dan Fall

[Danfall]

Jase,

I looked at the link instructions for modifying the oem.tgz file and it looks like it for ESX3i. Will this fix work for ESX 3.5 allowing me to create

the VMFS partition I'm missing on my sole SATA drive?

Might you happen to know of a SAS I\O card that will solve my ESX 3.5 install problem. I have an IBM SAS drive already.

Thanks,

Dan

[Jasemccarty]

I don't know why I keep thinking this is for ESXi... ESX is what you are using.... Duh...

There is a way to do it...

Add these 2 entries to /etc/vmware/pci.ids

8086:27c0 0000:0000 storage ata_piix

8086:27c4 0000:0000 storage ata_piix

Add these 2 entries to /etc/vmware/simple.map

8086:27c0 0000:0000 ata_piix.o

8086:27c4 0000:0000 ata_piix.o

Add these 2 entries to /etc/vmware/vmware-devices.map

device,0x8086,0x27c0,scsi,82801GR/GH (ICH7 Family) Serial ATA Storage Controller AHCI,ata_piix.o

device,0x8086,0x27c4,scsi,82801GR/GH (ICH7 Family) Serial ATA Storage Controller AHCI,ata_piix.o

Reboot, and see what happens.

Jase McCarty

http://www.jasemccarty.com

Co-Author of VMware ESX Essentials in the Virtual Data Center

(ISBN:1420070274) from Auerbach

_{Please consider awarding points if this post was helpful or correct}

[Danfall]

Jase,

Does it matter where in the files I place the entries?

Dan Fallon

[Jasemccarty]

Do a search for 27c1, and put the 27c0 entries by that one.

Do a search for 27c3, and put the 27c4 entries by that one.

Jase McCarty

http://www.jasemccarty.com

Co-Author of VMware ESX Essentials in the Virtual Data Center

(ISBN:1420070274) from Auerbach

_{Please consider awarding points if this post was helpful or correct}

[Danfall]

Jase,

No joy! Still no Storage VMFS partition seen in the VI client which I expected to see

after logging in to the ESX host. Do I need to rescan?

Concerning the changes

I figured that the third pair of lines had to be placed as you stated so I had put them in where you suggested. The first two pairs I put at the top of their respective files. The first pair are completely different from any other line in that file.

I was trying to verify if the missing two (vmkcore and vmfs) partitions were created

so I logged into the console and entered the "parted" command so i could later enter "print" to see the partitions. Just entering "parted" shows me:

Using /dev/sda

Warning: The partition table on /dev/sda is inconsistent....

It then goes on to state that it could be caused by linux detecting the BIOS

geometry incorrectly and but however this does not seem to be the case here and can be ignored. When I then type "print" instead of seeing all the partitions like

/boot, /, etc I see a fat16 file system only. However ESX still comes up without any errors but I still dont see the two missing partitions in VI Client.

I'm going to try installing ESX again on another disk drive. Maybe before I do that i'll install ESX3i and see if that plays.

Thanks for all your help.

Dan Fallon

[Jasemccarty]

You probably will have to rescan...

And check out this thread on how to add local VMFS storage:

http://communities.vmware.com/thread/116668

Jase McCarty

http://www.jasemccarty.com

Co-Author of VMware ESX Essentials in the Virtual Data Center

(ISBN:1420070274) from Auerbach

_{Please consider awarding points if this post was helpful or correct}

[Danfall]

Thanks. I will look into those procedures later tonight and let you know how I make out.

Danfall

[Danfall]

Jase,

Currently working through creating a partion referencing the procedures stated in your last post to me.

When I type fdisk -l at the disk level I get an error message that fdisk can't read the partition table and then it shows

me \dev\hbc1 through \dev\hbc5 when I expected \dev\sda1 through \dev\sda5. Why? I'm even seeing disk geometgry

errors. Also when I type "esxcfg-" type commands from the console level it gives me a new line and nothong more.

I may reload the software and start your full procedure again.

No chance to attempt EXS3i install last evening. May try today only to verify that I can install on this hardware. Still want to get

ESX 3.5 working on the GX520 as I will have acces to another one later and want to be able to vmotion later.

[Danfall]

Still no joy. Just tried to install ESXi instead and it told me a drive could not be found to install on and the installation stop. Maybe the hard drive is unsuable at this point.

Could the hard drive be toast now?