VMware Cloud Community
chris_delaney
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

iSCSI RDM Not Working

Hello All,

I am trying to create a VM with it's primary hard disk as an RDM. I have an .iso file configured as the CD-ROM (which I know is working). When I switch it on the console just sits there with a (non-flashing) cursor in the top-left corner. Does anyone have any ideas?

Many thanks.

Chris

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drummonds
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

Hey, Chris,

First guess: your ISO is bad.

From your description I think that the RDM thing is a red herring. If you've configured your VM to boot from CDROM and during VM startup you've seen the VMware "POST" then the VM is booting. The next displayed text will come from the execution of its content.

Furthermore, if the VM had not been configured with the CD getting its contents from the ISO, then you would have next gone to the PXE boot sequence.

Where did your ISO come from? Do you know it to be good?

Scott

More information on my blog and on Twitter: http://vpivot.com http://twitter.com/drummonds
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acr
Champion
Champion

So you have your CD pointing to an .iso and your using RDM Disk..

Which is your system trying to boot to..?

If its the CD then simply change to boot to the Host and use a known good CD, if it boots to it then its your .iso.

Or if your system is trying to boot from the .iso, just remove it for now and allow it to boot from the Disk (RDM)..

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chris_delaney
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

I've just created a new VM with a normal virtual disk using a VMFS volume instead of an RDM and the iso was fine. I'm a bit puzzled to say the least.

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woharrow
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Are you running the RDM in Physical or Virtual Mode?

Also, make sure that when the VM is booting that it isn't trying the disk before the CD. I've seen this before and it usually means the Hard Disk volume had some sort of minimal install that failed so in the subsequent restarts the VM was booting off of the HardDisk and not the CD.

If you can - Wipe out the target of your RDM and recreate it.

Build your VM though the Custom Mode, and set your CD to .iso, \*connect at power on* and set up the RDM. If it still doesn't boot I would be surprised.

Better question is, why are you trying to set up the C:\ system disk as an RDM?

Wade

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chris_delaney
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

I'm trying to set the system disk as an RDM to determine the best way to snapshot VMs using our EqualLogic SAN. I want to use the EqualLogic tools to do the snapshotting but am running into problems when doing VMFS volumes.

Basically, snapshotting the VMFS volume is also snapshotting any additional RDM hard disks attached to that VM and I was wondering if it's a VMFS specific thing or not.

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woharrow
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

That is an interesting result.

When you snapshot the VMFS Datastore Volume you will get the RDM Pointer file for the VM on the VMFS system, however that shouldn't have any effect on the RDM volume itself.

You'll have to email me on this one.

Wade

chris_delaney
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

I've decided to use VCB for the time-being. EqualLogic are talking about sorting a VMWare-aware snapshotting tool so I can cope until then.

Thanks for all your suggestions.

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BUGCHK
Commander
Commander

I'm a bit puzzled to say the least.

A new VM is set up so that it automatically boots from the CD when it is powered on the first time. Then, VMware changes the boot order.

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