VMware ESXi 4 on Dell PowerEdge 2950 CDROM Missing in VMs

[sophtware]

Hi All,

I've installed VMware 4.0 on my Dell PowerEdge 2950, and everything installs fine. I got the ISO image from the Dell support site and from the VMware site. I have installed both with the same problem, once installed, the CDROM will not show up in any virtual machine I create.

I've changed the boot settings, the order of the boot, played with BIOS settings, and no matter what I do, when I start the VM and open a console window and attempt to connect to the CDROM, a message shows saying the device is disconnected.

I've reinstalled Windows on the box, went to Dell's support site and applied every BIOS, patch, and firmware update to the box. Including the one for the TEAC CDROM, which is in my box.

Has anyone had this problem before? If so, how do I fix it? I really need this to work soon. Without a CDROM, I can't install any software like SQL Server and others.

Kind Regards,

Michael Lange

[r_lam]

Does the CD-ROM drive show at the "Storage Adapter" section on the ESX host?

[sophtware]

Yes.

This is how it shows in the Storage Adapter section:

631xESB/632xESB IDE Controller

vmhba0 Block SCSI

Details:

Name: TEAC CD-ROM (mpx.vmhba0:C0:T0:L0)

Identifier: mpx.vmhba0:C0:T0:L0

Runtime Name: vmhba0:C0:T0:L0

LUN: 0

Type: CDROM

Transport: Block Adapter

Capacity:

Owner: NMP

Under Paths, the Status is Active (I/O)

Any ideas? This is driving me nuts!

-- Mike

[bulletprooffool · Accepted solution]

I presume you added a CDROm for the VMs?

Did you then specify 'connected/connected at power on' on the VM settings page? (I know this is generally obvious . . .but I made this very mistake once this week . . .accidentally added the CDROM to the wrong VM.

What OS does your VM run and do you have the VMTools installed?

If issuing a VMtools install on a windows host works, then the Cd drive is functioning as ESX uses the virtual CD Rom to install the tools.

[sophtware]

When I create a new VM there is already a CDROM device listed. But, since you said that, I went in and added a NEW one to the VM, and that worked! Now 2 CDROM show up, but only the 2nd one I just added works. Screwy, but it's working now. Thanks!

[RPelzer]

What would be the case is the device is not shown under the "Storage Adapter" ?

btw this is under ESXi 4.0