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carsontu
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How to install SATA RAID Controller, LSI MEGARAID 150-4 driver on ESX 3.01 or 3.5

I heard that LSI MEGARAID 150-4 SATA RAID controller works in ESX. I just bought one. However, when I was installing ESX 3.01 or 3.5, the RAID controller couldn't be installed. I manually selected from the list. Didn't work. Then I downloaded the 150-4 Liunx driver from LSI website, extracted it into floppy. then back into installation and choose have disk, no lucky. Then I thought that maybe the ESX linux doesn't recognize the floppy format from windows, then I was trying to create the driver disk in unix. However, LSI driver disk became 1.7MB in Unix (solaris 10, virtual) after gzip or unzip it. It's single file, it can't fix into on floppy disk. How can I get it work?

Is there anybody who can share the experience with detail procedure that how to install SATA DAID controller in ESX? I have not try ESX 2.5 yet. Does the ESX version makes difference?

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Beerfloat
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Mikedenie: Thanks for the posts.

The currently firmware version is 713R, there is newer version 713S released since 5/24/2007. I will try the fireware update. What is your current 150-4 firmware version?

It's 713S

Regarding the CDROM, I was using an old CDROM from another old Compaq system. It's IDE. I attatch it to the only IDE port on P5K Green. Only this CDROM are attached to this port. I think this message shall not for the CDROM. Because it lets CD to boot... The error should be for the RAID. Because when it reports this error, it gives options to manually select the driver. All the items in that list are RAID controllers.

That's because the J-Micron controller (which also happens to run that single IDE port) is in fact a RAID controller and the service console can tell because it is reading the PCI device type.

Yes, the first stage of the installer will certainly boot from your CDROM drive through BIOS support, but then the service console starts. Which needs drivers for any hardware that it is going to access. There is no driver for the J-Micron controller and therefore the service console is unable to find the file stage2.img, which contains the second stage of the installer.

Trust me on this: You are going to have to look into another installation method, like NFS, FTP, or a temporary SCSI CDROM. I've used all of them succesfully.

However, for net based installations - and for having net access once ESX is up and running - you have another roadblock to overcome. The P5K has only an Attansic Ethernet controller onboard, which isn't supported either. I'm using PCI Intel E1000s for that.

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Dave_Mishchenko
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Hi, ESX uses a Linux Virtual Machine, but the vmkernel itself is not Linux based and you'll thus not be able to add any Linux drivers. The Megaraid 150-4 should work for you, but it is not supported. Do you get any specific error and have you created a RAID array from the disks attached to the controller? You'll need to create a RAID set to hide the actual drives from ESX otherwise they will be recognized as SATA and ESX won't install.

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carsontu
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I tried both configure hardware RAID (by ctrl+M) before installing ESX, or install ESX without pre-configured RAID. I got both the same error like "driver not found" (I will catch the exact word of the error message after I go home today.), then you got chance to manually select the driver from drop-down list, or choose have disk. None of them worked. Thanks for the link you provided. I've read that, but there isn't info that I need there.

Question:

1) Has anybody make SATA RAID works under ESX 3.x?

2) If linux driver won't work, what driver I shall download? Or it means, once I configure the hardward RAID, ESX shall just let it go? Seems not.

**Do you get any specific error and have you created a RAID array from the disks attached to the controller?

==> Actually, I was not able to see any controller and disk. So not even able to start configure the disk yet (from ESX). Configure hardware RAID is ok, but it doesn't help to let ESX installation continue (will get the same error and you couldn't go any further.)

3) How do you supply the driver disk? By floppy? Use what tool to create that disk?

Thanks a lot for any input.

Message was edited by: carsontu

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oreeh
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1) Has anybody make SATA RAID works under ESX 3.x?

Yes, but I didn't use the MegaRAID (I simply didn't had one available)

2) If linux driver won't work, what driver I shall download? Or it means, once I configure the hardward RAID, ESX shall just let it go? Seems not.

ESX 3.x already has the required drivers built-in

carsontu
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Oreeh, Thanks for the input.

What kind of RAID controller did you use?

Did you pre-configure hardware RAID before installing ESX?

If ESX didn't automaticall recognize the RAID controller, what option did you choose manually?

Thanks.

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oreeh
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I only did a quick test with an Adaptec 2610SA and I created the RAID before installing ESX.

Since ESX automatically recongnized the controller there was no need to do manual configuration.

Dave_Mishchenko
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I use the 150-4 and it is recognized by the install without adding drivers. After you created the RAID array did you initialize the drive?

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carsontu
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I just came back home and tried again.

I created a pre-configured RAID 5 and initialed it. ESX 3.5 still report the same error:

"No driver found

Unable to find any devices of the type needed for this installation..."

...sorry, seems that I cause a lot of trouble.

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carsontu
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I am using ASUS P5K Green motherboard. It has 32-bit PCI slot only. The 150-4 card is 64-bit. Almost all desktop motherboard don't 64-bit PCI slot. I called LSI support last week. They said that this card will work on 32-bit slot. It will just get the half speed. I setup both windows 2000 and 2003 successfully (need F6=>S, and supply the manufacture driver though.), which proved that this card works. Actually, both windows 2000 and 2003, after I installed the OS, power down the machine, the second day, the system won't boot. I find out the RAID configuration is still there, but the window partition is disappeared. Could this because of the card problem?

I also check the jumper setting on the card. For J1 jumper, and manual came with card says it should "installed", but the manual from LSI support site says J1 is for internal use which should not be installed. It is confusing. I choose to follow LSI website and leave it not install. ( The J1 jumper is 3-pin, the connector came with the card is 2-pin, can't connect anyway)

Now I am wonder if the card is bad, (but it did let window 2000/2003 install through).

The ESX just can't recognize this card.

BTW this card is LSI MegaRAID 150-4D. Does 150-4D difference with 150-4? I bought it here:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16816118015

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Beerfloat
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I'm not sure whether the 150-4D is a different card than the 150-4, but I don't think it is. The 150-4 works fine in 32-bit PCI slots and I have been running mine on the exact same Asus P5K motherboard for some months now. I originally installed it with ESX 3.02 and it was recognised right away, and in the meanwhile the installation has been upgraded to 3.02 update 1 and 3.5 and it continues to work. The install programs load the megaraid driver and detect it without a hitch every time.

Not being near the machine at this time, I can't verify but I believe I left J1 open.

It's probably worth mentioning that I actually use an LSI U-320 SCSI controller for my ESX boot environment (works with the same driver) and only have my VMFS drives on the 150-4, but it shouldn't matter. The 150-4 is able to host everything.

I did upgrade to the latest firmware from LSI before attempting to install ESX. Have a look at their site under:

http://www.lsi.com/storage_home/products_home/internal_raid/megaraid_sata/megaraid_sata_1504/index.h...

Also, I wouldn't try to run this card in write-back cache mode if you don't have a battery backed memory module installed. I've had corruption even if the OS appeared to shutdown correctly. Stick to write-through and it is reliable.

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Beerfloat
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I just came back home and tried again.

I created a pre-configured RAID 5 and initialed it. ESX 3.5 still report the same error:

"No driver found

Unable to find any devices of the type needed for this installation..."

...sorry, seems that I cause a lot of trouble.

BTW, just a thought that occurred to me, are you sure it is really your RAID array it is complaining about? Because the ESX installer will not work from a CDROM drive attached to the J-Micron controller or from the P5K's internal SATA ports, and will complain with a similar message.

It is possible to boot the installer from a PATA CDROM attached to the J-Micron, but you will have to select a method other than CDROM for loading the second stage (I use an FTP-server).

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carsontu
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Mikedenie: Thanks for the posts.

The currently firmware version is 713R, there is newer version 713S released since 5/24/2007. I will try the fireware update. What is your current 150-4 firmware version?

Regarding the CDROM, I was using an old CDROM from another old Compaq system. It's IDE. I attatch it to the only IDE port on P5K Green. Only this CDROM are attached to this port. I think this message shall not for the CDROM. Because it lets CD to boot... The error should be for the RAID. Because when it reports this error, it gives options to manually select the driver. All the items in that list are RAID controllers.

Last night, I also created 150-4 floppy driver disk (Redhat/2.10.9.0) using solaris dd command. Both ESX 3.01 and 3.5 were able to read the floppy this time, but still says that the driver doesn't match. Well, I am not sure if I should keep trying other drivers. All of you guys are saying the ESX will install the 150-4 automatically...

Right now, the installation of Windows 2003 and 2003 are fine. All 4 SATA HD are detected. RAID 1 and RAID 0 is currently configured for testing.

BTW, in previous post, I was mentioning the Win2k/2k3 doesn't boot after shutdown. I take it back. I figured out that was my problem. It is BIOS setting problem, (Was because of the motherboard didn't always let HDD/RAID boot before CDROM, I disabled HDD/RAID boot. So it always need CD in CDROM to boot. Latterly I figure out F8 will help to resolve it. This is not relevent to this discussion.)

I just got ESX 2.5.4 image. I will try this version tonight.

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Beerfloat
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Mikedenie: Thanks for the posts.

The currently firmware version is 713R, there is newer version 713S released since 5/24/2007. I will try the fireware update. What is your current 150-4 firmware version?

It's 713S

Regarding the CDROM, I was using an old CDROM from another old Compaq system. It's IDE. I attatch it to the only IDE port on P5K Green. Only this CDROM are attached to this port. I think this message shall not for the CDROM. Because it lets CD to boot... The error should be for the RAID. Because when it reports this error, it gives options to manually select the driver. All the items in that list are RAID controllers.

That's because the J-Micron controller (which also happens to run that single IDE port) is in fact a RAID controller and the service console can tell because it is reading the PCI device type.

Yes, the first stage of the installer will certainly boot from your CDROM drive through BIOS support, but then the service console starts. Which needs drivers for any hardware that it is going to access. There is no driver for the J-Micron controller and therefore the service console is unable to find the file stage2.img, which contains the second stage of the installer.

Trust me on this: You are going to have to look into another installation method, like NFS, FTP, or a temporary SCSI CDROM. I've used all of them succesfully.

However, for net based installations - and for having net access once ESX is up and running - you have another roadblock to overcome. The P5K has only an Attansic Ethernet controller onboard, which isn't supported either. I'm using PCI Intel E1000s for that.

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carsontu
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Mikedenie:

I have good feeling about what you just said. I will try it tonight. I have not tried FTP or NFS installation before. I need to figure out how to do that.

What if I disable JMicron RAID in BIOS? Will try.

For the NIC card, the onboard one is not even recognize automatically by windows 2003. I can image there will be problem in ESX. I have a spare D-Link DFX-5xx(?). I bought that because it is compatible with Solaris. I hope that one works in ESX.

Another good thing is that, after 1+ week struggling on this, it seems that there are still things to try, ways to go.

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carsontu
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Important update:

I tried ESX 2.5.4 it WORKS for LSI MegaRAID 150-4D (Firmware 713R) without addition driver! I will try updating MegaRAID firmware to 713S, see if that make it work for ESX 3.01 and up.

However, I it does like mikedenie say, NIC card is the next problem now. It is now reporting error for the NIC card and force to exit installation. Both of my NIC cards are not supported (P5K onboard NIC and D-Link DFE-530TX).

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Dave_Mishchenko
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If you have an Intel Pro / 1000 around that should work. Ideally it would be one of the cards here http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vi35_io_guide.pdf

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carsontu
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Alright, I happen to have a Intel Pro 1000 NIC card. The ESX 2.5.4 has been installed successfully!

I think update firmware for 150-4 will make it work under ESX 3.X. But will try it later.

Thanks everyone for the help!!

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carsontu
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Update:

I update the firmware to 713S. However, ESX 3.01 and 3.5 still can't be installed. I may try network installation later.

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carsontu
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Mikedenie is right. I was able to install ESX 3.5 by FTP installation just now. It's upgrade (ESX 2.5.4 to 3.5) this time.

It is easy. Just setup a FTP server. Copy ESX CD to FTP root folder. Then boot the server by ESX 3.5 CD, choose FTP...

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Beerfloat
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Glad to hear it, enjoy your shiny new ESX box!

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