VMware Cloud Community
MuVy
Contributor
Contributor

Upgrade to esxi 4 failure, unsupported host errors

When trying to upgrade my host using the vsphere host update utility I get "patching this host is not supported by utility". If I then choose upgrade, I pick the zip file, it prompts for username and password. Does a compatibility check and fails with "*

ERROR: Unsupported boot disk*

*The boot device layout on the host does not support upgrade.

I am using a lsi logic sas raid card with esxi 3.5u4 installed currently.

anyone have any ideas?

*

Reply
0 Kudos
11 Replies
Josh26
Virtuoso
Virtuoso

I'm going to assume they are getting stricter on the HCL.

Reply
0 Kudos
Dave_Mishchenko
Immortal
Immortal

What sort of hardware are you using?

Reply
0 Kudos
kahhar
Contributor
Contributor

How much space is free on each partition? The /boot partition may be giving you some trouble

as it holds the alternate boot bank (to roll back to the previous ESXi 3.5 build). If I am not mistaken,

your /boot partition needs close to 100MB of free space to upgrade to ESXi 4. You may need to

delete the alternate boot bank files on this partition before being able to upgrade.

In case something goes wrong during the upgrade, you should back up these files before

deleting them off of the /boot partition.

Reply
0 Kudos
admin
Immortal
Immortal

Check the HCL Guide:

http://www.vmware.com/resources/compatibility/search.php

ESXi 4.0 is designated for 64 bit hardware only.

VMware-GSS,

VMware Communities User Moderator

Reply
0 Kudos
MuVy
Contributor
Contributor

I am using 64bit hardware. I do have an AMD-v capable motherboard. I checked bios settings and TPM, Virtualization, etc is enabled. I am using a LSI controller. I have attached both the controller specs and the partition sizes. It looks like I can do a install from the CD but I will have to back up my VM's as I have them on the same array.

Reply
0 Kudos
Texiwill
Leadership
Leadership

Hello,

This is a major upgrade. It is far safer to reinstall than to upgrade. Specifically since the layout of the disks will be slightly different. The question has always been reinstall vs. upgrade. I find reinstalls to be quite a bit cleaner than upgrades.

Before any major upgrade you should always backup your VMs and expect some downtime. Hopefully there will not be any or very little as you will at least have to reboot the host, which means migrating the VMs to other hosts in your cluster or shutting them down if your host is stand alone.


Best regards, Edward L. Haletky VMware Communities User Moderator, VMware vExpert 2009, DABCC Analyst[/url]
Now Available on Rough-Cuts: 'VMware vSphere(TM) and Virtual Infrastructure Security: Securing ESX and the Virtual Environment'[/url]
Also available 'VMWare ESX Server in the Enterprise'[/url]
[url=http://www.astroarch.com/wiki/index.php/Blog_Roll]SearchVMware Pro[/url]|Blue Gears[/url]|Top Virtualization Security Links[/url]|Virtualization Security Round Table Podcast[/url]

--
Edward L. Haletky
vExpert XIV: 2009-2023,
VMTN Community Moderator
vSphere Upgrade Saga: https://www.astroarch.com/blogs
GitHub Repo: https://github.com/Texiwill
anuzellig
Contributor
Contributor

I'm seeing the same error when attempting to use the Host Update utility. ESXi is installed on a locally attatched SATA drive, which is also houses my Datastore. If I re-install using the ESXi install ISO, does anyone know if it will it erase the datastore?

Reply
0 Kudos
Texiwill
Leadership
Leadership

Hello,

It should not, BUT I would count on it and perform a backup of the VMs. Always play it safe with major upgrades.


Best regards, Edward L. Haletky VMware Communities User Moderator, VMware vExpert 2009, DABCC Analyst[/url]
Now Available on Rough-Cuts: 'VMware vSphere(TM) and Virtual Infrastructure Security: Securing ESX and the Virtual Environment'[/url]
Also available 'VMWare ESX Server in the Enterprise'[/url]
[url=http://www.astroarch.com/wiki/index.php/Blog_Roll]SearchVMware Pro[/url]|Blue Gears[/url]|Top Virtualization Security Links[/url]|Virtualization Security Round Table Podcast[/url]

--
Edward L. Haletky
vExpert XIV: 2009-2023,
VMTN Community Moderator
vSphere Upgrade Saga: https://www.astroarch.com/blogs
GitHub Repo: https://github.com/Texiwill
Reply
0 Kudos
MuVy
Contributor
Contributor

Update

I have backed up my VM's and did a clean install. It installed with no issues. All hardware was recognized, and I imported my VM's back with no issues.

Now the upgrading of vmware tools and the virtual hardware was a nightmare. My first VM upgraded the tools and hardware with no issues, 2k3 server. Then the trouble started on the 2nd server also 2k3, the vmware tools upgrade said it had installed sucessfully, I rebooted and attempted the virtual hardware and it came up with a message saying tools were not updated. This happened on the rest of my servers as well, except my 2k8 server, it tool alot longer to upgrade the tools but it worked with no issues. I ended up having to uninstall and reinstall Vmware tools on the other 4 servers. After several reboots of each server and 3 hours, I had sucessfully upgraded all the servers.

Some of the things I have noticed today since the upgrade yesterday.

1. the console from the vsphere client hangs on all servers, and it also hangs the vsphere client as well

2. I am getting a vmdebug warnings on all servers in the system event logs.

3. I am getting a vmscsi error on all servers in the system event logs "The following boot-start or system-start driver(s) failed to load: vmscsi" at bootup.

Reply
0 Kudos
Texiwill
Leadership
Leadership

Hello,

I have backed up my VM's and did a clean install. It installed with no issues. All hardware was recognized, and I imported my VM's back with no issues.

Great news.

Now the upgrading of vmware tools and the virtual hardware was a nightmare. My first VM upgraded the tools and hardware with no issues, 2k3 server. Then the trouble started on the 2nd server also 2k3, the vmware tools upgrade said it had installed sucessfully, I rebooted and attempted the virtual hardware and it came up with a message saying tools were not updated. This happened on the rest of my servers as well, except my 2k8 server, it tool alot longer to upgrade the tools but it worked with no issues. I ended up having to uninstall and reinstall Vmware tools on the other 4 servers. After several reboots of each server and 3 hours, I had sucessfully upgraded all the servers.

Not so great.

Some of the things I have noticed today since the upgrade yesterday.

1. the console from the vsphere client hangs on all servers, and it also hangs the vsphere client as well

From the machine running vSphere CLient can you ping the service console, etc. Are you connecting through vCenter or direct to vSphere?

2. I am getting a vmdebug warnings on all servers in the system event logs.

Could be related to #3.

3. I am getting a vmscsi error on all servers in the system event logs "The following boot-start or system-start driver(s) failed to load: vmscsi" at bootup.

vmscsi is the paravirtualized SCSI driver that does not work on Disk0 only other Disks for any windows 2003 server. You may just not need this driver and could easily keep it from loading.

The upgrade issues could also be the cause of the problem. I have not experienced these yet, but if it was me, I would verify that the virtual hardware was upgraded properly and that the vmware tools are installed properly.


Best regards, Edward L. Haletky VMware Communities User Moderator, VMware vExpert 2009, DABCC Analyst[/url]
Now Available on Rough-Cuts: 'VMware vSphere(TM) and Virtual Infrastructure Security: Securing ESX and the Virtual Environment'[/url]
Also available 'VMWare ESX Server in the Enterprise'[/url]
[url=http://www.astroarch.com/wiki/index.php/Blog_Roll]SearchVMware Pro[/url]|Blue Gears[/url]|Top Virtualization Security Links[/url]|Virtualization Security Round Table Podcast[/url]

--
Edward L. Haletky
vExpert XIV: 2009-2023,
VMTN Community Moderator
vSphere Upgrade Saga: https://www.astroarch.com/blogs
GitHub Repo: https://github.com/Texiwill
Reply
0 Kudos
MuVy
Contributor
Contributor

I can ping the client but I am getting some abnormal ping responses, out of the 4 pings I will get <1 ms response which is what it should be on 3 out of the 4, and then the odd one will be 15-30 ms response, and its not the same order every time. I am connected direct to vsphere.

I have removed the driver and the vmdebug warnings and the bootup error is now gone Smiley Happy

I have checked the vmware tools and all are listed as 4.0

I am not sure how to verify the virtual hardware. I will do some more investigation.

thank you for the help Smiley Happy

Reply
0 Kudos