Quick Boot - Identify vmkLinux drivers

[SayNo2HyperV]

Hi,

Previously installed Dell's customized ESXi 6.7 U3 ISO installed on single flash disk and Quick boot was enabled.  Just installed Dual SD reader module and re-installed fresh installed Vmware 6.7 U3 ISO (Non Dell).  Now Quick Boot is presently disabled due to loaded vmkLinux drivers.  System PER730xd.

.

I've gone through list of loaded modules and disabled igb + ixgbe but still have other drivers loaded.

Is there a simple method to identify which non native drivers are loaded?  Looked around but not found anything to filter / separate native from vmklinux drivers.

Also reviewing https://downloads.dell.com/solutions/general-solution-resources/White%20Papers/Quick%20Boot%20on%20D...  there appears to be issue with older h730 driver but Vmware 6.7 U3 ISO installs the newer 7.708.07.00 driver.

Any clues to commands to identify which loaded module is causing compatibility fail?

Thanks.

[SayNo2HyperV]

I've identified a Intel X520 NIC as the culprit.  It has only 1 SPF+ transceiver installed.

It's using ixgben native driver, so not sure what's the deal yet...but wondering if it's complaining due to missing transceiver?

[SayNo2HyperV]

Ah ha.  Yep...ESXi decided to load wrong vmklinux_9 for missing slot / transceiver.  Tedious driver management...

Although I didn't find command to determine this but found past forum:  https://forums.servethehome.com/index.php?threads/very-strange-behaviour-with-10g-networking.12537/

esxcli network nic get –n vmnic#   - Only works with installed SPF+ transceiver. 

Not sure what command would run to find what driver is loaded for missing transceiver.  Please share if you know.

esxcli network nic get -n vmnic7

          There is no pnic with name vmnic7

As one can see the installed transceiver using proper native driver.

esxcli network nic get -n vmnic6

         Driver Info:

         Bus Info: 0000:04:00:0

         Driver: ixgben

         Firmware Version: 0x546d0001

         Version: 1.7.1.16

I need to investigate this driver more but for now the command that got Quick boot enabled was:

esxcli system module set --enabled=false --module=vmklinux_9

[SayNo2HyperV · Accepted solution]

When I installed host I couldn't get ESXi to detect link  - Though switch link was up/up.

Further investigation I discovered that 1 of the 4 X520s I had bought a while ago had come with non Intel SFP+ transceivers.

Once installed Intel SFP+ & reboot then ESxi detected link.  Then re-enabled vmklinux_9 driver & reboot.  Quick boot enabled....

So in end it was not on Vmware driver side but rather Intel's proprietary lock-down.