topic Re: esxi cannot boot after updating to 6.7 u3! how to fix it? in ESXi Discussions

esxi cannot boot after updating to 6.7 u3! how to fix it?

liusirjiayou — Wed, 21 Aug 2019 06:00:48 GMT

esxi cannot boot after updating to 6.7 u3! how to fix it?

here is the error message "Shutting down firmware services... Page allocation error: Out of resources Failed to shutdown the boot services. Unrecoverable error"

Re: esxi cannot boot after updating to 6.7 u3! how to fix it?

asajm — Wed, 21 Aug 2019 06:40:47 GMT

Hi liusirjiayou

Is your hardware compatible with ESXi version?

VMware Compatibility Guide - System Search

Re: esxi cannot boot after updating to 6.7 u3! how to fix it?

liusirjiayou — Wed, 21 Aug 2019 07:12:39 GMT

Thanks for the quick response.

I don’t think there is compatibility issue, for everything works well before updating to u3. I’ve been used this device for quite a long time. For the moment, I also tried the u3 installation CD and still got the same error.

Would it be possible a bug in the u3 update?

Re: esxi cannot boot after updating to 6.7 u3! how to fix it?

asajm — Wed, 21 Aug 2019 07:30:51 GMT

Did you check the log?

Re: esxi cannot boot after updating to 6.7 u3! how to fix it?

DRAGONKZ — Wed, 21 Aug 2019 10:24:46 GMT

I'm getting the exact same error on one of my Cisco C220 M3 servers I just tried to update.

I had no issues updating my Dell R630.

Edit - Additional info if it helps, I was running the latest build of 6.7 U2 prior to running the upgrade. (Build 13981272)

All firmware versions are the latest for all servers.

All servers are configured for UEFI Secure boot.

The normal "roll back to previous ESXi installation" option is not there if you select recovery options, only my "current" installation is listed.

Re: esxi cannot boot after updating to 6.7 u3! how to fix it?

jeremyschiwal — Wed, 21 Aug 2019 14:55:06 GMT

I'm having the same issue in my home lab. The machine in question is a Precision T5610.

Re: esxi cannot boot after updating to 6.7 u3! how to fix it?

meoli — Wed, 21 Aug 2019 16:20:18 GMT

What hardware do you use?

I created a bootable usb-stick, because i need to tweak the iso anyways (whitelisting stuff, additional vibs).

But so far it boots up from the fresh install and is working nicely.

Maybe i'm going to update one esxi later... to see if i get the same error.

Re: esxi cannot boot after updating to 6.7 u3! how to fix it?

MikeTheMan2019 — Wed, 21 Aug 2019 16:36:30 GMT

I had this exact error on one of my two vm hosts. Problem was one was running Boot USB Legacy and the odder one was running UEFI boot

When i changed UEFI to USB Legacy it worked again.

//MIcke

Re: esxi cannot boot after updating to 6.7 u3! how to fix it?

FoW — Wed, 21 Aug 2019 17:31:48 GMT

Please try to Legacy Only boot.

Re: esxi cannot boot after updating to 6.7 u3! how to fix it?

StanJurena — Wed, 21 Aug 2019 20:20:21 GMT

I've been having exactly this problem on my NUC D54250WYK (I know unsupported but it is used only to host vSAN witness appliance). After initial Upgrade to 6.7 U3 it failed to boot with the same error. While using installation cd/usb it failed to load yellow boot screen with the same error (right after loading kernel modules).

Solution which helped me

- update bios (minor and in this case not so relevant)

- disable UEFI / use only legacy boot (mandatory)

- disable VT-d (mandatory)

After above system is able to load 6.7 U3 without any problems. Luckily my C240 M4 with UEFI for vSAN were not haviny any issues.

Re: esxi cannot boot after updating to 6.7 u3! how to fix it?

DRAGONKZ — Thu, 22 Aug 2019 00:56:32 GMT

I've got my C220 M3 working by swapping to legacy BIOS, but I don't consider this to be a permanent solution!

I tried a few combinations of UEFI (no secure boot), UEFI with secure boot, and legacy BIOS, and the only work that works is legacy BIOS.

After changing I could boot the server, and then successfully apply the U3 patches.

Interestingly enough a UEFI enabled host has an extra patch required versus legacy BIOS.

I'll try the update on my C220 M4s over the next few days.

In the meantime i'll leave my 1 x C220 M3 as legacy BIOS, and not bother running the update on my other M3 which is still running with UEFI secure boot on the latest 6.7 U2.

Something in U3 appears to have broken UEFI boot on "older" servers/computers

Re: esxi cannot boot after updating to 6.7 u3! how to fix it?

superwolfboy — Thu, 22 Aug 2019 12:57:40 GMT

Same error,

Hope VMware can do something necessary.

Re: esxi cannot boot after updating to 6.7 u3! how to fix it?

Snify — Thu, 22 Aug 2019 15:28:07 GMT

This is actually not good...

My BIOS thinks, when I am trying to boot LEGACY with a GPT formated drive, that the partition table (format) is invalid.

I have to manually dismiss this message during boot. After that I can normally boot to ESXi.

Problem is: Now I can't "restart" ESXi remotely cause I have to be physically present every time my server starts up.

Any suggestions on how to make a mbr partition - which can actually boot a GPT drive, so I don't get this message?

Also: Is the legacy thing something that will be permament from now on - or is this temporarly only for 6.7U3?

Re: esxi cannot boot after updating to 6.7 u3! how to fix it?

sorenfriis — Fri, 23 Aug 2019 15:17:34 GMT

I have the same problem on my DC3217IYE with latest BIOS. I have tried different BIOS configurations regarding UEFI and Legacy boot. Whenever I have UEFI enabled, I see the "Page allocation error" When I disable UEFI, the PC doesn't find any boot device I tried disabling VT-d as suggested without help Also tried various combinations of secure boot settings, but so far without luck. Any tips?

Re: esxi cannot boot after updating to 6.7 u3! how to fix it?

TimMann — Fri, 23 Aug 2019 20:37:06 GMT

Thanks to everyone who reported this. We've found the bug and are testing a fix.

Booting in legacy BIOS mode is the easiest workaround. However I realize some of you have systems that won't boot in that mode for one reason or another.

You might consider reinstalling 6.7u2, using the option to preserve VMFS volumes on the disk. That's the next most straightforward solution for now, though obviously there is some pain in that...

I'll post again if I think of a better workaround or a way to make the fix available in advance of the next release.

Re: esxi cannot boot after updating to 6.7 u3! how to fix it?

Snify — Sat, 24 Aug 2019 20:34:11 GMT

So this is a bug and will be fixed? I am not sure if this was intended to work like this now or if this was a "mistake"...

Thanks for the reply.

Re: esxi cannot boot after updating to 6.7 u3! how to fix it?

bakerjw1 — Mon, 26 Aug 2019 11:11:01 GMT

I am running ESXi on HP Z620 and Z640 workstations.

After this weekends patch and upgrade session, the Z640's are running and the Z620's give this error.

So far, I have not been able to find a legacy boot option in the bios...

And since the hardware is not supported, we cannot get any support.

Hopefully they get this fixed in a future update.

Re: esxi cannot boot after updating to 6.7 u3! how to fix it?

TheExpert — Mon, 26 Aug 2019 18:07:09 GMT

Hi all,

I've got the same issue with a Dell Precision T1650 and probably two Dell PowerEdge T20 (not tested on T20, but they have nearly the same hardware as T1650).

First I switched from UEFI to legacy boot and the update procedure tasks were running. After that I switched back to UEFI and ESXi booted with build 13981272 instead of the build of update 3.

I won't upgrade anymore before there will be a fix for this issue.

Kind Regards.

Re: esxi cannot boot after updating to 6.7 u3! how to fix it?

oliera — Tue, 27 Aug 2019 03:38:54 GMT

Same exact issue with HP Z230. I was able to enable legacy boot in the BIOS, boot up and revert to ESXi-6.7.0-20190604001-standard

HP Z230 does not allow legacy boot by default, only when F9 is pressed during POST will it actually show the legacy boot options.

Re: esxi cannot boot after updating to 6.7 u3! how to fix it?

ashishsingh1508 — Tue, 27 Aug 2019 06:50:40 GMT

Yes, this seems to be a BUG. As Tim said, he will be updating the thread once he identify the fix