PSOD in ESXi 5.5 - Where to start?

[Beano75]

Hi

I am a complete novice with VMware but have recently made the switch from Hyper V as recommended by a colleague for one particular installation.

With the first VM host we have installed, I have discovered they have had 3 PSOD's since the install. I have been looking through the 'vmkernal.log' to see if I can uncover nay information that might help me discover what is happening, but am basically learning as I go as long...and struggling!  Any help on where to look, what to look for and what it means will be helpful.  I'll gladly post the vmkernal.log, if I know its relevant.

[Linjo]

PSOD:s are most often hardware related so first make sure that your hardware is on the VMware HCL and is fully updated with bios, firmware etc.

Next to do is to update the VMware software to the latest versions (Currently 5.5U1) to make sure no known bugs are causing this.

If there is still issues I would recommend to open a Support Issue with VMware Support. (Assuming you have a support agreement)

// Linjo

[admin]

Do you have a screenshot or photograph of the PSOD?  That might yield the quickest resolution.  If not, see http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1004128 for instructions on obtaining a vm-support bundle.

[Beano75]

Server hardware is on the HCL. but no screen shots of the PSOD.  I was hoping to find this in a log file somewhere?

$299 for one off support, so I was kind of hoping to at least get an idea of the error before contemplating that route... bit expensive to be told 'Yes, its hardware..'

Currently 5.5 so will update ESXi... but would still like to examine a log file of the PSOD to see what maybe caused it as 'waiting for the next one' doesn't site right.

[admin]

See the referenced KB article for instructions on generating the vm-support bundle.  You'll get a compressed tar file, and the relevant vmkernel.log file will be in there.

[Beano75]

is the vmkernal.log file I currently have access to not the correct one then?

[admin]

No, but if you have persistent scratch space configured, you may find the rotated log under /scratch/log.

[Beano75]

Ok, I've created a VPN to site connected to the host and then exported the compressed files within vSphere client.

In the .TGZ file, their was a .TAR file which contains a number of logs.. what next?

[admin]

Now, hopefully, you have a vmkernel-zdump in the vm-support bundle.  See http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1006796 for instructions on extracting the vmkernel.log from the vmkernel-zdump.

[Beano75]

There's about 1166 files in the vm-support bundle, of which 120 are vmkernel-zdump.FRAG-x one .2 and one .sh...

I'm struggling with the links you're posting as they refer to running things from the console, but I only have access to a vSphere client.  Again, I must stress, I am an absolute novice with this, as our chap who normally deals with VMware is not around for one reason or another and so I appreciate your patience with me on this...

[admin]

From the vSphere Client, you can enable ssh access to the ESXi host.  Look under the Configuration tab for the host.  On the left, under Software, click on Security Profile.  Then, on the right, enable the SSH service and open the SSH port in the firewall.  Then you can ssh into the host and follow the console instructions from the KB articles.

[admin]

This looks like a decent novice walk-through: http://frankstechsupport.wordpress.com/2014/06/10/diagnosing-a-psod/