Can't add existing VMFS volume without deleting current disk layout

[sytel]

I have followed VMware KB: Recreating a missing VMFS datastore partition in VMware vSphere 5.0/5.1/5.5

This is what I see when adding the volume in vsphere:

How do I force it to keep the existing disk layout?

[continuum]

connect to the ESXi with putty
run
vmkfstools -V
tail /var/log/vmkernel.log

what messages are reported ?

[sytel]

2014-04-24T10:43:49.350Z cpu0:43217)<3>ata6.00: bad CDB len=16, scsi_op=0x9e, max=12

2014-04-24T10:43:49.352Z cpu0:43217)<3>ata6.00: bad CDB len=16, scsi_op=0x9e, max=12

2014-04-24T10:43:49.354Z cpu0:43217)<3>ata6.00: bad CDB len=16, scsi_op=0x9e, max=12

2014-04-24T10:43:49.356Z cpu0:43217)<3>ata6.00: bad CDB len=16, scsi_op=0x9e, max=12

2014-04-24T10:43:49.358Z cpu0:43217)<3>ata6.00: bad CDB len=16, scsi_op=0x9e, max=12

2014-04-24T10:43:49.360Z cpu0:43217)<3>ata6.00: bad CDB len=16, scsi_op=0x9e, max=12

2014-04-24T10:43:49.364Z cpu0:43217)FSS: 5051: No FS driver claimed device 'mpx.vmhba37:C0:T0:L0': Not supported

2014-04-24T10:43:49.365Z cpu0:43217)VC: 1958: Device rescan time 28 msec (total number of devices 7)

2014-04-24T10:43:49.365Z cpu0:43217)VC: 1961: Filesystem probe time 73 msec (devices probed 6 of 7)

2014-04-24T10:43:49.365Z cpu0:43217)VC: 1963: Refresh open volume time 0 msec

[admin]

Seems your partition table is having trouble. could you paste the output of the following.?

# partedUtil getptbl /vmfs/devices/disks/naa.xx

Thanks,

Avinash

[DanielOprea]

Hi,

Please, look this KB

[sytel]

~ # partedUtil getptbl /vmfs/devices/disks/naa.600605b0017dc6f019f9565921705ea6

gpt

233183 255 63 3746091008

1 2048 3746090974 AA31E02A400F11DB9590000C2911D1B8 vmfs 0

[sytel]

Can you explain how is this KB relevant to my situation?

~ # esxcli storage core device world list -d naa.600605b0017dc6f019f9565921705ea6

Device                                World ID  Open Count  World Name

------------------------------------  --------  ----------  ------------

naa.600605b0017dc6f019f9565921705ea6     34024           1  hostd-worker

naa.600605b0017dc6f019f9565921705ea6     34665           1  smartd

[sytel]

Here's additional info:

~ # esxcli storage core device list -d naa.600605b0017dc6f019f9565921705ea6

naa.600605b0017dc6f019f9565921705ea6

   Display Name: Local LSI Disk (naa.600605b0017dc6f019f9565921705ea6)

   Has Settable Display Name: true

   Size: 1829146

   Device Type: Direct-Access

   Multipath Plugin: NMP

   Devfs Path: /vmfs/devices/disks/naa.600605b0017dc6f019f9565921705ea6

   Vendor: LSI

   Model: MegaRAID 8708EM2

   Revision: 1.40

   SCSI Level: 5

   Is Pseudo: false

   Status: on

   Is RDM Capable: false

   Is Local: true

   Is Removable: false

   Is SSD: false

   Is Offline: false

   Is Perennially Reserved: false

   Queue Full Sample Size: 0

   Queue Full Threshold: 0

   Thin Provisioning Status: unknown

   Attached Filters:

   VAAI Status: unsupported

   Other UIDs: vml.0200000000600605b0017dc6f019f9565921705ea64d6567615241

   Is Local SAS Device: false

   Is Boot USB Device: false

   No of outstanding IOs with competing worlds: 32

[admin]

Hi ,

No the KB is not relevant to your situation. you already have a valid vmfs partition type.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

gpt

233183 255 63 3746091008

1 2048 3746090974 AA31E02A400F11DB9590000C2911D1B8 vmfs 0

Information :

1 :  Partition number

2048 : starting sector

3746090974  : Last usable sector

AA31E02A400F11DB9590000C2911D1B8 : VMFS 5 type.

--------------------------------

The volume may be detected as a snapshot. Run the command and let me know the output

#esxcfg-volume -l

# # esxcli storage filesystem list

[DanielOprea]

Hi,

Please upload system log of the ESX.

[sytel]

~ # esxcfg-volume -l doesn't return anything

~ # esxcli storage filesystem list

Mount Point                                        Volume Name          UUID                                 Mounted  Type             Size          Free

-------------------------------------------------  -------------------  -----------------------------------  -------  ------  -------------  ------------

/vmfs/volumes/a824465b-9bb1ba1a                    storage2-installers  a824465b-9bb1ba1a                       true  NFS     1441306165248  707243347968

/vmfs/volumes/52456485-a96b6b44-83b5-00241d7240b0  esxi7-data           52456485-a96b6b44-83b5-00241d7240b0     true  VMFS-5   291789340672   92020932608

/vmfs/volumes/f7a429ec-56a6a13f-b7a1-05a55ef7ab57                       f7a429ec-56a6a13f-b7a1-05a55ef7ab57     true  vfat        261853184      97189888

/vmfs/volumes/04da8fe4-f4450e6c-9336-6e3828894662                       04da8fe4-f4450e6c-9336-6e3828894662     true  vfat        261853184     261844992

/vmfs/volumes/52455dec-0f02886e-22fd-00241d7240b0                       52455dec-0f02886e-22fd-00241d7240b0     true  vfat        299712512      99147776

[admin]

we see only the partition table, but do not see any any files system on the device.Was this a data store that got unmounted and your trying to re-mount the volume with existing data..? or a new data store you are trying to create without any data?

[sytel]

This was a VMFS5 volume containing several vms. I've lost access to it while adding more disks to raid controller. Something got messed up after raidcontroller asked me to import foreign configurations. The drive is 2x960GB Crucial SSD in RAID 0. According to the original KB I followed, I should be able to restore volume if I can recreate the geometry, which I think I did. I was able to extract some data using DiskInternals VMFS recovery, but the most important data is still inaccessible.

Useful tip: the trial version of DiskInternals VMFS recovery doesn't let you recover files but it lets you recover found partitions as .dsk images.

[admin]

Seems this is for data recovery team, try reaching continuum

He is our data recovery specialist.

[sytel]

Ok, will do that. Thanks.

[Clouderaesp]

hi everyone . i have the same problem . any help please