esx 3.5 installation wont start

[Virtual_Jazz]

not sure what I am doing wrong, but can not get the installation to start. Keeps going into ddos. Have I missed something?

[espi3030]

Initial thoughts, sounds to me like bad/incompatible hardware. Do you have another server to to a "test" install?

[Virtual_Jazz]

yes I do, but same problem. what would likely prevent an install? Using AMD Dual core on ASUS motherboard with Adaptec 2940 controller and 3 scsi disks with 4GB of RAM

[Dave_Mishchenko]

Does the ESX cd start to boot and then stop or does it just not boot at all. If you have a usb flash drive and the motherboard supports it - you could try booting 3i from a flash drive - http://www.vm-help.com/esx/esx3i/Boot%203i%20from%20USB%20flash%20drive.html

[Virtual_Jazz]

It does boot, but goes into dos mode and stops there. My motherboard supports usb, but not quite sure what difference it would make though

[Full_Halsey]

I would try installing a different OS to validate whether or not is has anything to do with ESX.

[dmorgan]

Do you get to the point where you can validate the CD image?

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[Virtual_Jazz]

Not quite sure what you mean by validating cd image, but all i get is the cd run thru the initial setup and go straight into a dos screen. Does not attepmt to install anything. Find ths USB, the IDE and SATA drives but not the scsi, but that is about it. Not sure what next to do. Any yes I have run a full installation of Windows server 2008 with Hyper - V and it installs ok and woks like a breeze. Not complains what so ever.

And just to recap, I am using Its an ASUS M2N-SLI Deluxe AM2 motherboard with an AMD Athlon 64 X2 2.8GHz processor and 4Gbs RAM, with SATA, IDE and SCSI drives with Adaptec 2940 controller.

[espi3030]

During the install are you using a KVM to connect to the server? I have had some issues using a KVM, ranging from no video display, keyboard not responding, to un-resizeable video display. If this is the case try connecting a monitor, mouse and keyboard directly to the server. Hope this helps.

[Virtual_Jazz]

This is a standalone server, not connect thru a kvm. Initially I thought is had to do with the image I burnt, but I have since made 4 different images and they all do the same thing. Not sure if there is anything else I am required to do before putting the cd in the drive to boot and install?

[espi3030]

I would try the following:

1 - Download a fresh copy of ESX (). If you were initially installing 3i, I would try 3.5 or vice versa.

2 - On your server verify that you can install something (ie, Windows 2003 server) or anything else. You don't have to complete the install, just enough to ensure the server does boot from CD.

3 - Install your fresh download of ESX on a different server, again just to ensure the media works properly. Maybe even with different hardware specs, to rule out incompatabilities.

Hopefully this will help pinpoint the problem. Again I hope this helps you out.