Core 2 Duo

[burnswilcox]

Has anyone had any luck installing ESX 3.0 on a Core 2 duo system? If so, can you share

MB

Ram..

[burnswilcox]

wow, no configs with this setup?

[soleblazer]

I dont think those are on the HCL....many have been burned by support, if you have an issue and your hardware is not on the HCL Vmware tells you to talk to the hand

[frankdenneman]

Ok,

I've got one box running.

I've build two machines with the same hardware except the disk subsystem.

One box is using SCSI, the other SATA.

I've got the "server" with scsi up and running.

It's fast, but there are two things I do not like about this motherboard.

Specs:

CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 (S775, 2x2.4GHz, 4MB, 1066MHz FSB, Boxed)

Motherboard: Asus P5B-V, G965 (ATX, PCI-e, Sound, LAN, SATA II, RAID)

Memory: 2x Kingston KVR533D2N4K2/2G, 2048 MB, DDR2, PC4200, 533 MHz, 2 x 1024 (4096 total)

VGA: onboard

Disk controller: Adaptec AH29160

Disk: Seagate Cheetah X15-36LP, 36,7GB

Fibre channel adapter: Qlogic 2200 (1Gb)

Nic: Intel PRO/1000 MT Dual Port server adapter (PWLA8492MT)

DVD: NEC AD-7173 18x

Powersupply: Tagan TG430-U15, 430W (ATX 2.02, PCI-e)

Problem 1[/b]

The box has 4 x 1GB dimms installed, but at boot the system reports it has 2808 MB installed.

And I thought I got a raw deal with my old server, a dual xeon 2.8 on a pc-dl deluxe.

It reported it got 3.6gb instead of the installed 4096MB.

It can always get more worse apparently.

I've switched dimms, placed only in the first 2 banks and there is nothing wrong with the memory, so it was a rtfm moment.

And lo and behold, it's mentioned in the user guide:

if you install four 1gb memory modules, the system may detect less than 3GB of total memory, because..."[/i]

If you install 2GB the board uses 16mb for cool and quite options and 128mb/256mb for vga.

Problem 2[/b]

The board is equipped with Jmicron controller which also is responsible for the ide and floppy port. It uses a kind of sata to pata conversion.

ESX boots up, reads the cd, once you're past the keyboard choice, it shows that it hasn't got a driver to read the medium.

You can choose between a couple of drivers, but none of them work.

ESX also gives you a choice to install from other media and locations.

I've installed ESX via een FTP-site.

ESX is running fine, it's not supported, but it doesn't have to since it's in a lab-enviroment.

It works on the specs of my system, but i wouldn't recommend using this motherboard.

[burnswilcox]

well, as 1 vcp to another. I am sure you dont have 3x 2900 dells in your home. I not only want to master the product, but as a reseller, it would best to be over pre-paired in installing, support, and the configuration of the product. It is unfeasable for anyone to purchase 3x highend servers, just to practice drs, ha, and simple p2v's..

As engineers we are always stressed to know the product in and out, and as a consultant, my only study time is at home, not in a Lab provided by my customers.

I only seek test environments, to fully untap the capabilities of the product, not to short change Vmware.... and talk to the hand you say...

Well lets just say, i have ripped our regional a NEW ONE. For her mis-information, and her lack of support. First she shuns me for wasting her 15 min of her precious time. Then when i sell a 20 server esx install, she starts sweating me.. So in my wisdom, i have our florida office make the deal, through a different region.. Many ways to respond to the hand..

But back to a Lab environment. I am focused as well as many others, into getting a decent, yet speed test environment up and running. INstead of crying HCL police, how about offering some constructive input.

Mention EBAY, naturally, WELL i would like somehting current, other than p3's or p4's xeon servers.

[burnswilcox]

Update:

With Frank D, and myself working together. Seems that using a intel board with 965 chipset works under ESX 3.x. Performance is as expected, not the BEST. But for a proof of concept, VMTN Dev server, does the job.

The MB does work. i did have to preform a FTP install. Something with the IDE controller. And using a p4 3.0 ghz cpu i get a mps error. When i switched to the e6400 the error went away. Not the best MB to utilize, BUT it does indeed work.

MB=DG965WH 965 chipset.

cpu- e6400

4x 1gb ddr2 667mhz mem

adaptec 29160 2x 36gb 15k, 1x 140gb 10k

dual port intel 1000mt.

Message was edited by:

burnswilcox

[frankdenneman]

Update on the memory problem of robbing at least 1,2GB.

In the bios there's an option in the North Bridge Configuration.

Default the Memory Remap Feature is set to disable, this allows the bios to reserve 1.2 GB for what ASUS calls "other critical functions" which I think is bollocks.

If you enable this feature you get your memory back.

(You might suspect they hired someone from MS to write this BIOS)

4096 can be used now, minus the 8mb which the vga controller uses.

This can also be set to 1mb if you want to be Ebenezer Scrooge to your system.

Which I did of course

When the system boots it shows 4095 MB.

That's much better, thank you MS-ASUS!

[Jason_Shave]

I too have a P5B and have been trying to get ESX installed. How did you get it to go via FTP?

[frankdenneman]

Jason,

The p5B has got a sata cdrom controller, ESX doesn't have a driver for it.

You can start from the cd, but once the install program wants to load certain files, it will ask you were to get it.

I've used the FTP option, but you can also install it from a NFS share.

On a gig network it's faster than installing from cd.

If you can return the board, do so.

Buy the ASUS P5M2/SAS board.

ESX\ Service console doesn't see the cdrom player.

I've installed my VM's via an ISO placed on an NFS share.

The onboard nic isn't used aswell.

Executive summary for future buyers:

Buy the Asus p5m2/sas board, stay away from this board.

[Jason_Shave]

Thank you for replying. I've purchased an Intel board this weekend since I wasn't sure if I would get a reply and I've been itching to get this thing going.

the Intel board doesn't work either. I've tried an IDE CD-ROM drive and a SATA drive...no luck.

Anyway, I'll return the Intel board and try the P5M2. As for using NFS, I couldn't get either board to work as it keeps asking for a drvier disk.

Which NIC are you presently using?

[skarkar]

Update:

With Frank D, and myself working together. Seems that

using a intel board with 965 chipset works under ESX

3.x. Performance is as expected, not the BEST. But

for a proof of concept, VMTN Dev server, does the

job.

The MB does work. i did have to preform a FTP

install. Something with the IDE controller. And using

a p4 3.0 ghz cpu i get a mps error. When i switched

to the e6400 the error went away. Not the best MB to

utilize, BUT it does indeed work.

MB=DG965WH 965 chipset.

cpu- e6400

4x 1gb ddr2 667mhz mem

adaptec 29160 2x 36gb 15k, 1x 140gb 10k

dual port intel 1000mt.

Message was edited by:

burnswilcox

I've got a P5B too with a C2D chip. I'm stuck at this same missing medium page asking for drivers. How do I perform a FTP install? Just a URL to the docs should be enough.

[frankdenneman]

Hi

If it asks for drivers than I think you don't use a NIC or a diskcontroller who is supported by VMware. By supported I mean that the item can function with drivers build in and used by ESX.

What nic and disk controller do you use?

[skarkar]

Hi

If it asks for drivers than I think you don't use a

NIC or a diskcontroller who is supported by VMware.

By supported I mean that the item can function with

drivers build in and used by ESX.

What nic and disk controller do you use?

Disk Controller is Intel for SATA HDDs and JMicron for IDE, while the NIC is Intel pro/1000. Probably the NIC works, as I haven't tried FTP install. My older P III xeons worked fine, but they're a bit long in the tooth now, so this setup should be faster. Just that this board has its own idiosyncrasies and ESX 3 is around 2 years old now. Any pointers to how to do FTP install?

cheers,

skar.

[frankdenneman]

after ESX installer boots up, it wants to access the cdrom with the atapi driver. Because of the sata cdrom controller, the install program doesn't see the cdrom player. At that point it will ask you where to get the source files and present you with a list. I.e. it will show up all by itself.

If you have a supported nic installed, it might show you the option list, but after selecting FTP and configuring the networksettings it will ask you where it can find a harddisk. The onboard intel disk controller doesn't work in ESX. You have to use a PCI disk controller, a scsi adapter or a lsi logic sata 150-4.

Cheapest is to return the board and buy the new asus board with the SAS controller on it. It's got two working onboard nics, a working LSI disk controller and 8GB of memory addresspace. It almost looks Asus build the board for ESX home test labs

[skarkar]

after ESX installer boots up, it wants to access the

cdrom with the atapi driver. Because of the sata

cdrom controller, the install program doesn't see the

cdrom player. At that point it will ask you where to

get the source files and present you with a list.

I.e. it will show up all by itself.

If you have a supported nic installed, it might show

you the option list, but after selecting FTP and

configuring the networksettings it will ask you where

it can find a harddisk. The onboard intel disk

controller doesn't work in ESX. You have to use a PCI

disk controller, a scsi adapter or a lsi logic sata

150-4.

Cheapest is to return the board and buy the new asus

board with the SAS controller on it. It's got two

working onboard nics, a working LSI disk controller

and 8GB of memory addresspace. It almost looks Asus

build the board for ESX home test labs

Well, I thought the onboard Intel pro/1000 GigE ethernet controller would be detected, as its fairly basic as is the Intel SATA controller. These are almost ancient chips. I've bought a ARC-1220 PCI-E 8 port ARECA raid controller which gives one of the highest speeds at the lowest price. So, no ARECA drives in ESX and no network/native SATA support either. Seems like XEN or something else(even VMWARE server) could be a better alternative

Intel pro/100 ethernet is listed in HCL. So, if I buy one for a PCI slot and use NFS to access the ISO(or its loop back mount) on another server, can I go through with the install?

[frankdenneman]

Well, I thought the onboard Intel pro/1000 GigE

ethernet controller would be detected, as its fairly

basic as is the Intel SATA controller.

Nope, this document is essential to build an home ESX server

http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vi3_io_guide.pdf

The ESX kernel doesn't have many drivers for i/o controllers, so it's essential to choose one from that document.

These are

almost ancient chips. I've bought a ARC-1220 PCI-E 8

port ARECA raid controller which gives one of the

highest speeds at the lowest price.

Ouch, expensive card.

Intel pro/100 ethernet is listed in HCL. So, if I buy

one for a PCI slot and use NFS to access the ISO(or

its loop back mount) on another server, can I go

through with the install?

You'd get a connection, but where must ESX install it's own files?

It still wants to address harddiskspace thru it's own i/o controller.

[skarkar]

Well, I thought the onboard Intel pro/1000 GigE

ethernet controller would be detected, as its

fairly

basic as is the Intel SATA controller.

Nope, this document is essential to build an home ESX

server

http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vi3_io_guide.pdf

The ESX kernel doesn't have many drivers for i/o

controllers, so it's essential to choose one from

that document.

These are

almost ancient chips. I've bought a ARC-1220 PCI-E

8

port ARECA raid controller which gives one of the

highest speeds at the lowest price.

Ouch, expensive card.

Intel pro/100 ethernet is listed in HCL. So, if I

buy

one for a PCI slot and use NFS to access the

ISO(or

its loop back mount) on another server, can I go

through with the install?

You'd get a connection, but where must ESX install

it's own files?

It still wants to address harddiskspace thru it's own

i/o controller.

Hmm so I need a supported IO controller in any case? Not the native ones, not the ARECA SATA RAID?!?! Can I use generic IDE chipset for now(performance would suck, still it'll work and I can try to compile the ARC-1220 driver for ESX using that base system? Or is ESX 3 so closed, that 3rd party drivers are non-existent?

[frankdenneman]

ESX is very picky about the I/O controllers. VMware wanted the VMkernel to be stay very small and loading 20.000 different drivers like windows is not the way to keep your system small and fast.

I think your better off buying a controller from the list in the PDF that I listed in the above post. Maybe someone here has found a way to use the areca with esx, but most people just buy stuff listed in the i/o guide.

[skarkar]

ESX is very picky about the I/O controllers. VMware

wanted the VMkernel to be stay very small and loading

20.000 different drivers like windows is not the way

to keep your system small and fast.

I think your better off buying a controller from the

list in the PDF that I listed in the above post.

Maybe someone here has found a way to use the areca

with esx, but most people just buy stuff listed in

the i/o guide.

I don't think so. Allowing 3rd party drivers should be easy and fast too, and Areca drivers are OSS and inside the Linux kernel too. Maybe I can try with a driver disk like the last screen asks. Maybe if I can give a driver disk which contains the raid driver and also the ethernet NIC driver?

[frankdenneman]

I really admire your fighting spirit. I took the easy way and bought what's on the list.

Search the forum for threads about introducing device drivers into the COS.

There is one thread about a Intel NIC driver.