network address problem with XP guest OS on ESX3

[STef77]

Hi there,

We got a problem with XP networking

In dhcp mode it cannot get an adress (and it disturbs the dchp server by always asking new adresses)

In fixed address mode, it don't work : After a few seconds, the fixed address switch to 0.0.0.0

---> Either with dhcp either with fixed address, XP pretends that this address already exists on the network... (but in fact all the given (or fixed) addresses are free...)

The problem occurs with XP, XP SP1, XP SP2 ; with and without vmware tools...

We have also an ubuntu vm who works well...

Thanks for help

STef

[esiebert7625]

Tell us more about your ESX network config. What is your vswitch/nic configuration? This really sounds like a OS issue.

Check out these links...

http://www.windowsnetworking.com/articles_tutorials/w2knoaip.html

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/822123

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314067

[Jafo]

Hello , I'll reply instead of Stef.

We are at the moment in a test phase concerning our system.

Settings are still the defaults' settings from Version ESX 3.

Same goes for the virtual-switch , default setting.

As following :

\- 24 port

\- MAC Address Changes : Accepts

\- Load Balancing : MAC Address Hash

I searched through the internet , following the links you provided, but nothing has improved.

On our server we have created Suse based computer and Unbutu based computer on the same virtual-switch.

Those are clearly identified by our DHCP ( DHCP is installed on a NT4 based server ).

I've tried multiples versions of XP Pro , with or without service-pack.

In any case when using xp , ipconfig provides those info :

\- ip : 0.0.0.0

\- MAC Address 00-50-56-91-2E-F8 ( wich is correct )

But when looking in the DHCP window , every 2 or 3 sec I receive the error message :

Bad_ADDRESS : xxxba8c0424144 ( "xxx" are randomly generated numbers )

As I can see I have here a MAC Adress with 14 digits instead of 12.

When looking at the Suse and Unbutu computers, the MAC Address matches in DHCP and the virtual machine.

I've been unable to locate the error so far, and request your help.

I'll be waiting for your reply and will provide any any further informations that can be helpfull.

Thanks in advance,

[TomHowarth]

How many XP Machines have you and how did you create them?

have you checked the virtual mac addresses on all your guest and verify that they are unique. have a look in the VMX file

and get the ethernet0.generatedAddress = "xx-xx-xx-xx-xx-xx"

Read the following page to get a good handle on Vmware MAC address assignement

http://www.vmware.com/support/esx21/doc/esx21admin_MACaddress.html

[Jafo]

So far i have only 1 XP Machine running on the ESX3.

But i tested 3 differents configuration :

1 - default install of XP pro , no SP , french version.

2 - From a working XP Pro on my network and using VMWare Converter .

3 - Xp Pro UK SP2 , with a default install.

any of those got a unique MAC Address.

I tested another on Vista to see if the origine of the problem was an incompatibility with microsoft-OS .

Vista works properly.

Inside my VMX file :

ethernet0.generatedAddress = "00:50:56:91:2e:f8"

This MAC is unique on my network. it does not match any other Mac address and it s the one i get with ipconfig .

When i set a fix IP to my virtual machine and looking through ipconfig i still see ip : 0.0.0.0 .

[Jafo]

So far i tested 3 different configuration of XP.

1 - a default install of XP Pro on the virtual machine . no SP, french version.

2 - a virtual machines created with VMware Converter from a working XP Pro machine.

3 - a default install of a XP Pro ,UK version with SP2

In the VMX file is :

ethernet0.generatedAddress = "00:50:56:91:2e:f8" .

Which is unique.

Also when assigning a fixed IP to my machine , i'll still get IP : 0.0.0.0 when running ipconfig.

note : I tested a Vista-OS , it worked properly.

[Texiwill]

Hello,

I use XP all the time with no issues.

Since you tried this multiple times, does your DHCP server have an existing lease out there for your VM?

How did you create the VMs? Clone/Template/Fresh install?

It is reaching your DHCP server but it looks like something is blocking it on the VM side.

Temporarily disable the Windows XP Firewall and see if that changes anything.

Best regards,

Edward

[Jafo]

Hello ,

Within my DHCP i have no existing lease concerning my Virtual Machine.

To create my machine i always do it from a clean install and never set a fire-wall.

The only special configuration is in our network :

ip in use are 192.168.\[120 to 125].xxx

Mask is 255.255.0.0

C-type ip with B-type Mask .

But , when i test a C-type fixed-ip with a C-type mask , i still the " 0.0.0.0 " .

On our network we have real xp-machines using this configuration and it works without any problem.

In my opinion :

\- the problem does not comes from xp because I'm using a standart install of xp , wich is the same as the one running on our network.

\- the problem does not comes from the DHCP , when i set a fixed-ip ( thus without going through the dhcp ) , I don't get my ip but instead : 0.0.0.0.

As the virtual machine running Linux or Vista OS works properly I am a bit confused about what can be causing the issue.

Could it be some settings in the virtual network the are in conflicft with xp ?

/ Is there any known configuration from ESX3 to be in conflict with Xp ?

Jean.

[Texiwill]

Hello,

Please post the following. Please run the commands from the ESX Service Console.

esxcfg-nics -l

esxcfg-route -l

esxcfg-vswitch -l

Then tell us which vswitch your XP VM is using. Also, what is the IP address of the DHCP server? It really sounds like you have a networking problem. There is nothing inside ESX that would cause this problem outside of networking.

Best regards,

Edward

[Jafo]

\-- NICS --

Name PCI Driver Link Speed Duplex Description

vmnic0 02:04.00 bnx2 Up 1000Mbps Full Broadcom Corporation Broadcom NetXtreme II BCM5706 1000Base-SX

vmnic1 02:05.00 bnx2 Up 1000Mbps Full Broadcom Corporation Broadcom NetXtreme II BCM5706 1000Base-SX

vmnic2 0e:00.00 bnx2 Up 1000Mbps Full Broadcom Corporation Broadcom NetXtreme II BCM5708 1000Base-SX

vmnic3 11:00.00 bnx2 Up 1000Mbps Full Broadcom Corporation Broadcom NetXtreme II BCM5708 1000Base-SX

\-- ROUTE --

VM Kernel Routes:

Network Netmask Gateway

192.168.200.0 255.255.255.0 Local Subnet

default 0.0.0.0 192.168.200.1

\-- VSWITCH --

Switch Name Num Ports Used Ports Configured Ports Uplinks

vSwitch0 256 11 32 vmnic2,vmnic1,vmnic0

PortGroup Name Internal ID VLAN ID Used Ports Uplinks

VM Network portgroup1 0 6 vmnic0,vmnic1,vmnic2

Service Console portgroup0 0 1 vmnic0,vmnic1,vmnic2

Switch Name Num Ports Used Ports Configured Ports Uplinks

vSwitch2 64 3 64 vmnic3

PortGroup Name Internal ID VLAN ID Used Ports Uplinks

vmotion portgroup6 0 1 vmnic3

\----

---

All of my VM are located on vSwitch0. Vswitch2 is used only by the vmotion.

My DHCP use the IP : 192.168.121.100 with a Mask : 255.255.0.0

Jean

[Texiwill]

Hello,

Here is what this says:

Either your vMotion network or Service Console is NOT defined else you would see another 'Local Subnet'... You may wish to define this. In VIC:

Select Host->Configuration Tab->DNS&Routing Link->Properties->Routing Tab, fill in the boxes. Also, select the Properties of the vMotion/Service Console network and then the specific portgroup for vMotion/Service Console and verify its IP and netmask.

If you give the VM a hardcoded IP.... Check with your DHCP server configuration is it giving an address in the 255.255.0.0 net or 255.255.255.0 network? If it is the later you may be shutting it down long before it finishes.... I would check that out as well.

Is your DHCP server Windows,Linux, or UNIX?

Best regards,

Edward

Message was edited by:

Texiwill

[Jafo]

Hello ,

For now I have 2 BladeServer ; 192.168.120.140 & 192.168.120.140 ; each of them is configured with 4 network interfaces .

My Vmotion network is on one interface (vmnic3) using these settings :

Blade1 : 192.168.200.1/255.255.255.0 gateway : 192.168.200.1

Blade2 : 192.168.200.2/255.255.255.0 gateway : 192.168.200.1

My Services Console is on the same interfaces as my virtual switch (vmnic0 ,vmnic1 & vmnic2)

Blade1 : 192.168.120.140/255.255.255.0 gateway : 192.168.120.100

Blade2 : 192.168.120.141/255.255.255.0 gateway : 192.168.120.100

My network settings are :

IP : 192.168.\[120-125].\[1-254]

Mask : 255.255.0.0

Gateway : 192.168.120.100

Dhcp : 192.168.121.100

Jean

[Texiwill]

Hello,

Still can you give your VM a hard coded IP. Can it ping/connect to the DHCP server?

Best regards,

Edward

[Jafo]

Hello,

This weekend I have made a different test.

I have installed a DHCP on Linux.

I placed my xp machine and dhcp server on the same switch in internal. This is not connected to outside.

With this configuration, my xp machine received a good address given by the dhcp.

Next step, I stopped the service of my NT dhcp in my physical network and I placed the xp machine and the Dhcp server on my virtual switch which is connected to my physical network. With this configuration, the xp machine didn't receive the ip from the DHCP server. It received 0.0.0.0.

What's the problem with this test ?

Thanks

Jean

[Jafo]

We found a solution!

There is a problem with XP. This is not really a problem but a security setting that causes issues in our case.

When receiving the DHCP address, it launches a gratuitous ARP message to know if this IP is allready in use . I don't know why,

but the blade responds with an ARP message to say that this address is used! So the VM XP dropped the address and asked a new one to the DHCP server.

Because of this, the last address is considered as a BAD ADDRESS and the dhcp server send the next free IP.

To block this, we have to stop that kind of gratuitous ARP messages from XP.

This can be done in the regedit with adding in HKEY LOCAL MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\TcpIp\Parameters

a new value called ArpRetryCount and his value is set to 0.

I think that we can do it in the switches to stop it without patching all the VM XP.

Thanks for your help,

Jean