No Install CD found on Proliant ML350 - VmWare ESX4 vSphere

[Ott Andreas]

Hello!

I´m installing the VMware vSphere 4 Essentials Bundle for 3 hosts based on ESX 4 and i´m having problems with the detection of the dvd drive.

When i´m booting on the installation media everything seems to be ok. But on the hardware detection while esx is booting there comes an error: No Install CD found

The Installation Program is loading and you can configure the network settings usw.

But then the settings are done the system wants the install cd which is inserted but the system do not regnognise ist.

Can you help me with this problem.

Best regards,
Ott Andreas

[Michal Kapalka (mikap)]

hi,

you oculd go another way if you have this problem with the cd/dvd drive.

HOWTO: Installing ESX Server from a USB flash drive

http://communities.vmware.com/thread/75792

mikap

[Ott Andreas]

Thank you very much for your answer!

That works fine!

Kind regards

[Michal Kapalka (mikap)]

hi,

thats great.

assign points if you are satisfied.

how to do it :

http://forums11.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/helptips.do?#33

best regards

mikap

[Ott Andreas]

Hello mikap.

Sorry, but i was a bit to hasty with the success message.

Booting from usb works but while booting there are error messages (wrong parameters in syslinux.cfg) when syslinux is loading the syslinux.cfg file and is ignoring the settings "usb" on the "append" syntax.

The problem is probably because i have an ESX 4 Server and the "how to" docu is written for ESX 3 Server. On the ESX 4 Server are a view files i´m missing, por example boot.msg, snake.msg and splash.lss.

Do you know if there is a how to for ESX 4?

Kind regards.
Andreas

[Michal Kapalka (mikap)]

hi,

ok so taht strange, maybe you oculd use this utility to make the cd botable from USB,
i used it several time on linux distributions.

http://unetbootin.sourceforge.net/

mikap

[Rob Buxton]

I've missed something here. The bundle isn't usually installed via a CD/DVD.
Is this a vanilla VMware vSphere ESXi install?

I had problems installing the bundle onto our initial HP Servers that had the USB key. It kept reporting not enough space. We finally moved to SSD's and it's worked fine since then.

[Bob Landon]

I'm experiencing the exact same problem. THe ESX 4.1 DVD boots just fine, then when the setup process is trying to detect hardware, the DVD is not seen.

[Abushad]

I faced the same issue,
i used external DVD ROM and it worked for me.

Try using external DVD ROM.

Regards,
Abushad

[splatt]

I have seen the same problem on ML350 G6 servers. Using an external USB drive allows ESXi to install. the other issue is that the guest VM's cannot see the host DVD drive to install an OS. Using a USB drive works but requires a reboot of the ESx server to see the inserted media, not idea.

I installed an older version of the ESX4i installer and this worked flawlessly. I assume this is an issue with the Vmware driver for these DVD drives (other posts indicate this)