Help! Caught in loop: PXE-E53: No boot filename received.

[modestyz]

Hi,

I'm running VMWare Fusion V4.1.1 on Lion (Mac OS X 10.7.3), after one Mac crash, VMWare can't load my Windows 7 image (used to work fine). I tried repaire vmdk file, it says no problem found in the file. Whenever VMWare starts, it always says:

PXE-E53: No boot filename received.

A disk read error occurred

Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart

When restart, it complains the same thing again. Very frusting, please help!

The support info TGZ file is attached.

Attachment(s)

vm-03-27-12.1017.tgz   10.44 MB 1 version

[a_p_]

Welcome to the Community,

from the virtual machine point of view I cannot find any issues in the log file. Did you already try to boot the VM into trouble shooting mode using the Windows 7 ISO? In any case, consider to backup the current files in case something unexpected happens which makes things even worse.

André

[modestyz]

Thanks, Andre. Could you give me some pointers about how to boot in trouble shooting mode? Once I'm in the trouble shooting mode, what do you recommend to check on?

[a_p_]

It's hard to say what needs to be repaired after an unexpected crash. However, I would - after backing up the files or at least creating a new snapshot - boot the VM from the Windows 7 DVD/ISO and select "Repair your Computer" (instead of "Install now") after the language selection screen. In the next screen, Windows should (hopefully) detect the installed OS and offer some troubleshooting/repair options from which you may choose "Startup Repair" to see whether this fixes the boot issue.

André

[modestyz]

Finally found one Window 7 64bit bootable USB flash drive. But when I ESC to bring up Boot Menu, then select 2. +Removable Devices (The USB drive is already connected to Windows when VMWare asking after plug in), it appears still boot from Network (boot from Intel E1000). Same old error after that.

Need your advice on how to boot VM from a USB drive, do I have to create a ISO file using Disk Utility? What should I do once I have the ISO?

Thank you for your help once again.

[a_p_]

Sorry I can't help you much with your USB flash drive. What I recommend is to use the original Windows 7 CD or ISO image, attach it to the VM's virtual CD/DVD-ROM drive, check "Connect at Power on" and then boot the VM. Since the disk does not seem to be readable the VM should automatically boot from the CD/DVD drive.

André

[continuum]

to boot a VM from USB you need to add one step.
Download the Plop bootmanager iso and boot from that - then point to the USB stick

[modestyz]

Thanks. I've got an original Windows 7 64bit bootable ISO file. No matter what I tried, VM seems stubbornly boot from Network, then show the old same error again. I increased bios.bootDelay then Esc to bing up boot menu, select Boot from CD/DVD, it still boot from network; I also entered BIOS boot section and move the CD/DVD drive to be the 1st choise of boot sequence, F10 Save & Exit, still the same; 3rd change is either totally removed bios.bootOrder from VMX or explicitly set bios.bootOrder to be CD/DVD drive, adding 2nd CD/DVD drive, and connect to VM, none of them worked.

Anything else worth a try?

[a_p_]

Thanks. I've got an original Windows 7 64bit bootable ISO file.

Please double check the ISO is bootable. Microsoft sometimes uses confusing names for their images. There are e.g. some named like Windows_7_SP1.iso and other ones Windows_7_with_SP1.iso, where the first one only contains the service pack files and is not bootable.

What's the size of the ISO image you have and what's the name of it (in case it hasn't been renamed)?

André

[modestyz]

The ISO file size is 3.18GB and named as en_windows_7_enterprise_with_sp1_x64_dvd_u_677651.iso, tested bootable with other VM.

[a_p_]

Ok, with this we can rule out any ISO image issues.

When you boot the VM and it shows the PXE screen, switch to the VM's settings to verify the ISO/CD-ROM drive shows up as "Connected". If it is not, mark it as connected and then warm boot (CTRL-ALT-INS in Windows, not sure about the key sequence in Fusion) to see whether this works.

If this still does not help please post (attach) the latest vmware.log file from the VM's .vmwarevm package to see whether this contains any hints!? As a last option that I can think of, you could create a new VM and point to the existing virtual disk rather than to create a new one.

André

[modestyz]

It's been "warm reboot" whenever the error shows up, never worked. Just tried created a new VM and point to the vmdk file, same error after boot: A disk read error occurred. Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart. I guess the vmdk file is corrupted.

The latest support information is collected and attached. Wish it can reveal some clues.

Attachment(s)

vm-03-29-12.3431.tgz   10.52 MB 1 version