CentOS VM install fails

[Teesang]

Hi All,

I need some help with this... Each time i try and install a CentOS vm I get the error that I have attached to this post. Kernel panic - not syncing: Fatal exception. I also get a warning in the events tab. It says the following..

Warning message from cloud.cubed.com:

Insufficient video RAM. The maximum resolution

of the virtual machine will be limited to 1176x885

. To use the configured maximum resolution of

2560x1600, increase the amount of video RAM

allocated to this virtual machine by setting

svga.vramSize="16384000" in the virtual machine

's configuration file.

warning

11/12/2010 5:22:39 AM

New Virtual Machine

root

I have tried installing on a different machine but the same thing happens. I am installing on a Dell r415 with ESXi 4.1 installed by USB bootable. The Data store is a NAS. Centos ISO files are also on the NAS which the machine is using to boot up. When I start the machine, I get the spash screen but install halts after the error attached. I have also tried installing directly from the cd. The interesting thing is that I have installed centOS to the NAS before but this is a new issue that came up recently and currently there are debian, win2k8, and win2k3 slices that are on there right now...

Please help!! Thanks in advance!

-Adam

[golddiggie]

What resources did you give the VM when you built it? What did you select for the OS you were going to install when setting up the virtual hardware?

I've not had any issue creating CentOS 5.5 VM's under ESXi 4.1 in my lab... Then again, I'm using Xeon processors to power my host...

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[Teesang]

I set up the vm as a CentOS4/5 32 bit machine.with 512 memory. 80 gb hardrive.

Good news tho, I believe that I have isolated the issue to the dells. I have successfully installed the CentOS slice using a HP Proliant server. So I guess i'll just redirect the dells to point to the CentOS slice?

[idle-jam]

yes you could try and then booting the centos vm from the Dell. it is still does not work it has something to do with the hardware. mostly on the firmware. can you confirm it's in vmware hcl list?

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[Teesang]

Oh man... When I try use the dell to open up the CentOS vm it give me the same error message.

Warning message from cloud.cubed.com:

Insufficient video RAM. The maximum resolution

of the virtual machine will be limited to 1176x885

. To use the configured maximum resolution of

2560x1600, increase the amount of video RAM

allocated to this virtual machine by setting

svga.vramSize="16384000" in the virtual machine's configuration file.

Is there any way to fix this?

I have confirmed that the dell is supported. I am pretty sure it has to do with this error message... And help is greatly appreciated!

[golddiggie]

Not used any AMD powered systems in many years. ALL the servers (including the T7400 Workstation) that I've used for ESX/ESXi hosts have been Intel Xeon powered. I've had zero issues with those systems and any VM I've wanted to install/run on them...

What's the processor inside the HP server?

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[Teesang]

The proliant has a AMD Opteron. I am extremely confused right now. Im pretty sure it has to be settings on the dell that are preventing me from using centOS on there, but I was able to install it before, could the other vm be effecting this vm?

[golddiggie]

How much video memory does the VM have allocated to it? How are the resources on the host (how much used/free)??

Never had an issue on Dell systems powered by Xeon's... :o

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[Teesang]

When I right click on the client to view video memory settings. Everything is greyed out and and i am unable to click on anything. The dells are actually powered by opterons.

[golddiggie]

Power OFF the VM (you have to do this setting change with the VM cold) and then you'll be able to place a value in the "Enter total video RAM" field... I default to 8MB on my Linux VM's (CentOS 5.x) as well as the Windows VM's... Basically, ANY VM with a GUI installed gets 8MB of video RAM...

I know your Dell is powered by opterongers...

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[Teesang]

Ok, I looked at my other vms and all of them have the insufficient video ram issue. It is a problem that deals specifically with centOS being virtualized. Heres the funny thing. I have had centOS opened before on this specific dell! How is this possible?

[golddiggie]

What does the host have for resources and how many VM's do you have running on it (asked this in an earlier post too)??

I've had best results using 8MB of VRAM in all VM's with a GUI (as I mentioned)... Depending on the system, you can sometimes get away with less, but 8MB has proven (to me) to be a good amount to use. Don't really need more, since you probably won't set more resolution that 8MB will let you use.

Which update level is the host at?? Have you checked the updates to see if there's one (not yet applied) that deals with this, or a very similar, issue?? VUM is your friend (if you have it installed)...

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