Unable to install vmware on PowerEdge R710

[Iveta_S]

We have three servers Dell PowerEdge R710 (Intel Xeon 5675, 48 GB RAM, raid controller PERC H700/512 MB).

I am trying to install ESXi to these servers but installation got stuck before ESXi installer is loaded. I start from installation CD, then there are many files which are loaded, everything looks OK - but there is a moment the loading is stopped and nothing is happening. No grey-yellow screen, no installer, no warning, no error message.

I have tried to install these versions:

VMware vSphere 6.7 – the installation stopped at „Loading /vin.v00“

VMware vSphere 6.0 - the installation stopped at "Loading /tools.t00"

VMware vSphere 5.5 – the installation stopped at „Loading /tools.t00“

VMware vSphere 5.1 – the installation stopped at „Loading /tools.t00“

VMware vSphere 5.5 U3 – the installation stopped at „Loading /tools.t00“.

What I tried

- installation on two servers – the same result.

- downloading and installation of several version from our VMware account - no avail

- I checked checksum of the downloaded installation files – that is OK.

- iDRAC does not show any technical issue.

- I tried resseting BIOS to default values and resseting the raid.

So - does anybody any idea what to do?

[muralipatil]

Please check in VMware HCL these model servers are supported drivers and firmware is up to date also check if any customised iso available for this model.

[aleding]

I had a similar issue installing on nearly the same hardware except mine does not have a RAID controller.  My issue was that there was an existing partition on the target hard drive.  After clearing out the target HDD, everything worked fine.

Probably not the same issue for you but still, thought I would mention it. 

I did check and your CPUs are definitely supported.  However, FWIW, I did not see your particular RAID controller on the supported H\W matrix.  Perhaps I missed it but you might wanna check that out.  Also, be sure all of the virtualization setting are properly in BIOS - pretty sure the defaults are not optimized for virtualization.  I included some sites that were helpful to me in this regard.

VMware Compatibility Guide - System Search

Dell VMware vSphere Performance Best Practices - Virtualization - Wiki - Virtualization - Dell Community

[aleding]

Another page discussing key virtualization BIOS settings on Dell servers:

https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-Cloud-Foundation/2.1.3/com.vmware.evosddc.via.doc_213/GUID-F88665D4-9588-4276-94C0-EB580C361AB9.html 

[bluefirestorm]

The X5675 is a Westmere CPU and these are no longer supported for ESXi 6.7. You can see this in the release notes.

https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-vSphere/6.7/rn/vsphere-esxi-vcenter-server-67-release-notes.html#installupgrade

The R710 is officially qualified only for ESXi 6.0.

https://www.vmware.com/resources/compatibility/detail.php?deviceCategory=server&productid=13799&deviceCategory=server&details=1&partner=23

You could try downloading the Dell custom image for the R710 and try using it for the installation instead.

http://www.dell.com/support/home/us/en/19/drivers/driversdetails?driverId=8YN3X

[aleding]

Correct re: 6.7 but the other ESXi versions attempted by the OP do support the Xeon 56xx CPU.  I also double-checked the PERC H700 and it is also supported in 5.5 & 6.0.

[daphnissov]

I use R610s in my home lab and they work fine on 6.5.

[Iveta_S]

Hello,

thank you very much for your kind answer. I did not hope for such huge reaction!

Today morning I succeded to get another support and was adviced the CD drive could be the problem. I used an external CD drive connected via USB and I suppose there is some problem with usb drivers.

So I connected vmware ISO via iDRAC to my server and installation was finished sucessfully.

Thanks again!

[aleding]

So was the internal CD defective?  I ask because I also have the R710 and I was able to install fine from CD...curious as to why your platform had the issue...

[Iveta_S]

We have no internal CD-ROM. Servers are repased. We bought them for testing purposes for our programmers and did not order CD-ROM.

For our company systems (AD, Exchange etc.) we bought T620 with internal CD-ROM and there was no problem within installation.

Maybe another external CD-ROM could have work. We did not try it because we were happy to complete the task. And I must say we all were VERY suprised by this solution. My colleague succedded in installation Linux on one of those servers. But VMware (which is basically linux too) was the problem.

[Iveta_S]

And you were installing from external CD-ROM?

[TomHowarth]

Have you attempted to install using the official Dell image?  there are very likely VIB's in there that are not in the standard VMware release.