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Unable to create VMFS filesystem for new disk for ESXi using vmkfstools

I've tried following the steps here: http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=1001489 to create a VMFS filesystem on a VMFS partition created using fdisk on the ESXi 4 host. ESXi is running on a 1GB flash drive. The host system is a Dell T3500 workstation.

~ # fdisk -l

Disk /dev/disks/t10.ATA_____Hitachi_HUA721010KLA330_______________________GTF002PAJ09HEF: 1000.2 GB, 1000204886016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 121601 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System

Disk /dev/disks/t10.ATA_____Hitachi_HUA721010KLA330_______________________GTA000PAGEW9UA: 1000.2 GB, 1000204886016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 121601 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/disks/t10.ATA_____Hitachi_HUA721010KLA330_______________________GTA000PAGEW9UAp1 1 121602 976762552+ fb VMFS

Disk /dev/disks/mpx.vmhba32:C0:T0:L0: 1031 MB, 1031798784 bytes
64 heads, 32 sectors/track, 984 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 2048 * 512 = 1048576 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/disks/mpx.vmhba32:C0:T0:L0p1 5 900 917504 5 Extended
/dev/disks/mpx.vmhba32:C0:T0:L0p4 * 1 4 4080 4 FAT16 <32M
/dev/disks/mpx.vmhba32:C0:T0:L0p5 5 254 255984 6 FAT16
/dev/disks/mpx.vmhba32:C0:T0:L0p6 255 504 255984 6 FAT16
/dev/disks/mpx.vmhba32:C0:T0:L0p7 505 614 112624 fc VMKcore
/dev/disks/mpx.vmhba32:C0:T0:L0p8 615 900 292848 6 FAT16

Partition table entries are not in disk order

Here is another listing:
~ # esxcfg-mpath -b
mpx.vmhba32:C0:T0:L0 : Local USB Direct-Access (mpx.vmhba32:C0:T0:L0)
vmhba32:C0:T0:L0 LUN:0 state:active Local HBA vmhba32 channel 0 target 0

t10.ATA_____Hitachi_HUA721010KLA330_______________________GTA000PAGEW9UA : Local ATA Disk (t10.ATA_____Hitachi_HUA721010KLA330_______________________GTA000PAGEW9UA)
vmhba33:C0:T0:L0 LUN:0 state:active Local HBA vmhba33 channel 0 target 0

t10.ATA_____Hitachi_HUA721010KLA330_______________________GTF002PAJ09HEF : Local ATA Disk (t10.ATA_____Hitachi_HUA721010KLA330_______________________GTF002PAJ09HEF)
vmhba34:C0:T0:L0 LUN:0 state:active Local HBA vmhba34 channel 0 target 0

mpx.vmhba35:C0:T0:L0 : Local TSSTcorp CD-ROM (mpx.vmhba35:C0:T0:L0)
vmhba35:C0:T0:L0 LUN:0 state:active Local HBA vmhba35 channel 0 target 0

When I try to format one of the 1TB drives I get an error:
~ # vmkfstools -C vmfs3 -b 1m -S localVMF /dev/disks/t10.ATA_____Hitachi_HUA721010KLA330_______________________GTF002PAJ09HEFp1
Device path name "/dev/disks/t10.ATA_____Hitachi_HUA721010KLA330_______________________GTF002PAJ09HEFp1" is not a valid absolute or relative path
Failed to resolve device name path /dev/disks/t10.ATA_____Hitachi_HUA721010KLA330_______________________GTF002PAJ09HEFp1
Usage: vmkfstools -C vmfs3 /vmfs/devices/disks/vml... or,
vmkfstools -C vmfs3 /vmfs/devices/disks/naa... or,
vmkfstools -C vmfs3 /vmfs/devices/disks/mpx.vmhbaA:T:L:P
Error: No such file or directory

Here's is another listing of the disks:

# ls -alh /vmfs/devices/disks
drwxr-xr-x    1 root     root          512 Mar 10 14:15 .
drwxr-xr-x    1 root     root          512 Mar 10 14:15 ..
-rw-------    1 root     root       984.0M Mar 10 14:15 mpx.vmhba32:C0:T0:L0
-rw-------    1 root     root       896.0M Mar 10 14:15 mpx.vmhba32:C0:T0:L0:1
-rw-------    1 root     root         4.0M Mar 10 14:15 mpx.vmhba32:C0:T0:L0:4
-rw-------    1 root     root       250.0M Mar 10 14:15 mpx.vmhba32:C0:T0:L0:5
-rw-------    1 root     root       250.0M Mar 10 14:15 mpx.vmhba32:C0:T0:L0:6
-rw-------    1 root     root       110.0M Mar 10 14:15 mpx.vmhba32:C0:T0:L0:7
-rw-------    1 root     root       286.0M Mar 10 14:15 mpx.vmhba32:C0:T0:L0:8
-rw-------    1 root     root       931.5G Mar 10 14:15 t10.ATA_____Hitachi_HUA721010KLA330_______________________GTA000PAGEW9UA
-rw-------    1 root     root       128.0M Mar 10 14:15 t10.ATA_____Hitachi_HUA721010KLA330_______________________GTA000PAGEW9UA:1
-rw-------    1 root     root       931.4G Mar 10 14:15 t10.ATA_____Hitachi_HUA721010KLA330_______________________GTA000PAGEW9UA:2
-rw-------    1 root     root       931.5G Mar 10 14:15 t10.ATA_____Hitachi_HUA721010KLA330_______________________GTF002PAJ09HEF
-rw-------    1 root     root       128.0M Mar 10 14:15 t10.ATA_____Hitachi_HUA721010KLA330_______________________GTF002PAJ09HEF:1
-rw-------    1 root     root       931.4G Mar 10 14:15 t10.ATA_____Hitachi_HUA721010KLA330_______________________GTF002PAJ09HEF:2
l---------    0 root     root         1.9k Jan  1  1970 vml.0000000000766d68626133323a303a30 -> mpx.vmhba32:C0:T0:L0
l---------    0 root     root         1.9k Jan  1  1970 vml.0000000000766d68626133323a303a30:1 -> mpx.vmhba32:C0:T0:L0:1
l---------    0 root     root         1.9k Jan  1  1970 vml.0000000000766d68626133323a303a30:4 -> mpx.vmhba32:C0:T0:L0:4
l---------    0 root     root         1.9k Jan  1  1970 vml.0000000000766d68626133323a303a30:5 -> mpx.vmhba32:C0:T0:L0:5
l---------    0 root     root         1.9k Jan  1  1970 vml.0000000000766d68626133323a303a30:6 -> mpx.vmhba32:C0:T0:L0:6
l---------    0 root     root         1.9k Jan  1  1970 vml.0000000000766d68626133323a303a30:7 -> mpx.vmhba32:C0:T0:L0:7
l---------    0 root     root         1.9k Jan  1  1970 vml.0000000000766d68626133323a303a30:8 -> mpx.vmhba32:C0:T0:L0:8
l---------    0 root     root         1.9k Jan  1  1970 vml.01000000002020202020204754413030305041474557395541486974616368 -> t10.ATA_____Hitachi_HUA721010KLA330_______________________GTA000PAGEW9UA
l---------    0 root     root         1.9k Jan  1  1970 vml.01000000002020202020204754413030305041474557395541486974616368:1 -> t10.ATA_____Hitachi_HUA721010KLA330_______________________GTA000PAGEW9UA:1
l---------    0 root     root         1.9k Jan  1  1970 vml.01000000002020202020204754413030305041474557395541486974616368:2 -> t10.ATA_____Hitachi_HUA721010KLA330_______________________GTA000PAGEW9UA:2
l---------    0 root     root         1.9k Jan  1  1970 vml.010000000020202020202047544630303250414a3039484546486974616368 -> t10.ATA_____Hitachi_HUA721010KLA330_______________________GTF002PAJ09HEF
l---------    0 root     root         1.9k Jan  1  1970 vml.010000000020202020202047544630303250414a3039484546486974616368:1 -> t10.ATA_____Hitachi_HUA721010KLA330_______________________GTF002PAJ09HEF:1
l---------    0 root     root         1.9k Jan  1  1970 vml.010000000020202020202047544630303250414a3039484546486974616368:2 -> t10.ATA_____Hitachi_HUA721010KLA330_______________________GTF002PAJ09HEF:2

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jakethecatuk

Lots of information...apart from the error message you are getting when trying to create the VMFS

adamshields

ASKER

Here's the error:

~ # vmkfstools -C vmfs3 -b 1m -S localVMF /dev/disks/t10.ATA_____Hitachi_HUA721010KLA330_______________________GTF002PAJ09HEFp1
Device path name "/dev/disks/t10.ATA_____Hitachi_HUA721010KLA330_______________________GTF002PAJ09HEFp1" is not a valid absolute or relative path
Failed to resolve device name path /dev/disks/t10.ATA_____Hitachi_HUA721010KLA330_______________________GTF002PAJ09HEFp1
Usage: vmkfstools -C vmfs3 /vmfs/devices/disks/vml... or,
vmkfstools -C vmfs3 /vmfs/devices/disks/naa... or,
vmkfstools -C vmfs3 /vmfs/devices/disks/mpx.vmhbaA:T:L:P
Error: No such file or directory

I also tried specifying the absolute path:
~ # vmkfstools -C vmfs3 -b 1m -S localVMF /vmfs/devices/disks/vml.01000000002020202020204754413030305041474557395541486974616368:2
Creating vmfs3 file system on "vml.01000000002020202020204754413030305041474557395541486974616368:2" with blockSize 1048576 and volume label "localVMF".
/vmfs/devices/disks/vml.01000000002020202020204754413030305041474557395541486974616368:2: Permission denied. (Have you set the partition type to 0xfb?)
Error: Permission denied

jakethecatuk

out of interest, why are you doing this from the command line instead of via VI Client?

adamshields

ASKER

The client produces an error when trying to create/add a datastore.
error.png

jakethecatuk

if you're getting the error in the VI client, then using the command line won't make it any easier.

have you run step 3 in the link you provided?

adamshields

ASKER

Yes, here is the result:

[code]/dev/disks/t10.ATA_____Hitachi_HUA721010KLA330_______________________GTF002PAJ09HEFp1 1 121602 976759808 7 HPFS/NTFS[/code]

adamshields

ASKER

btw the reason I'm trying the command is if you read the top of the page here: http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=1001489

It says to try those steps....

jakethecatuk

Have you created a new partition using FDISK?

jakethecatuk

try this article: - http://ict-freak.nl/2009/03/14/vmware-failed-to-get-disk-partition-information/

adamshields

ASKER

That article is very similar to the VMware article. I tried following it though and it did not seem to help.

adamshields

ASKER

Also that article is referring to ESX and not ESXi.

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jakethecatuk

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adamshields

ASKER

GParted worked! I was able to go in and recreate the partitions. Maybe there's a bug with the ESXi tool but regardsless it worked.

DarkHorseSki

I, too, just went through this hassle. GPartEd finally allowed me to create the unformatted partition I needed in order to then have the VSphere console add the datastore.