ESXi 4.1.0 - Cannot install VMWARE Toools

You can enable SSH via vSphere Client and use WinSCP to browse to your directory to make sure the windows iso exists. If not, you'll have to reinstall ESXi. Have you tried that? I know it's a bit of a hassle, but given it only takes literally 6mins to install, it may instantly resolve this for you.

~coolsport00

Scratch that...I just now saw, in between your statements, that you did the reinstall. My apologies :)

~coolsport00

These KBs can help enable SSH for you:
http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1017910
http://kb.vmware.com/kb/8375637

~coolsport00

Has this failed on more than one attempted install of VMware tools? If you get this message try this:

1. Delete the virtual cd drive from the edit settings page of the guest
2. Check the .vmx file for any references to cd drive - delete them if they are there
3. Add a new cd drive to the guest
4. Try the install again

I have seen odd things where a cd device was left pointing to something else and VMware was unable to attach the tools iso image. This process has taken care of it for me.

Good Luck

I have already enabled Tech Support Mode and I can see the dirctory "/usr/lib/vmware/isoimages", I cannot, for whatever reason, browse the contens of the isoimages folder.

Here's the results while trying to access the isoimages folder:
login as: root
root@esx1.mynet.com's password:
You have activated Tech Support Mode.
The time and date of this activation have been sent to the system logs.

VMware offers supported, powerful system administration tools.  Please
see www.vmware.com/go/sysadmintools for details.

Tech Support Mode may be disabled by an administrative user.
Please consult the ESXi Configuration Guide for additional
important information.

~ # cd /usr/lib/vmware
/usr/lib/vmware # ls
bin              ima_plugins      licenses         vnckeymap
esxcli           isoimages        settings
floppies         lib              tools-upgraders
hostd            lib64            vmkmod
/usr/lib/vmware # cd isoimages
-ash: cd: can't cd to isoimages
/usr/lib/vmware #

I will perform the steps outlined by bgoering later today.

try a ls -l /usr/lib/vmware I am interested to see permissions and attributes

Hmm...you can't access that folder? Wierd!...

Permissions and attributes:

~ # cd /usr/lib/vmware
/usr/lib/vmware # ls
bin              ima_plugins      licenses         vnckeymap
esxcli           isoimages        settings
floppies         lib              tools-upgraders
hostd            lib64            vmkmod
/usr/lib/vmware # cd isoimages
-ash: cd: can't cd to isoimages
/usr/lib/vmware # ls -l /usr/lib/vmware
lrwxrwxrwx    1 root     root                  6 May 19 00:15 bin -> /sbin/
drwxr-xr-x    1 root     root                512 Aug 19 17:06 esxcli
lrwxrwxrwx    1 root     root                 23 May 19 00:15 floppies -> /produ                          ctLocker/floppies
drwxr-xr-x    1 root     root                512 Aug 19 17:06 hostd
lrwxrwxrwx    1 root     root                  5 May 19 00:15 ima_plugins -> /li                          b/
lrwxrwxrwx    1 root     root                 23 May 19 00:15 isoimages -> /prod                          uctLocker/vmtools/
lrwxrwxrwx    1 root     root                  5 May 19 00:15 lib -> /lib/
lrwxrwxrwx    1 root     root                  7 May 19 00:15 lib64 -> /lib64/
drwxr-xr-x    1 root     root                512 Aug 19 17:06 licenses
lrwxrwxrwx    1 root     root                 20 May 19 00:15 settings -> /etc/v                          mware/settings
lrwxrwxrwx    1 root     root                 30 May 19 00:15 tools-upgraders ->                           /productLocker/tools-upgraders
drwxr-xr-x    1 root     root                512 Aug 19 17:06 vmkmod
drwxr-xr-x    1 root     root                512 Aug 19 17:06 vnckeymap
/usr/lib/vmware # cls

looks like isoimages is a link to /productLocker/vmtools

on my system that is a further link to /locker/packages/4.1.0/vmtools

which is a further link to /store/packages/4.1.0/vmtools

which is a further link to /vmfs/volumes/3c3693e8-f77a642a-1910-5c6bdcb26d3a/packages/4.1.0/vmtools (that long number with dashes wll be different on your system)

The links have broken down at some point... what I would do at this point is just copy the tools to an accessable datastore and mount them (unless you really want to fix the links)

See if you can cd /store/packages/4.1.0/vmtools and see if you can find the isos there... If so I can walk you through putting them where they will be browsable on the datastore

The links don't seem to make sense... there are links that are subfolders, you can't reach because the partent folder (link) will link to another location so, I can't see the subfolder link.  In any event, I've tried (unsuccesfully) to track the links and browse folders searching relentlessly for the elusive windows.iso.

Is there a search I run?

I have re-downloaded and re-installed 3 times with the same result.  This doesn't make sense.

One last bit of infomation I discovered...

alt+f11 - there are some erros in red:
0:00:08.496 cpu1 :9064)Boot partition /bootbank cannot be found

???

Brad

This works on my system....

/etc/vmware # cd /
~ # find . -name windows.iso
./vmfs/volumes/3c3693e8-f77a642a-1910-5c6bdcb26d3a/packages/4.1.0/vmtools/windows.iso
./vmfs/volumes/c2a427e4-2d317086-fef9-b5750d88536c/packages/4.0.0/vmtools/windows.iso

Now that error message does sound like a bit of a concern. How did you get to this ESXi? Is it an upgrade from an earlier ESX version or a fresh install? ESXi installable or embedded. One thing you might try (if you haven't already) is to get the Dell customized install image for ESXi from http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/download.aspx?c=us&cs=2684&l=en&s=pub&releaseid=R270743&SystemID=PWE_R815&servicetag=&os=EX41&osl=en&deviceid=23519&devlib=0&typecnt=0&vercnt=1&catid=-1&impid=-1&formatcnt=0&libid=47&typeid=-1&dateid=-1&formatid=-1&source=-1&fileid=399336

Sometimes folks have better luck with the Vendor customized version. Let me know if you want to try that path

Still no luck - you are using esxi 4.1.0 free version, correct?

That is kind of correct - I installed it as the Free version (this is my home lab - can't afford much else here) but later installed vCenter server and reverted free version to "trial" mode for some testing.

It was previously ESXi 4.0 installed on the hard disk, the ESXi 4.1 I installed to an internal USB key - that is why you see paths to tools in my post above - I left the 4.0 on the box.

can you post the following?

ls -l /
ls -l /vmfs

and the contents of /etc/vmware/esx.conf

this has got me bothered now, especially with the bootbank error

~ # ls -l /
drwxr-xr-x    1 root     root                512 Aug 19 17:06 bin
drwxr-xr-x    1 root     root                512 Aug 20 23:33 dev
drwxr-xr-x    1 root     root                512 Aug 20 00:07 etc
drwxr-xr-x    1 root     root                512 Aug 19 17:06 lib
drwxr-xr-x    1 root     root                512 Aug 19 17:06 lib64
lrwxrwxrwx    1 root     root                 12 Aug 19 17:07 locker -> /tmp/scratch
drwxr-xr-x    1 root     root                512 May 18 23:57 opt
drwxr-xr-x    1 root     root             131072 Aug 20 23:33 proc
lrwxrwxrwx    1 root     root                 23 May 19 00:15 productLocker -> /locker/packages/4.1.0/
drwxr-xr-x    1 root     root                512 Aug 19 17:06 sbin
lrwxrwxrwx    1 root     root                 12 Aug 19 17:07 scratch -> /tmp/scratch
drwxrwxrwt    1 root     root                512 Aug 19 23:08 tmp
drwxr-xr-x    1 root     root                512 Aug 19 17:06 usr
drwxr-xr-x    1 root     root                512 Aug 19 17:06 var
drwxr-xr-x    1 root     root                512 Aug 19 17:06 vmfs
drwxr-xr-x    1 root     root                512 Aug 19 17:06 vmimages
lrwxrwxrwx    1 root     root                 18 May 19 00:15 vmupgrade -> /locker/vmupgrade/
~ #
~ # ls -l /vmfs
lrwxrwxrwx    1 root     root                  5 May 19 00:15 devices -> /dev/
drwxr-xr-x    1 root     root                512 Aug 20 23:34 volumes

See attached esx.conf file

esx.conf.txt

Hmmm - it looks a bunch different than mine - but I am going to do a fresh install of ESXi 4.1 in a VM and see what that looks like. And i should have asked for "ls -l /vmfs/volumes" I must be getting tired :)

Did you have any luck with that "find" command I posted earlier?

Yes!  I had lots of luck, but it was all bad ;).  Nothing to report.

At this point "bradster" (sorry, was away picking up my son), I would just download the VMware Tools from VMware and run them manually...at least until we can figure out what the heck is going on. I had this happen on an ESXi 4.0 host, but didn't track down the 'why' it wasn't working. It was a production host and I wanted to get it (and the sole VM that's on it) up so I downloaded VMware Tools, installed it in the VM, and was done with it.
http://packages.vmware.com/tools/esx/index.html

~coolsport00

I guess at this point I don't have the best news for you. My freshly installed ESXi 4.1 looks pretty much like my other one. Here is the output from listing the root folder:

~ # ls -l /
lrwxrwxrwx    1 root     root                 49 Aug 20 21:10 altbootbank -> /vmfs/volumes/aaf08f7c-0aa40d3d-5a13-7502f2c6b8d8
drwxr-xr-x    1 root     root                512 Aug 20 21:10 bin
lrwxrwxrwx    1 root     root                 49 Aug 20 21:10 bootbank -> /vmfs/volumes/fee55972-15645eff-c336-8a6ba97424df
drwxr-xr-x    1 root     root                512 Aug 20 21:13 dev
drwxr-xr-x    1 root     root                512 Aug 20 21:13 etc
drwxr-xr-x    1 root     root                512 Aug 20 21:10 lib
drwxr-xr-x    1 root     root                512 Aug 20 21:10 lib64
lrwxrwxrwx    1 root     root                  6 Aug 20 21:10 locker -> /store
drwxr-xr-x    1 root     root                512 May 18 23:57 opt
drwxr-xr-x    1 root     root             131072 Aug 20 21:13 proc
lrwxrwxrwx    1 root     root                 23 May 19 00:15 productLocker -> /locker/packages/4.1.0/
drwxr-xr-x    1 root     root                512 Aug 20 21:10 sbin
lrwxrwxrwx    1 root     root                 49 Aug 20 21:10 scratch -> /vmfs/volumes/4c6eef46-d06eb055-10e1-000c29bba944
lrwxrwxrwx    1 root     root                 49 Aug 20 21:10 store -> /vmfs/volumes/3c3693e8-f77a642a-1910-5c6bdcb26d3a
drwxrwxrwt    1 root     root                512 Aug 20 21:12 tmp
drwxr-xr-x    1 root     root                512 Aug 20 21:10 usr
drwxr-xr-x    1 root     root                512 Aug 20 21:10 var
drwxr-xr-x    1 root     root                512 Aug 20 21:10 vmfs
drwxr-xr-x    1 root     root                512 Aug 20 21:10 vmimages
lrwxrwxrwx    1 root     root                 18 May 19 00:15 vmupgrade -> /locker/vmupgrade/
~ #

The symlinks if you follow them go to /locker /store and lead into /vmfs/volumes - which is where I find my iso files.

The find command finds the tools where I expect them to be

~ #
~ # find . -name windows.iso
./vmfs/volumes/3c3693e8-f77a642a-1910-5c6bdcb26d3a/packages/4.1.0/vmtools/windows.iso
~ #

for some reason - your system seems to be missing a bunch of symbolic links, if you noticed there should be one for /bootbank that your system is complaining about.

I haven't been able to find anything on this particular problem, even though I know what the problem is (more or less)

If you are up to it, you might plug a spare USB Stick into one of the USB ports and reinstall ESXi to the USB stick - that is actually how I am running my lab server at home. See if it creates things as it should with a different install location.

Good Luck

After a reinstall, the system still has the /bootbank error.   The best part about this is, every time I reboot, I have to re-configure as if it was a new install.  This has got to be the weirdest installation I've ever seen.

Anyone see this error before?
0:00:01:48.222 cpu3:8322)Boot partition /bootbank cannot be found

This error is presnt on the console by typing alt+f11

The datastores are all ISCSI so there is no risk to any data.  This is a test environment and there essentially is no urgency on this system.  I need to procure a flash drive, this will take me about a week.   I will provide an update once I've tried this with the flash drive.

Couple more things to note....

ESX 4 won't install, it doesn't recognize the hard disk.  It is installing to the local SATA drive via the on-board SATA controller.  As mentioned before, this is a Dell T105.  I believe there is a compatibility issue with the SATA controller

That's what it sounds like; you can check the VMware HCL for your model controller to see if it's compatible:
http://www.vmware.com/resources/compatibility/search.php

~coolsport00

At the start of this I did verify the T105 was on the HCL, but had no controller info so didn't check for that. If the server is listed as compatible, I had always thought any configuration of the server (from the manufacturere) would also be compatible. But, as coolsport00 says, it doesn't hurt to check the HCL.

Seeing as the ESX install isn't finding the hard disk - that may certainly be the case. But won't make a lot of difference because it should see the USB key.

Keep us posted!

bgoering: as you mentioned the T105 is listed in the HCL but, there is an optional 6i sata/sas combo card that ships with this model.  My server doesn not have this card but I do see the optional controller in the HCL.

I will report back when I get the flash drive.

Installing on the flash drive works perfectly and will allow me to accomplish what I need to do.  I appreciate every one's patronage in resolving this issue.

For the record, the T105 is listed on the HCL however, will NOT work without the accompaniment of the optional 6i sata/sas combo controller.