Windows Server VMWARE ESXI 4.0 Crashes
Hi Everyone. Have a Windows Server 2008R2 VM running on ESXI 4.0. For about 1 year everything was running fine, but there was a string of power outages that seem to have caused issues with the VM.
It sits on a 1TB drive with the ESXI host. I have a firewall VM sitting on a second drive and that doesn't crash. When the server crashes you cannot communicate with it at all. Not even a ping.
The problem I am having is that because the server must be stopped and restarted (or may even need to hard reboot) it creates no logs as to why it crashed. Diagnostics of the drive show that everything is fine.
I am looking for recommendations on whether I should clone the drive or if anyone has experienced this before?
Thanks!
It sits on a 1TB drive with the ESXI host. I have a firewall VM sitting on a second drive and that doesn't crash. When the server crashes you cannot communicate with it at all. Not even a ping.
The problem I am having is that because the server must be stopped and restarted (or may even need to hard reboot) it creates no logs as to why it crashed. Diagnostics of the drive show that everything is fine.
I am looking for recommendations on whether I should clone the drive or if anyone has experienced this before?
Thanks!
ASKER
When you say without the NIC are you referring to its network? If so, simply disabling it should work correct? I forgot to mention this is an AD master so I would really hate to rebuild it.
Is there an issue with the datasatore, which your Windows 2008 R2 server is stored on?
check the VMware Logs in /var/log
check the VMware Logs in /var/log
ASKER
No issue with the datastore. It boots up fine and sometimes can go a week without the issue. Sometimes a day. But theres nothing in the log that says theres an issue with the datastore and doesnt state that its not responding. Even though its completely dead. I also cannot RDP within VMWare control panel it is just a black screen, no cursor, etc.
Then you might want to configure a dump to be created when it crashes, You can do this in Windows.
Configure a dump.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307973
DrWatsons is also quite good for this.
http://www.symantec.com/connect/articles/how-do-i-create-crash-mini-dump-manually-windows-based-systems-using-dr-watson
Configure a dump.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307973
DrWatsons is also quite good for this.
http://www.symantec.com/connect/articles/how-do-i-create-crash-mini-dump-manually-windows-based-systems-using-dr-watson
Hi,
if this happens can you bring that VM back online by simply restarting it? Or do you have to reboot the esxi host to get it started again?
Is this the esxi 4 host licensed or the free variant? Ever considered an upgrade to esxi5?
I had the issues with vmfs file system having issues and going to read only mode without any notice, which killed interactive servers like DC but allowed the more static firewall systems to run.
Best Regards
Timo
if this happens can you bring that VM back online by simply restarting it? Or do you have to reboot the esxi host to get it started again?
Is this the esxi 4 host licensed or the free variant? Ever considered an upgrade to esxi5?
I had the issues with vmfs file system having issues and going to read only mode without any notice, which killed interactive servers like DC but allowed the more static firewall systems to run.
Best Regards
Timo
ASKER
It seems like the host goes inactive as well. I have yet to confirm because it hasn't happened again. But I am 100% sure it will again. Since this is the free version it may just be better to have the client spring for a dedicated server as oppose to virtualizing this one server and a firewall.
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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ASKER
Followed your instructions and from there ran a hardware test on the drive. It failed and unfortunately would lock up before I could migrate or clone the drive. The good news is it was only holding the host and the VM AD. So rebuilt that VM and was good to go.
This will hopefully clear up an issues caused by the power outages. You can convert it to the same host. Make sure and boot it up without the NIC so you can verify that everything went well. Be prepared for a post from Hanccocka that will be way more detailed and will be more helpful :)