Users Guide
Table Of Contents
- VMware vSphere ESXi 6.5.x on Dell EMC PowerEdge Systems Installation Instructions and Important Information Guide
- Introduction
- Installing vSphere 6.5.x
- Download Dell EMC customized ESXi image
- Installing, enabling and disabling ESXi
- Overview of Dell NUMA Fault Resilient Memory
- Enabling Dell NUMA Fault Resilient Memory
- Overview of Dell Fault Resilient Memory
- Enabling Dell Fault Resilient Memory
- Installing ESXi on flash media
- Installing ESXi on the hard drive
- Installing ESXi on the BOSS-S1 device
- Enabling or disabling internal SD card
- Configuring one-time boot to ESXi
- Configuring boot sequence to ESXi
- VMware ESXi Secure boot support for Dell EMC PowerEdge Servers
- Downloading patches and updates for ESXi
- Creating vCenter Server installation media
- Installing vCenter Server
- Deploying vSphere 6.5.x
- Configuration back up and restore procedures
- Licensing information
- Troubleshooting ESXi
- Getting help
Why are network adapters not detected during ESXi installation
Cause:
This issue occurs due to one of the following reasons:
● The ESXi image does not contain the latest version of network drivers, for Network Daughter Cards (NDCs) or network
adapters used in Dell EMC servers.
● PowerEdge server does not have an NDC installed.
● The NDC installed on the PowerEdge server is faulty
● PowerEdge server has an NDC installed, but the NDC setting is disabled in the BIOS or UEFI.
Resolution:
1. Use the latest available Dell EMC customized ESXi image, which contains drivers for all NDC or network adapters that are
supported on Dell EMC PowerEdge servers.
NOTE: For more information about downloading the Dell EMC customized ESXi image, see the Downloading the Dell
EMC ESXi installer media section.
2. Check if the NDC is working correctly.
3. Check if the NDC setting is enabled in BIOS/UEFI.
NOTE: For more information about installing and configuring the NDC on a PowerEdge server, see Dell EMC PowerEdge
hardware Owner’s Manual at www.dell.com/poweredgemanuals.
Figure 7. No network adapter error during ESXi installation
Why are target devices not available in ESXi installer
Cause:
This issue occurs due to one of the following reasons:
1. There is no PowerEdge RAID controller or Internal Dual SD Module (IDSDM) or the BOSS-S1 device installed on the server.
2. The drivers for the Storage controllers are not available in the ISO image.
3. In the BIOS configuration utility, IDSDM is disabled.
4. In the BIOS configuration utility, the Integrated RAID controller is disabled.
5. If the Storage controller is set to RAID mode, and virtual disks are not created with the hard drives associated with the
controller.
Resolution:
1. Use the latest available Dell EMC customized ESXi image, which contains drivers for all the supported storage controllers on
Dell EMC PowerEdge servers.
2. Ensure that the SD card is installed in the IDSDM card before installing the IDSDM card on the server. In the BIOS
configuration utility, set IDSDM to Enable.
3. In the BIOS configuration utility, ensure that Integrated RAID Controller is set to Enable.
4. If the Storage controller is set to RAID mode, ensure that the virtual disks are created with the hard drives associated with
the controller.
Troubleshooting ESXi
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