6.5.1

Storage Behavior
When you start ESXi, the host enters an autoconfiguration phase during which system storage devices
are configured with defaults.
When you reboot the ESXi host after installing the ESXi image, the host configures the system storage
devices with default settings. By default, all visible blank internal disks are formatted with VMFS, so you
can store virtual machines on the disks. In ESXi Embedded, all visible blank internal disks with VMFS are
also formatted by default.
Caution ESXi overwrites any disks that appear to be blank. Disks are considered to be blank if they do
not have a valid partition table or partitions. If you are using software that uses such disks, in particular if
you are using logical volume manager (LVM) instead of, or in addition to, conventional partitioning
schemes, ESXi might cause local LVM to be reformatted. Back up your system data before you power on
ESXi for the first time.
On the hard drive or USB device that the ESXi host is booting from, the disk-formatting software retains
existing diagnostic partitions that the hardware vendor creates. In the remaining space, the software
creates the partitions described in Table 2‑21.
vSphere Installation and Setup
VMware, Inc. 208