IBM Support

ESX fails to boot after BIOS update - Servers

Troubleshooting


Problem

After applying a BIOS update to a X3 based system (ie: x260, x366, x460)_the system no longer boots up into ESX.

Resolving The Problem

Source

RETAIN tip: H187185

Symptom

After applying a BIOS update to a X3 based system (IBM xSeries 260, IBM xSeries 366, IBM xSeries 460), the system no longer boots up into ESX.

Affected configurations

The system may be any of the following IBM servers:

  • xSeries 460, Type 8872, any model
  • xSeries 366, Type 8863, any model
  • xSeries 260, Type 8865, any model
  • System x3800, Type 8865, any model
  • System x3850, Type 8863, any model
  • System x3950, Type 8872, any model
  • System x3950E, Type 8874, any model

The BIOS level(s) affected is/are:
  • 1.09 and later

The following network operating systems are affected:

  • VMware ESX Server version 2.5x

Note: This does not imply that the network operating system will work under all combinations of hardware and software.

Please see the compatibility page for more information:

http://www.ibm.com/servers/eserver/serverproven/compat/us/
Solution

Upgrade to VMware ESX Server version 2.5.2 patch 2 or later.

Additional information

When this issue occurs, it is easily identifiable as a hang during operating system boot with the last few lines looking something like this:

IDE 1: ServerWorks CSB6 Bus-Master DMA disabled (BIOS) VMNIX: Keeping irq 0 for channel 1 (generic) VMware ESX Server uses the SMBIOS system model to identify if it's running on a X3 based system and optimizes accordingly. With BIOS version 1.09 or later, the SMBIOS system model changes from xSeries to System x. VMware ESX Server version 2.5.2 patch 2 or later is required in order for the ESX Operating system to understand and compensate for this change.

Document Location

Worldwide

Operating System

System x:VMware ESX Server

Older System x:VMware ESX Server

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Document Information

Modified date:
29 January 2019

UID

ibm1MIGR-65132

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