NOTICE: These IP's are in a test network
I am PXE booting ESXi 4.1 using Ubuntu as the DHCP, TFTP and HTTP server (192.168.110.69).
When I boot the server it picks up a DHCP address and loads the installation files:
vmkboot.gz
vmkernel.gz
sys.vgz
sys.vgz
cim.vgz
ienviron.vgz
install.vgz
When I get to the "Reading Installation Script (1/1)" the progress bar stalls.
After about 20 second the installation displays the following message:
Error (see log for more info):
Error connecting to the network
Did not get an IP Address from DHCP server
The closest explanation I can find is: http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=1022308
I believe the problem is that the installation is not reading the ks.cfg file but I'm unsure why. I can enter http://192.168.110.69/ks.cfg in my browser and the file loads fine. The firewall on the PXE server is shut off so as not to interfere.
At this point I ALT-F12 to view the install log and this is what I see:
..
..
INFO Got boot cmdline "vmware'esx4.1/vmkboot.gz ks=http://192.168.1...
INFO Weasel skipped boot command line token (vmware/esx4.1/vmkboot...
DEBUG Setting network options for media downloads
DEBUG nic options from boot command line -- {}
DEBUG net options from boot command line -- {}
DEBUG command line options: [('-s', 'http://192.168.110.69/ks.cfg')
WARNING User has not chosen a Weasel run mode.
INFO Weasel run mode defaulting to Scripted.
..
..
DEBUG Progress happened on a task that has not started
INFO Network choices not specified, Using DHCP
WARNING Still waiting for an IP address from DHCP
DEBUG Progress happened on a task that has not started
WARNING Still waiting for an IP address from DHCP
DEBUG Progress happened on a task that has not started
WARNING Still waiting for an IP address from DHCP
DEBUG Progress happened on a task that has not started
WARNING Still waiting for an IP address from DHCP
..
..
ERROR A network connection could not be made to fetch http://192.168.110.69/ks.cfg
..
"HostIPAddr" = "192.168.110.206" Old value: "192.168.110.205" (Status:0x0)
"ManagementAddr" = "192.168.110.206" Old value: "192.168.110.205" (Status: 0x0)
..
..
"HostIPAddr" = "192.168.110.207" Old value: "192.168.110.206" (Status:0x0)
"ManagementAddr" = "192.168.110.207" Old value: "192.168.110.206" (Status: 0x0)
..
..
"HostIPAddr" = "192.168.110.208" Old value: "192.168.110.207" (Status:0x0)
"ManagementAddr" = "192.168.110.208" Old value: "192.168.110.207" (Status: 0x0)
..
..
"HostIPAddr" = "192.168.110.209" Old value: "192.168.110.208" (Status:0x0)
"ManagementAddr" = "192.168.110.209" Old value: "192.168.110.208" (Status: 0x0)
..
..
"HostIPAddr" = "192.168.110.210" Old value: "192.168.110.209" (Status:0x0)
"ManagementAddr" = "192.168.110.210" Old value: "192.168.110.209" (Status: 0x0)
..
..
Any ideas or suggestions would be apprecitated. Thank you.
The configuration files are below.
##########################
/dhcpd.conf
--------------------------
subnet 192.168.110.0 netmask 255.255.255.0 {
range 192.168.110.201 192.168.110.222;
filename "pxelinux.0";
option subnet-mask 255.255.255.0;
option broadcast-address 192.168.110.255;
option routers 192.168.110.1
}
##########################
/var/lib/tftpdboot/pxelinux.cfg/default
--------------------------
default menu.c32
menu title PXE Boot VMware
timeout 100
label ESXI_install
menu label Boot VMware ESXi
kernel vmware/esx4.1/mboot.c32
append vmware/esx4.1/vmkboot.gz ks=http://192.168.110.69/ks.cfg --- vmware/esx4.1/vmkernel.gz --- vmware/esx4.1/sys.vgz --- vmware/esx4.1/sys.vgz --- vmware/esx4.1/cim.vgz --- vmware/esx4.1/ienviron.vgz --- vmware/esx4.1/install.vgz
##########################
ks.cfg
--------------------------
install url http://192.168.110.69/vmware
network --bootproto=static --ip=192.168.110.210 --netmask=255.255.255.0 --gateway=192.168.110.1
accepteula
autopart --firstdisk=local --overwritevmfs