ESX/ESXi host fails to boot after installation or upgrade

Products

• VMware vCenter Server
• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

Issue/Introduction:

This article will help to eliminate common causes for an ESXi host failing to boot, following an installation or upgrade.

 

Symptoms:

ESXi host installation or upgrade completes successfully but may have these issues:

• ESXi installation fails to boot after installation or upgrade
• ESXi installation gives errors when booting after installation or upgrade
• May receive one or more of these errors:
  • Failed to load vmkernel: 0xbad0013
  • Error 15: Could not find file
  • Util : 815 : Status 0xbad0001 trying to get a valid VMKernel MAC address. Various vmkernel subsystems will provide lower quality of service
  • 0:00:47.675
  • NOT_IMPLEMENTED /build/mts/release/bora-84374/bora/vmkernel/main/util.c:83
  • VSD mount/bin/sh:can't access TTY; job control turned off.

Environment

VMware ESX 4.x
VMware ESXi 4.x Embedded
VMware vSphere ESXi 5.x
VMware vSphere ESXi 6.x
VMware vSphere ESXi 7.x
VMware vSphere ESXi 8.x

Resolution

Validate that each troubleshooting step below is true for the environment. Each step provides a link to a document.
The steps are ordered in the correct sequence to isolate the issue and identify the proper resolution. Do not skip a step.

• Ensure the system meets the minimum requirements for installing or upgrading the ESXi environment. See, ESXi Hardware Requirements:
  • ESXi Hardware Requirements for vSphere 7.0, https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-vSphere/7.0/com.vmware.esxi.install.doc/GUID-DEB8086A-306B-4239-BF76-E354679202FC.html
  • ESXi Hardware Requirements for vSphere 8.0, https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-vSphere/8.0/vsphere-esxi-installation/GUID-DEB8086A-306B-4239-BF76-E354679202FC.html
• Ensure that the host hardware is on the hardware compatibility list (HCL) for the version of ESXi being installed. See the VMware Compatibility Guides for more information:
  • VMware Compatibility Guide, https://www.vmware.com/resources/compatibility/search.php
    Note: Hardware certified for one version of ESXi may not be certified for a later version. See KB, Verifying that your ESXi host hardware (System, Storage, and I/O) devices are supported, https://knowledge.broadcom.com/external/article/313743/confirming-esxesxi-host-hardware-system.html
• Verify the hardware is functioning. See KB, Verifying your hardware is functioning correctly, https://knowledge.broadcom.com/external/article/306441/verifying-your-hardware-is-functioning-c.html
• Verify the firmware and BIOS levels are at the latest revision on the ESXi host. See KB, Checking your firmware and BIOS levels to ensure compatibility with ESXi, https://knowledge.broadcom.com/external/article/308456/checking-your-firmware-and-bios-levels-t.html
• When installing or upgrading the ESXi host to local storage, verify that the ESXi installer has not written to the storage area network (SAN). See KB, After an ESX/ESXi installation, upgrade, or reinstall, SAN LUNs are damaged, https://knowledge.broadcom.com/external/article/309747/after-an-esxesxi-installation-upgrade-or.html