Checking media integrity for ESX/ESXi host installations or upgrades

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

This document guides you through confirming the integrity of your ESX/ESXi Server install or upgrade media.

Symptoms:

• ESX/ESXi Server host installation errors before completion.
• ESX/ESXi Server host upgrade errors before completion
• ESX/ESXi Server host installation fails to complete
• ESX/ESXi Server host upgrade fails to complete

Environment

VMware ESX 4.1.x
VMware ESX 4.0.x
VMware ESXi 3.5.x Installable
VMware ESX Server 2.5.x
VMware vSphere ESXi 5.0
VMware ESX Server 3.0.x
VMware ESX Server 3.5.x
VMware ESXi 4.1.x Installable

Resolution

For typical ESX/ESXi Server installations and upgrades, an ISO image of a CD/DVD is downloaded from VMware. You then record that file onto a CD/DVD-ROM, and boot the ESX/ESXi Server host from that disc.

If you have a production CD/DVD-ROM from VMware and it is version 3.x, and want to check the integrity, go to the CD/DVD-ROM Media Test section below.

Checking the Download Integrity

If you are downloading an ISO from VMware. It is a good idea to to check the integrity of the downloaded file, prior to recording to a CD/DVD-ROM. The steps below outline how to do this:

1. Create an MD5 checksum of the downloaded file. For more information, see Using MD5 Checksums .
2. Compare the newly created MD5 checksum with the MD5 checksum published by VMware.
3. If the checksums match, the images are identical, record the file to CD/DVD-ROM and go to the CD/DVD-ROM Media Test section outlined below (only for 3.x).
4. If the checksums do not match, download the image again. Consider these alternatives:
   • If you have a choice of file types to download, like .exe or .zip, try the other type(s).
   • Use a different web browser.
   • Use a different program for downloading.
   • Use a different computer and/or a different operating system (perhaps using a virtual machine).
5. Repeat steps 1 - 4 until the checksums match. When the checksums match, record the file to CD/DVD-ROM and proceed to the CD/DVD-ROM Media Test section.

CD/DVD-ROM Media Test

For ESX Server 3.0.x and ESX Server 3.5.x installations and upgrades, a CD media integrity test is one of the first steps of the installation or upgrade.

Note: For ESXi 3.x - 5.x and ESX 4.x you'll want to complete the above steps to verify your media, there is no test media option from CD/DVR-ROM in these versions.

After choosing whether you want to complete a graphical or text installation, you see this screen:

• Click Test to have the installer inspect the installation CD/DVD-ROM media for errors.
• If you click Skip, the installation or upgrade continues, skipping the integrity check.
• If you click Test, a progress bar appears. The CD/DVD-ROM media is being tested for errors. When testing is complete, a Media Check Result dialog box appears. Click OK.
• If the test fails, try recording the image onto CD/DVD-ROM again, repeating until the test succeeds. Consider these alternatives:
  
  
• Using a high quality CD-R/DVD+-R media.
• Recording at a slower speed.
• Using a different recording program.