iPXE ESXi 6.0u2 on UEFI -> PSOD

[vanfroda]

I’m trying to solve a PSOD (purple screen) issue on a ProLiant DL380 Gen9 while installing ESXi via PXE in UEFI mode. The only thing that seems to be consistent is that the system PSOD always at the same point. (Kernel stack is always the same)
All DL380Gen9 which I could get my hands on crash!! The system crashes on any ESXi release!!

The PSOD indicates an hardware issue, but installing via the ISO media works just fine. I found an advisory that describes the issue really good, but it relates to running ESXi servers, not during the ESXI installation and the suggested work-arround doesn’t work.

• I’m focusing on 2 DL380Gen9 servers: 1xLLF (SATA) based, 1x SSF (SAS) based. (both panic with the same error at the same spot)
o ILO is 2.44 (latest from the web)
o System Rom is 2.22_07-18-2016 (latest from the web)
o SPP 2016.04 is loaded
• I have the PSOD with ALL ESXi Releases
o Custom HPE 5.5 update 2 / 5.5 update 3 / 6.0 / 6.0 update 1 / 6.0 update 2
o Orginal VM ware release (6.0 update 2)

• Following advisory describes the issue (only I’m having the PSOD during installation) pretty close
o http://h20564.www2.hpe.com/portal/site/h...-c04912076
o YES the ESXi Panic code is: LINT1/NMI (Motherboard nonmaskable interrupt) undiagnosed
o YES the ILM Log says: Uncorrectable PCI Express Error (Embedded device, Bus 0, Device 0, Function 0, Error status 0x00000000)
Note: the Advisory handles an Error status 0x00100000. Here we have 0x0000000

• Applied workaround of advisory ( Kernelopt in boot.cfg iovDisableIR=TRUE ) but STILL all systems panic
• It isn’t a hardware issue. Installing from ISO works just fine, removed all PCI cards, (even internal Smart Array Ctrl), … still panic.
• Issue is only UEFI mode. Bios mode works fine

o System starts BOOTX64.EFI …. It loads all the modules found in BOOT.CFG.
o The Yellow Startup screen comes up and the gray progress bar at the bottom of the screen progresses.
o Last message of ESXI is “VM Kernel loaded successfully” then system panic


Anyone care to reproduce ? … I’ve got a feeling I hit some undocumented bug.

• IPXE Script Looks like:
#!ipxe
kernel http://<ip-address>/netboot/vmware/6.0_u2/boot/bootx64.efi -c http://<ip-address>/netboot/vmware/6.0_u2/boot/boot.cfg
boot

• Boot.cfg looks like:
bootstate=0
title=Loading ESXi installer
timeout=5
prefix=http://<ip-address>/netboot/vmware/6.0_u2/depot
kernel=tboot.b00
kernelopt=runweasel iovDisableIR=true
modules=b.b00 --- jumpstrt.gz --- useropts.gz --- k.b00 --- chardevs.b00 --- a.b00 --- user.b00 --- uc_intel.b00 --- uc_amd.b00 --- sb.v00 --- s.v00 --- scsi_mpt.v00 --- net_tg3.v00 --- elxnet.v00 --- ima_be2i.v00 --- lpfc.v00 --- scsi_be2.v00 --- amsHelpe.v00 --- conrep.v00 --- hpbootcf.v00 --- hpe_buil.v00 --- hpe_esxi.v00 --- hpe_ilo.v00 --- hpe_smx_.v00 --- hponcfg.v00 --- hpssacli.v00 --- hptestev.v00 --- char_hpc.v00 --- hpnmi.v00 --- scsi_hpd.v00 --- scsi_hps.v00 --- scsi_hpv.v00 --- intelcim.v00 --- net_i40e.v00 --- net_igb.v00 --- net_ixgb.v00 --- nmlx4_co.v00 --- nmlx4_en.v00 --- misc_cni.v00 --- net_bnx2.v00 --- net_bnx2.v01 --- net_cnic.v00 --- net_nx_n.v00 --- net_qlcn.v00 --- qlnative.v00 --- scsi_bfa.v00 --- scsi_bnx.v00 --- scsi_bnx.v01 --- scsi_qla.v00 --- mtip32xx.v00 --- ata_pata.v00 --- ata_pata.v01 --- ata_pata.v02 --- ata_pata.v03 --- ata_pata.v04 --- ata_pata.v05 --- ata_pata.v06 --- ata_pata.v07 --- block_cc.v00 --- ehci_ehc.v00 --- emulex_e.v00 --- weaselin.t00 --- esx_dvfi.v00 --- esx_ui.v00 --- ima_qla4.v00 --- ipmi_ipm.v00 --- ipmi_ipm.v01 --- ipmi_ipm.v02 --- lsi_mr3.v00 --- lsi_msgp.v00 --- lsu_hp_h.v00 --- lsu_lsi_.v00 --- lsu_lsi_.v01 --- lsu_lsi_.v02 --- lsu_lsi_.v03 --- lsu_lsi_.v04 --- misc_dri.v00 --- net_e100.v00 --- net_e100.v01 --- net_enic.v00 --- net_forc.v00 --- net_mlx4.v00 --- net_mlx4.v01 --- net_vmxn.v00 --- nmlx4_rd.v00 --- nvme.v00 --- ohci_usb.v00 --- rste.v00 --- sata_ahc.v00 --- sata_ata.v00 --- sata_sat.v00 --- sata_sat.v01 --- sata_sat.v02 --- sata_sat.v03 --- sata_sat.v04 --- scsi_aac.v00 --- scsi_adp.v00 --- scsi_aic.v00 --- scsi_fni.v00 --- scsi_ips.v00 --- scsi_meg.v00 --- scsi_meg.v01 --- scsi_meg.v02 --- scsi_mpt.v01 --- scsi_mpt.v02 --- uhci_usb.v00 --- vsan.v00 --- vsanheal.v00 --- vsanmgmt.v00 --- xhci_xhc.v00 --- tools.t00 --- nmst.v00 --- xorg.v00 --- imgdb.tgz --- imgpayld.tgz
build=
updated=0