I am running ESXI 7.0 on a Dell 3930 Rack PC. This PC has an NVME SSD and a 1TB Sata HDD plugged in. I used the Dell ESXI ISO image while setting up.
I can see the NVM and PCH controllers when I browse storage. The name of controller showing is: 'Cannon Lake PCH-H AHCI Controller'
When I goto devices, I can also see the 'Local ATA Disk' there. Despite all attempts, I am not able to create a VMFS datastore and always receive an error saying 'cannot change host configuration'
I tried clearing the partition from ESXI Web client but wasn't successful either. The vmkernel logs show the following when I try to create a datastore
2021-05-30T09:48:08.091Z cpu8:1049247)vmw_ahci[00000017]: ExecInternalCommandPolled:FAIL!!: Internal command 2f, 00
2021-05-30T09:48:08.091Z cpu8:1049247)vmw_ahci[00000017]: ExceptionHandlerWorld:Fail to get error log for port 0
2021-05-30T09:48:08.092Z cpu8:1049247)vmw_ahci[00000017]: _IssueComReset:Issuing comreset...
2021-05-30T09:48:08.226Z cpu8:1049247)vmw_ahci[00000017]: ExceptionHandlerWorld:fail a command on slot 1
2021-05-30T09:48:08.226Z cpu12:1049325)ScsiDeviceIO: 4062: Cmd(0x455a74543900) 0x28, CmdSN 0xe from world 1196852 to dev "t10.ATA_____ST1000LM0492D2GH172__________________________________ZGS23QAV" failed H:0x0 D:0x2 P:0x0 Valid sense data: 0x4 0x44
2021-05-30T09:48:08.226Z cpu12:1049325)0x0.
2021-05-30T09:48:08.264Z cpu8:1048723)vmw_ahci[00000017]: CompletionBottomHalf:strange irq(s), 0x4000000
2021-05-30T09:48:08.264Z cpu8:1048723)vmw_ahci[00000017]: CompletionBottomHalf:PORT_IRQ_IF_NONFATAL exception.
2021-05-30T09:48:08.264Z cpu8:1048723)vmw_ahci[00000017]: LogExceptionSignal:Port 0, Signal: --|--|--|--|--|--|IR|--|--|--|--|-- (0x0040) Curr: --|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|-- (0x0000)
2021-05-30T09:48:08.264Z cpu8:1049247)vmw_ahci[00000017]: LogExceptionProcess:Port 0, Process: --|--|--|--|--|--|IR|--|--|--|--|-- (0x0040) Curr: --|--|--|--|--|--|IR|--|--|--|--|-- (0x0040)
2021-05-30T09:48:08.264Z cpu8:1049247)vmw_ahci[00000017]: ExceptionHandlerWorld:Performing device reset due to Port IRQ Error.
2021-05-30T09:48:08.264Z cpu8:1049247)vmw_ahci[00000017]: ExceptionHandlerWorld:hardware stop on slot 0x1, activeTags 0x00000002
2021-05-30T09:48:08.286Z cpu8:1049247)vmw_ahci[00000017]: ExecInternalCommandPolled:port status: 0x40000001, tf status: 0x451
2021-05-30T09:48:08.288Z cpu8:1049247)vmw_ahci[00000017]: ExecInternalCommandPolled:FAIL!!: Internal command 2f, 00
2021-05-30T09:48:08.288Z cpu8:1049247)vmw_ahci[00000017]: ExceptionHandlerWorld:Fail to get error log for port 0
2021-05-30T09:48:08.289Z cpu8:1049247)vmw_ahci[00000017]: _IssueComReset:Issuing comreset...
2021-05-30T09:48:08.414Z cpu8:1049247)vmw_ahci[00000017]: ExceptionHandlerWorld:fail a command on slot 1
2021-05-30T09:48:08.414Z cpu12:1049325)ScsiDeviceIO: 4062: Cmd(0x455a744e2600) 0x28, CmdSN 0x15 from world 1196852 to dev "t10.ATA_____ST1000LM0492D2GH172__________________________________ZGS23QAV" failed H:0x0 D:0x2 P:0x0 Valid sense data: 0x4 0x44
2021-05-30T09:48:08.414Z cpu12:1049325)0x0.
2021-05-30T09:48:08.449Z cpu8:1049830)vmw_ahci[00000017]: CompletionBottomHalf:Error port=0, PxIS=0x08000000, PxTDF=0x40,PxSERR=0x00400100, PxCI=0x00000000, PxSACT=0x00000002, ActiveTags=0x00000002
2021-05-30T09:48:08.449Z cpu8:1049830)vmw_ahci[00000017]: CompletionBottomHalf:SCSI cmd 0x2a on slot 1 lba=0x0, lbc=0x22
2021-05-30T09:48:08.449Z cpu8:1049830)vmw_ahci[00000017]: CompletionBottomHalf:cfis->command= 0x61
2021-05-30T09:48:08.449Z cpu8:1049830)vmw_ahci[00000017]: LogExceptionSignal:Port 0, Signal: --|--|--|--|--|TF|--|--|--|--|--|-- (0x0020) Curr: --|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|-- (0x0000)
2021-05-30T09:48:08.449Z cpu8:1049247)vmw_ahci[00000017]: LogExceptionProcess:Port 0, Process: --|--|--|--|--|TF|--|--|--|--|--|-- (0x0020) Curr: --|--|--|--|--|TF|--|--|--|--|--|-- (0x0020)
2021-05-30T09:48:08.449Z cpu8:1049247)vmw_ahci[00000017]: ExceptionHandlerWorld:Performing device reset due to Task File Error.
2021-05-30T09:48:08.449Z cpu8:1049247)vmw_ahci[00000017]: ExceptionHandlerWorld:hardware stop on slot 0x1, activeTags 0x00000002
2021-05-30T09:48:08.461Z cpu8:1049247)vmw_ahci[00000017]: ExecInternalCommandPolled:port status: 0x40000008, tf status: 0x84c1
2021-05-30T09:48:08.462Z cpu8:1049247)vmw_ahci[00000017]: _IssueComReset:Issuing comreset...
2021-05-30T09:48:08.618Z cpu8:1049247)vmw_ahci[00000017]: ExecInternalCommandPolled:FAIL!!: Internal command 2f, 00
2021-05-30T09:48:08.618Z cpu8:1049247)vmw_ahci[00000017]: ExceptionHandlerWorld:Fail to get error log for port 0
2021-05-30T09:48:08.619Z cpu8:1049247)vmw_ahci[00000017]: _IssueComReset:Issuing comreset...
2021-05-30T09:48:08.661Z cpu8:1049247)vmw_ahci[00000017]: ExceptionHandlerWorld:fail a command on slot 1
2021-05-30T09:48:08.661Z cpu12:1049325)ScsiDeviceIO: 4062: Cmd(0x455a744aa700) 0x2a, CmdSN 0x2 from world 1196852 to dev "t10.ATA_____ST1000LM0492D2GH172__________________________________ZGS23QAV" failed H:0x0 D:0x2 P:0x0 Valid sense data: 0x4 0x44
2021-05-30T09:48:08.661Z cpu12:1049325)0x0.
2021-05-30T09:48:12.698Z cpu11:1049281)NMP: nmp_ResetDeviceLogThrottling:3776: last error status from device t10.ATA_____ST1000LM0492D2GH172__________________________________ZGS23QAV repeated 6 times
2021-05-30T09:48:42.644Z cpu7:1049176)INFO (ne1000): false RX hang detected on vmnic0
2021-05-30T09:51:12.698Z cpu3:1049363)DVFilter: 6344: Checking disconnected filters for timeouts
2021-05-30T09:52:20.250Z cpu2:1049176)INFO (ne1000): false RX hang detected on vmnic0
2021-05-30T09:52:32.136Z cpu8:1051618)vmw_ahci[00000017]: CompletionBottomHalf:strange irq(s), 0x4000000
2021-05-30T09:52:32.136Z cpu8:1051618)vmw_ahci[00000017]: CompletionBottomHalf:PORT_IRQ_IF_NONFATAL exception.
2021-05-30T09:52:32.136Z cpu8:1051618)vmw_ahci[00000017]: LogExceptionSignal:Port 0, Signal: --|--|--|--|--|--|IR|--|--|--|--|-- (0x0040) Curr: --|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|-- (0x0000)
2021-05-30T09:52:32.136Z cpu8:1049247)vmw_ahci[00000017]: LogExceptionProcess:Port 0, Process: --|--|--|--|--|--|IR|--|--|--|--|-- (0x0040) Curr: --|--|--|--|--|--|IR|--|--|--|--|-- (0x0040)
2021-05-30T09:52:32.136Z cpu8:1049247)vmw_ahci[00000017]: ExceptionHandlerWorld:Performing device reset due to Port IRQ Error.
2021-05-30T09:52:32.137Z cpu8:1049247)vmw_ahci[00000017]: ExceptionHandlerWorld:hardware stop on slot 0x1, activeTags 0x00000002
2021-05-30T09:52:32.159Z cpu8:1049247)vmw_ahci[00000017]: ExecInternalCommandPolled:port status: 0x40000001, tf status: 0x451
2021-05-30T09:52:32.161Z cpu2:1049247)vmw_ahci[00000017]: ExecInternalCommandPolled:FAIL!!: Internal command 2f, 00
2021-05-30T09:52:32.161Z cpu2:1049247)vmw_ahci[00000017]: ExceptionHandlerWorld:Fail to get error log for port 0
2021-05-30T09:52:32.162Z cpu2:1049247)vmw_ahci[00000017]: _IssueComReset:Issuing comreset...
2021-05-30T09:52:32.283Z cpu2:1049247)vmw_ahci[00000017]: ExceptionHandlerWorld:fail a command on slot 1
2021-05-30T09:52:32.283Z cpu12:1048622)NMP: nmp_ThrottleLogForDevice:3856: Cmd 0x28 (0x455a733c8440, 0) to dev "t10.ATA_____ST1000LM0492D2GH172__________________________________ZGS23QAV" on path "vmhba0:C0:T0:L0" Failed:
2021-05-30T09:52:32.283Z cpu12:1048622)NMP: nmp_ThrottleLogForDevice:3865: H:0x0 D:0x2 P:0x0 Valid sense data: 0x4 0x44 0x0. Act:NONE. cmdId.initiator=0x451a20b1a7b8 CmdSN 0x18a60
2021-05-30T09:52:32.283Z cpu12:1048622)ScsiDeviceIO: 4062: Cmd(0x455a733c8440) 0x28, CmdSN 0x18a60 from world 0 to dev "t10.ATA_____ST1000LM0492D2GH172__________________________________ZGS23QAV" failed H:0x0 D:0x2 P:0x0 Valid sense data: 0x4 0x44
2021-05-30T09:52:32.283Z cpu12:1048622)0x0.
I had some doubts if the computer's AHCI controller(Cannon Lake PCH-H AHCI Controller) is compatible with esxi 7 but cannot find any resource that confirms this. I read somewhere that disabling the default AHCI driver by the following ssh command may help:
esxcli system module set --enabled=false --module=vmw_ahci
I tried this and if the driver is disabled, post restart the controller wont even display at all. So this had to be re-enabled.
I also tried clearing out the partition table as this drive has no useful information but it always throws an 'input/output' error to any partedUtil command. It seems any write attempt to this device does not work.
When I try the partedUtil getptbl command, the partition format is described as 'unknown'.
FYI, before I setup ESXI, the HDD in question was a diskdrive for a Ubuntu OS and was accessible.
Any leads that could help fix this issue would be welcome.
