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ESX/ESXi 4.1 with network card NC522SFP fails to install or upgrade with a purple diagnostic screen (1026431)

Symptoms

  • ESX 4.1 with network card NC522SFP fails to install or upgrade
  • You experience a purple diagnostic screen with an error similar to the following: 

#PF Exception 14 in world 4129:helper11-0
nx_schedule_pexqdb@esx:nover+0x37f
pwxq_db_test@esx:nover+0xb8
nx_init_pexq_dbell@esx:nover+0xf2
unm_nic_attach@esx:nover+pxc78
unm_nic_open@esx:nover+0x25
dev_open@esx:nover+0x7f
OpenNetDev@es:nover+0x8b
UplinkDeviceOpenAsyncCB@vmkernel:nover+0x2d

Resolution

On some systems, the inbox NetXen driver fails to load the firmware. This causes the system to fail with a purple diagnostic screen during the early stage of the install process.

 

To workaround this issue for ESX 4.1, when prompted for the third party driver during install or upgrade, install this Async driver: VMware ESX/ESXi 4.x Driver CD for QLogic Intelligent Ethernet Adapters.
 
To workaround this issue for ESXi 4.1 Embedded, contact your hardware vendor. They may be able to provide you with a customized image (injecting tools or drivers) that fits their system.
 
To workaround this issue for ESXi 4.1 (Installable) with a network card other than NC522SFP:
  1. Prior the upgrade/install process, de-activate the NC522SFP card from the BIOS or remove it from the server.
  2. Proceed with the install/upgrade.
  3. When ESXi 4.1 installation is completed, install this Async driver: VMware ESX/ESXi 4.x Driver CD for QLogic Intelligent Ethernet Adapters.
  4. Re-activate/re-install the NC522SFP card in the server.
ESXi 4.1 (Installable) with no network card other than NC522SFP is an unsupported configuration and does not have a workaround. 

Update History

updating with link to latest driver 570 instead of 560 _____________________________________________________ updated the link name from 4.0 to 4.x

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