My Dream System (I think)

[Dice]

@Mirfster
Nice write up. I will attempt the Int/shutdown script addition as soon as I get the occasion.
(I cannot see how this is anywhere off -topic in this thread granted what other woopsies have been discussed :P )

 

[Mirfster]

NP, it should work fine since that is exactly how I have my test system setup right now. ;) About to test some VMs in a bit to see if I got things going right.

Just don't want to have anyone thinking I am hijacking Joe's thread.

 

[joeschmuck]

Just don't want to have anyone thinking I am hijacking Joe's thread.

No big deal, I'm getting something out of it too. This has seriously gone off topic but then again, it's in the off topic threads so it's okay.

 

[jgreco]

Just don't want to have anyone thinking I am hijacking Joe's thread.

In the meantime, let's discuss pizza recipes.

 

[joeschmuck]

In the meantime, let's discuss pizza recipes.

I ate a Calzone yesterday from the local pizza joint and had wings from Hooters today.

 

[jgreco]

I ate a Calzone yesterday from the local pizza joint and had wings from Hooters today.

Everyone says the wings at Hooters are great.

 

[joeschmuck]

Everyone says the wings at Hooters are great.

Actually I prefer Buffalo Wild Wings but the guys I hang out with prefer the view at Hooters. I can't blame them, I did too when I was a bit younger.

 

[Mirfster]

I can't blame them, I did too when I was a bit younger.

Don't lie, you still do... :P

 

[Dice]

This is what I did; slightly different from the instructions you linked:

In VMware vSphere Client (I am running 6.0 Update 2)

• Right-Click on FreeNas VM
• Select "Guest" - "Install/Upgrade VMware Tools"
• When prompted by the "Install/Upgrade Tools" dialog
  • Select "Interactive Tools Upgrade"
  • Click [OK]

In FreeNas VM (via Putty); Commands

• mkdir /mnt/cdrom
• mount -t cd9660 /dev/iso9660/VMware%20Tools /mnt/cdrom/
  • * This is where my command differs...
• cp /mnt/cdrom/vmware-freebsd-tools.tar.gz /root/
• tar -zxmf vmware-freebsd-tools.tar.gz
• cd vmware-tools-distrib/lib/modules/binary/FreeBSD9.0-amd64
• cp vmxnet3.ko /boot/modules
• umount /dev/iso9660/VMware%20Tools
  • Unmounts the CD
• rmdir /mnt/cdrom
  • Deletes folder created for the CD Mount earlier

In FreeNas Web GUI

• In "Tasks" - "Init/Shutdown Scripts"
  • Click "Add Init/Shutdown Script"
    • Type: Command
    • Command: kldunload vmxnet
    • When: Post Init
    • Click [OK] to Save/Close
• In "System" - "Tunables"
  • Click "Add Tunable"
    • Variable: vmxnet3_load
      
    • Value: YES
      
    • Type: Loader
    • Comment: Load VMWare VMXNet3 Drivers
    • Enabled: [Checked]
    • Click [OK] to Save/Close

In VMware vSphere Client (I am running 6.0 Update 2)

• Right-Click on FreeNas VM
• Select "Guest" - "End VMware Tools Install"

Finally, Reboot FreeNas.

To verify it is loaded, run the command (via Putty or Shell): kldstat | grep vmxnet3.ko
You should get a result showing vmxnet3.ko is loaded; similar to:

Code:

 # kldstat | grip vmxnet3.ko
2    1 0xffffffff81cb0000 8f48     vmxnet3.ko

Hope this helps and apoligies to Joeschmuck if this is off topic.

oh well. So. this didn't work as well as I had hoped.
- the postint managed to unload the vmxnet.ko
- still cannot load vmxnet3.ko

I get an error forwarding me to dmesg(8).
Some googling later I run command: <dmesg> and find at the last line:
<KLD vmxnet3.ko: depends on kernel - not available or version mismatch>

Any ideas?

 

[Mirfster]

I get an error forwarding me to dmesg(8).
Some googling later I run command: <dmesg> and find at the last line:
<KLD vmxnet3.ko: depends on kernel - not available or version mismatch>

Make sure you have the followed the directions exactly. I did get that once and I think it was due to me not copying/extracting the correct tar.

 

[Spearfoot]

You may need to recompile the VMXNET3 driver, depending on whether or not FreeNAS 9.10 actually supports the driver 'out of the box'. Pretty good instructions here for doing that:

https://forums.freenas.org/index.php?threads/vmxnet3-ko-for-freenas-9-x-in-esxi-5-5.18280/

 

[Mirfster]

I didn't need to do all that. ;) Is your FreeNas 9.10 up to the latest Stable?

 

[Dice]

I didn't need to do all that. ;) Is your FreeNas 9.10 up to the latest Stable?

It is updated as of today.
There may have been an older vmxnet3.ko in the /boot/modules from my previous attempts. I should probably remove that and re-do your guide. All commands worked without issue. I'm also on ESXi 6.0u2.

 

[Mirfster]

I'm also on ESXi 6.0u2.

Same here

 

[joeschmuck]

I have not upgraded to U2 yet, likely to do that after I return from a business trip next week. Since my firewall is on mt machine, it's smart to leave it alone until I'm here.

 

[Dice]

I found <a> problem (I'd like to say it is THE problem..but not yet :p)
Your guide points to the 9.0BSD folder.
I tried the BSD10 folder instad, which enabled me to load the driver.

From:
cd vmware-tools-distrib/lib/modules/binary/FreeBSD9.0-amd64
cp vmxnet3.ko /boot/modules
kldload vmxnet3.ko

To this:
cd vmmware-tools-distrib/lib/modules/binary/FreeBSD10.0-amd64
cp vmxnet3.ko /boot/modules
kldload vmxnet3.ko

atm: vmxnet3.ko is loaded and shows up as a network interface.
huge success!

(I really enjoy this learning experience hacking along in CLI :D )
edit#4: huuuuge speed improvements vs vmxnet with regards to small files during initial test transfers. Oh boy - I'm the happiest camper right now :D

 

[Mirfster]

Hmm, I may have to double check my notes then. Thanks.

 

[Mirfster]

To this:
cd vmmware-tools-distrib/lib/modules/binary/FreeBSD10.0-amd64

@Dice I just confirmed that my original instructions were indeed incorrect. I have updated the post to use the appropriate path. Thanks for catching that.

 

[joeschmuck]

So time to talk about an issue I am having, and I'm sure it will be easy enough to solve but when I tried to install update02 to my system I received the following error message

Code:

[root@localhost:/vmfs/volumes/56c9f8f1-b1f1cc42-e0c1-0015178b16cc/patch] esxcli software vib install -d "/vmfs/volumes/datastore_HDD/patch/update02.zip"
[DependencyError]
VIB Margar_bootbank_upsmon_2.7.2-1.3.0vmw.500 violates extensibility rule checks: [u'(line 27: col 0) Element vib failed to validate content']
Please refer to the log file for more details.
[root@localhost:/vmfs/volumes/56c9f8f1-b1f1cc42-e0c1-0015178b16cc/patch]

Needless to say that when I installed the NUT UPS Monitor, this is having an effect on the update. Now I need to remove the software I installed and try to apply the update again. The problem is I need to wait until later tonight when everyone is off the internet to do this or I'll hear some complaints. I could connect my backup router (used for when I do need to take my ESXi server offline) but... So now I need to find the commands to remove what I installed or maybe use the override for the cli command "--no-sig-check". More to research as I'd hate to override anything when it comes to this server.

 

[Mirfster]

Well, think of it this way; if the update would have completed successfully then I think a reboot would have been needed anyways. ;)

Personally, I prefer my router to be a separate device. I have a few clients that don't and when I am performing maintenance over VPN it is sucks when the unit has to be rebooted and I am kicked off VPN. During that time I am blind to what is going on and it is not a great feeling.