PowerEdge 2950 Network Driver
I have installed 2008 on a virtual server on a PowerEdge 2950. The install was smooth and easy, and all of the drivers loaded except for the Broadcom NetXtreme II BCM5708 1000Base-T network driver.
Naturally, I can't find a 2008 driver for it, and I can't get the others (XP, VISTA, 2003, etc) to install to try them out.
Has anyone else figured out a way around this? It's a little difficult to test with no network.
Answers
I remember having trouble setting up NIC teaming and VLAN support on our server (PE2900 with two Broadcom BCM5708C NetXtreme II GigE NICs) but in the end I got it working just fine.
Let me explain what I remember doing:
1. Downloaded the driver package (win_vista_x86_64-10.32.01.zip) directly from Broadcom. Dell has only old drivers posted (unless they updated them by now). I have to say, it took me several hours to figure where to find them and which package to use. No easy task!
Direct link: http://www.broadcom.com/support/ethernet_nic/driver-sla.php?driver=NX2-Vista-x86-64
Or go to:http://www.broadcom.com/support/ethernet_nic/netxtremeii.php and choose the package for for "Windows Vista (x86-64/EM64T).
After download, you should have a zip file called: win_vista_x86_64-10.32.01.zip. Extract and run setup.exe found in the directory "Server\W2K3x64\DrvInst". Don't be fooled by "W2K3x64" in the path, it's correct! You can read that Windows 2008 is indeed supported by opening the release notes ("Server\W2K3x64\DrvInst\Release.txt") and version file ("Server\W2K3x64\DrvInst\Version.txt")2. If you want to do NIC teaming for loadbalancing or failover or if you want to have VLAN support, you will also need to install Broadcom's Advanced Control Suite. Again, ignore Dell and use the one from Broadcom's website:
Direct link: http://www.broadcom.com/support/ethernet_nic/driver-sla.php?driver=NX2-Mgmt-x86-64
Or go to:http://www.broadcom.com/support/ethernet_nic/netxtremeii.php and choose "Broadcom Management Applications Installer (x86-64/EMT64T)"After download, you have a zip file called: BASP_BACS_Mgnt_apps_x86_64-10.58.05.zip. Extract and read in the version and release note files, that it support Windows 2008 as well. Simply install and you will have teaming and VLAN support.
If you have trouble with getting it to work, just contact me and I may be able to help with more details.
Oh, forgot to mention: If you run virtual machines inside Hyper-V on such a config, you won't have proper VLAN support. According to several posts, Hyper-V's VLAN support is currently broken.
Chris
All Replies
- I'm having the exact same issue on a 1950, trying to run Wnidows Server 2008 Enterprise on top of ESX 3.01. Has anyone gotten around this issue?
I remember having trouble setting up NIC teaming and VLAN support on our server (PE2900 with two Broadcom BCM5708C NetXtreme II GigE NICs) but in the end I got it working just fine.
Let me explain what I remember doing:
1. Downloaded the driver package (win_vista_x86_64-10.32.01.zip) directly from Broadcom. Dell has only old drivers posted (unless they updated them by now). I have to say, it took me several hours to figure where to find them and which package to use. No easy task!
Direct link: http://www.broadcom.com/support/ethernet_nic/driver-sla.php?driver=NX2-Vista-x86-64
Or go to:http://www.broadcom.com/support/ethernet_nic/netxtremeii.php and choose the package for for "Windows Vista (x86-64/EM64T).
After download, you should have a zip file called: win_vista_x86_64-10.32.01.zip. Extract and run setup.exe found in the directory "Server\W2K3x64\DrvInst". Don't be fooled by "W2K3x64" in the path, it's correct! You can read that Windows 2008 is indeed supported by opening the release notes ("Server\W2K3x64\DrvInst\Release.txt") and version file ("Server\W2K3x64\DrvInst\Version.txt")2. If you want to do NIC teaming for loadbalancing or failover or if you want to have VLAN support, you will also need to install Broadcom's Advanced Control Suite. Again, ignore Dell and use the one from Broadcom's website:
Direct link: http://www.broadcom.com/support/ethernet_nic/driver-sla.php?driver=NX2-Mgmt-x86-64
Or go to:http://www.broadcom.com/support/ethernet_nic/netxtremeii.php and choose "Broadcom Management Applications Installer (x86-64/EMT64T)"After download, you have a zip file called: BASP_BACS_Mgnt_apps_x86_64-10.58.05.zip. Extract and read in the version and release note files, that it support Windows 2008 as well. Simply install and you will have teaming and VLAN support.
If you have trouble with getting it to work, just contact me and I may be able to help with more details.
Oh, forgot to mention: If you run virtual machines inside Hyper-V on such a config, you won't have proper VLAN support. According to several posts, Hyper-V's VLAN support is currently broken.
Chris
Trevor,
I know you posted this a few months back. If you still have any issues, please let me know. I have not had issues with loading the NIC drivers in either host or guest configuration:
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As a host OS - The device drivers for the PE2950 5708 NICs are part of the WS08 image from Microsoft. So these should load automatically as part of your WS08 host OS installation on the PE2950
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As a guest OS - When WS08 is installed as a guest OS on Hyper-V, the OS automatically loads drivers for both the legacy and synthetic virtual NICs
Let me know if you are seeing anything different.
Thanks, Ranjith
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I tried every driver imaginable from Broadcom (Vista, XP, 2003, etc) and the native drivers to Win 2008 and nothing installed correctly for the VM, using ESX 3.0x. However, I did not try openmanage. This is how I got my network connection working in Win 2008 VM, still using Broadcom physical nic. The VM is using the intel virtual nic, but it works great.
1) Power down your VM.
2) Put the followig line into the VMX file
ethernet0.virtualDev = "e1000"
3) Power up the VM.This works for Solaris 10 VMs too, the configuration below gives good network throughput on Solaris 10 VMs on ESX 3.0x....
1) Power down your VM.
2) Put the followig line into the VMX file
ethernet0.virtualDev = "e1000"
3) Power up the VM.4) Bring up the interface
ifconfig e1000g0 plumb
ifconfig e1000g0 broadcast
5) Rename the hostname.pcn files to hostname.e1000
mv /etc/hostname.pcn0 /etc/hostname.e1000g0
6) Reboot the VM.
Smuney -
This forum is for discussing Hyper-V, not ESX.
Cheers,
Ben
- So, I just bought a massive Poweredge 2950 to use specifically for Hyper-V. I installed Server 2008 Data Center and added the Hyper-V RC0 role. I then created 5 VMs. 4 running XP Pro w/SP2 for our java application, 1 running 2008 Server x64 for SQL Server 2008 eventually.
The parent has no issues with networking, but none of the VMs detect a network card. I set up the 2nd NIC in the system to be used by the VMs.
I went to the links above and downloaded the XP and 2008 x64 drivers. Since I couldn't figure out how to copy files from the parent to the VM, I burned a DVD, mounted it within one of the XP VMs and installed the driver. Still no go, no network card detected in any of the VMs including 2008.
Am I missing some step or misunderstanding how to install the drivers? THanks! Can you please check what type of network adapter you have configured for your VMs - a "Legacy Network Adapter" or "Synthetic Network Adapter"?
A "Legacy Network Adapter" should just show up in the VMs after OS install. A "Synthetic Network Adapter" will only show up after you install the Integration Components (ICs) on the guest operating system.
Neither, it specifically says Broadcom BCM5708C NetXtreme II GigE. I have the option of installing a legacy driver though. Synthetic is not listed, when I tried to install IC on XP it said I needed SP3. While installing the beta is an option, I didn't think I should need to do that just to get a NIC working, but I'll do whatever I have to.
I did not install IC in the 2008 VM yet, I was just trying to get XP networking working first.
Robroth,
I was in the same boat as you. I have Dell 2950 III with the Broadcom nics and couldn't get the VMs to work. I ended up setting up a "Legacy Network Adapter" and they all work fine. I currently have 3 VMs without any network problems.
phanf
For WS08 x64 guest OS, you have to use a synthetic NIC for your VMs and then install the ICs on your guest OS (BTW, a synthetic NIC is what is called out as "Network Adatper" under VM configuration). WS08 x64 guest OSes will not support a "Legacy Network Adapter".
For XP, your temporary solution for your non-production use could be to use a "Legacy Network Adapter" until SP3 is available. Please refer to Microsoft Hyper-V RC documentation for their list of supported guest OSes and minimum required service packs.
hey, how about that... the list actually says XP needs SP3.... I honestly didn't even know SP3 was in the works until today. I'll grab it from technet tomorrow and try again. Thanks for the help.
It all works with SP3 RC2 which is available for download from microsoft.com downloads.
Ok, so I installed SP3 and all my XP VMs now magically have networking, I didn't have to do anything else. However my 2008 Server x64 VM still has no networking.
Within the OS, if I look at device manager, it shows Microsoft VMBus Network Adapter with a yellow triangle and exclamation point.If I go to install Integration Services, it tells me it already installed.
If I go to Settings for that VM, the Network Adapter is listed as the Broadcom.
If I go to Settings>Add Hardware, the only items listed are SCSI Controller, Network Adapter and Legacy Adapter.If I choose to add a Network Adapter, in the network drop down, the only items are 'Not Connected' or the Broadcom.
I'm not sure what the next step to troubleshoot this is. Thanks for the help with the XP solution though!
I have it working. I needed to apply KB949219 to the Win2K8 VM as well.
