Rebuilding a UCCX Sub

[mightyking]

Hi Everyone,

I am trying to rebuild a UCCX Sub server with HA enabled.  Could someone please let me know if I am mistaken following the blow steps:

1) Upload the bootable ISO file into the datastore (VM)

2) Connect the CD/DVD Drive

3) Map the bootable ISO file to the CD/DVD Drive by browzing the datastore.

4) Forcing the server to boot with CD/DVD Drive by changing the boot order in the Bios

Result:

The serve ignores the above instructions and boots normally. 

Is there any other way of rebuilding this server?

admin:show version active
Active Master Version: 10.6.1.11001-31
Active Version Installed Software Options:
uccx-language-pack_17-10.6.1.10000-2.cop
admin:

Please find attached the VM interface

Thanks,

MK

[Aaron Harrison]

Hi

In the VMware options for the virtual machine you can set a boot delay in ms. I typically set this to 15 seconds (15000).

This means it will pause on the BIOS screeen for 15 seconds before progressing.

Whilst on the BIOS screen you can press ESC or F11 (can't recall which, it is displayed on the screen) for the 'boot menu' - this allws you to select the CD drive to boot from.

The boot delay allows you time to get connected to the console before it boots.

THe other thing that you would need to be aware of is that media downloaded from CCO is not bootable. You need a bootable ISO from your original install or upgrade media obtained via PUT generally to be able to boot.

Aaron

[mightyking]

Hi Aaron,

Thank you for taking the time and replaying.

I have no problem going to the Bios and changing the boot order to CD/DVD Drive. The key to save the change in the Bios is F10. I tried to delay the boot 15 seconds but the server ignores the change and boots as it does normally. It looks like it doesn't see the boot order.  As you can see in the attached file, the ISO is bootable and it's pointed to CD/DVD Drive. When it reboots it should prompt the installation Windows.

Do I need to remove the server from Inventory and recreate it again or delete from disk? Do I need to reinstall the OVA or I can go ahead and proceed with ISO installation?

Thanks,

MK

[Aaron Harrison]

Hi

If your media is good, and you have performed the steps correctly it will boot. You don't need to reprovision from OVA or do anything to the inventory.

Do you have 'connect at boot' set on the DVD?

To test your media (and allow you to roll back to the current VM if you wanted to) you can deploy a seperate VM from OVA and see if that will boot from the media.

Aaron

[mightyking]

Aaron,

The media is detected when I try to deploy a seperate VM. I don't seem to be able to see where I am missing. As you can see in the first attachement file, the CD/DVD is set to connect at boot.

As I mentioned, this is a HA enabled deployment. Do i need to do anything in Pub to remove the Sub from the HA mode and then proceed?

Thanks,

MK

[mightyking]

Hi Aaron,

I was missing a "ESC" step in order to force the server to boot with CD/DVD drive.  The server was booting so fast that I was not able to see the displayed messages. It was giving the options "Press F12 for setup and ESC for Boot Menu" but it was so fast that I was missing it eveytime. As soon as I pressed ESC the server detected the boot from CD/DVD and promted me to the installation menu.

5 points for you my friend for you replies.

Thanks again,

MK

[Aaron Harrison]

Hi MK

.. yes, that's what the 15 second boot delay was meant to assist with :-)

Glad you have it working.

Aaron

Please remember to mark questions 'answered' when appropriate to highlight useful content.

[Deepak Rawat]

Please make sure that you have Connected option checked as per the attached screenshot.

Regards

Deepak

[derek.fraser]

Thanks for posting this, +5 Aaron for the ESC sequence and boot delay.  I had found another ASA (appliance based) thread that outlined using the VCenter VM Options "During the next boot, force entry into the BIOS setup screen", this allows you to adjust the boot options and works fine, but it's persistent so you need to set it back to HDD or the next reboot or you'll be back to the ISO (if left connected).  Increasing the VM Options boot delay and using ESC character seems like a cleaner path.  My use case was on a UCCX 11.6.2 initial build that failed on the SFTP deploy ES patch on build option and left the OS in a half installed state.

If it's useful to anyone else the BIOS character sequence is:

Press F2 to Enter SETUP, F12 for Network Boot, ESC for Boot Menu