ISE 3.1 auto install on VMware with iso hangs

[praestans]

Hello, I'm working on a fully automated install of ISE 3.1 in VMware, and installing via the Cisco provided full installation iso. I'm having an issue where the auto installation starts as expected, but then hangs at the 3rd line (Probing EDD...). I haven't been able to get this to progress past this point with esxi 6.5, 6.7, or 7.0, and I've tested in multiple environments, and have allowed up to 20 hours for the install to complete with no success. If I manually select option 1 on the initial screen (instead of allow the 150 seconds to elapse for the auto install to start) the install runs fine. I'm attaching a screen shot of where the install gets stuck. Consequently, the ISE 3.1 ZTP guides show this same stopping point in several screenshots, with no explanation of how to get it to progress past this point except in Hyper-V, which I can't use.

I'm hoping I am just missing a setting on the VM provisioning or something, but so far I haven't found it. Any insight anyone can provide would be really helpful.

Thanks

[Greg Gibbs]

@Arne Bier , it sounds like you're saying that the IMG file mapped to the second virtual CDROM drive does not work unless you also configure the VM Data in the advanced parameters. Is that right?

If so, that is certainly not how I understand it to work based on the guide that Charlie wrote.

The only issue I'm aware of is that you cannot use the VM Data option with the ISO, only with the OVA. I'm not aware of an enhancement request filed to support that combination.

[Arne Bier]

Nope - the issue I am facing is that the .IMG file is not processed, unless I explicitly press '1' during the BIOS bootup.

I don't have any VMWare Advanced Parameters enabled.

CDROM1: ISE32.iso

CDROM2: ZTP.img

BIOS Bootup.

If I boot up the VM, and do not press any keys, then in 150 seconds the ISE32 installer starts, and runs through as normal, but it does not pick up the ZTP.img file.

[Greg Gibbs]

Hi @Arne Bier, I tested this in my lab today using the 3.2 ISO and a newly created ise-ztp.img file created using the shell script that Charlie provided in his document. I let the 150 second timeout lapse without hitting any keys and after about 30min of the initial ISO build, I can see all of the ZTP parameters auto populated in the setup wizard.

You might need to open a TAC case to investigate why it's not working for you.

My environment uses vCenter 7.0.3.01500 and ESXi, 7.0.3, 20328353

[Arne Bier]

Hi @Greg Gibbs 

You're correct. It does work without any manual key presses - I think I lost patience when the screen didn't update for a long time and then thought it had died.

Charlie's ZTP page says that the BIOS option should be selected - but I managed to build this using EFI as well (Secure Boot disabled of course).

It's interesting that in either mode, the GRUB Boot loader looks different.

With EFI Boot:

With BIOS Boot: