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Lab: Installing Nutanix on Dell VxRail nodes (r640)

  • July 10, 2026
  • 8 replies
  • 83 views
K
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Hi all,

I am trying to install Nutanix on a former Dell VxRail node. The server is a Dell PowerEdge R640, and it has been re-branded back to a standard Dell R640 in iDRAC - the installation is only for Lab/testing, not for production.

I have tried several installation combinations:

  • Latest available AOS/AHV versions — although I understand these may not be supported on this older hardware
  • Latest supported combination I could find for this platform:
    • AOS 6.5.1.8
    • AHV 20220304.336

In all attempts, Foundation fails during the installation with the following error:
CRITICAL svm_rescue: No suitable SVM boot disk found

AOS installation failed. Reason: None

The node boots successfully into Phoenix, downloads the AOS package, AHV ISO, Anaconda bits and driver package, but fails when the CVM/SVM installation begins.

Model: Dell PowerEdge R640 / R640-10

Boot mode: Legacy BIOS

Secure Boot: Disabled

iDRAC: iDRAC9

Storage controller: HBA330

Boot device: Dell BOSS-S1 RAID1

BOSS virtual disk size: approx. 240 GB

Data disks:

- Disk 1: approx. 3.84 TB SSD

- Disk 2: approx. 400 GB SSD

 

The BOSS disk is detected as the host boot disk:
Host boot_disk: sdc
sdc: approx. 223.5G

Visible disks:
 

sda 3.5T

sdb 372.6G

sdc 223.5G (BOSS RAID1)

 

Any idea why this deployment is failing?

8 replies

JeroenTielen
Forum|alt.badge.img+8

You need (minimum) two identical disks. So try to remove the 400GB disk and add an additional 3,84TB SSD. I cant guarantee this is the solution so I hope you got an extra disk laying around to test this. 

Nutanix NTC 2022+2023+2024+2025+2026 || Community Excellence Award 2025+2026 || Nutanix NUG Champion || Nutanix Certified Instructor
    K
    Forum|alt.badge.img+2
    • krede
    • Author
    • Adventurer
    • July 10, 2026

    You need (minimum) two identical disks. So try to remove the 400GB disk and add an additional 3,84TB SSD. I cant guarantee this is the solution so I hope you got an extra disk laying around to test this. 

    I have 4 nodes - Ill try to move one disk from node 4 to node 1, to see if that solves it (on that Node) - thanks for the reply :-)

    JeroenTielen
    Forum|alt.badge.img+8

    ah that is nice. Yes try that. 

    Nutanix NTC 2022+2023+2024+2025+2026 || Community Excellence Award 2025+2026 || Nutanix NUG Champion || Nutanix Certified Instructor
    Z
    • zwaapusff
    • Voyager
    • July 12, 2026

    Hey we had a similar issue as well on our dell VxRail E660F. Are you installing using a USB or sending the ISO over ? We found that the only way to get it installed was to uses the AOS and USB. 

    This was the method we use - Community Edition CE 2.1 - Preparing Installation Media setting the usb with the GPT method. 

    Let us know how you get on. We followed the USB build to a T, even using Rufus 3.21

    JeroenTielen
    Forum|alt.badge.img+8

    Hey we had a similar issue as well on our dell VxRail E660F. Are you installing using a USB or sending the ISO over ? We found that the only way to get it installed was to uses the AOS and USB. 

    This was the method we use - Community Edition CE 2.1 - Preparing Installation Media setting the usb with the GPT method. 

    Let us know how you get on. We followed the USB build to a T, even using Rufus 3.21

    That is the CE method. Looks like ​@krede wants to install the official bits. 

    Nutanix NTC 2022+2023+2024+2025+2026 || Community Excellence Award 2025+2026 || Nutanix NUG Champion || Nutanix Certified Instructor
      K
      Forum|alt.badge.img+2
      • krede
      • Author
      • Adventurer
      • July 13, 2026

      Hey we had a similar issue as well on our dell VxRail E660F. Are you installing using a USB or sending the ISO over ? We found that the only way to get it installed was to uses the AOS and USB. 

      This was the method we use - Community Edition CE 2.1 - Preparing Installation Media setting the usb with the GPT method. 

      Let us know how you get on. We followed the USB build to a T, even using Rufus 3.21

      That is the CE method. Looks like ​@krede wants to install the official bits. 

      ​@zwaapusff / ​@JeroenTielen 
      Yes - I’m trying to install with the official bits and not CE :-)
      Hopefully I will have an update on this on Wednesday! 

      K
      Forum|alt.badge.img+2
      • krede
      • Author
      • Adventurer
      • July 15, 2026

      You need (minimum) two identical disks. So try to remove the 400GB disk and add an additional 3,84TB SSD. I cant guarantee this is the solution so I hope you got an extra disk laying around to test this. 

      So, I managed to install by having two large SSD and one small (2 x 3.84TB and 1 x 400GB) in the system. But it seems like the disk HCL is very restrictive on the types.  
      The following disk are in the system:
      3,84TB Samsung
      3,84TB Intel
      400GB Toshiba

      Only the Intel disk is used, and an alert is raised that the two others are “unqualified”.
      Is there perhaps a way to overrule and make the unqualified disk work (without going the CE way) ?

      JeroenTielen
      Forum|alt.badge.img+8

      Nope. If you dont have hardwate which is on the HCL you need to go the CE route. 

      Nutanix NTC 2022+2023+2024+2025+2026 || Community Excellence Award 2025+2026 || Nutanix NUG Champion || Nutanix Certified Instructor
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