Strange issue with ESXi 4.1 and transferring files + trying to install from local iso

[MrComputerSaint]

So, I have a server, which I have installed VM ESXi 4.1on. It's a power edge 6850 with 4 x Dual core 2.6Ghz Xeons and 8GB RAM.

I get a problem when trying to install a cirtual machine, I've downloaded one of the trial versions of Windows 2008 as this is going to be a test system for me.

when I try to install the device, I get errors half way down the install, it's not always the same spot but it will come up with errors and the connection will be lost to the ESXi server.

The iso is on my local machine and the server is on the same physical lan (although it is a different logical LAN that the server is on, however I have plugged directly into the switch in the server room, given my laptop one of the IP's in the range of IP's of the test network).

I've tried uploading the iso to the data store on the server but that returns an I/O error and I lose http connection to the servers main landing page. Although I can still telnet on port 902 to the server when this connection is lost and I can still ping the server.

I can't see why it's stopping me uploading the iso or doing the installation. Any ideas?

[Splash]

Given the age of the hardware my gut feeling is a hardware issue. Do the PE 6850s have hardware diagnostics at boot (I think they do)? If so I'd be tempted to run through all those first, as well as full checks on the disks. If all checks out from there I'd suggest that you check out your network connectivity for packets being dropped.

[MrComputerSaint]

Hi, yeah, disks are fine and boot diags pass no problem.

Constant ping to the server doesn't drop any packets, some are a little slow, like 2ms but nothing I'd worry about

[Splash]

Hmm... what packet size have you got set on your vmkernel?

[wasabi]

NIC drivers?

[Agent]

Client using jumbo frames? Have seen a few issues relating to them.

[Splash]

yeah, I'd be willing to bet that something somewhere has been configured with jumbo frames

[MrComputerSaint]

So this was fixed by installing a new ESXi image onto the physical server. I did download a new iso of the ESXi image before burning the ISO again.

We didn't format the psychical server drives and kept the same raid on the drives.

Thank you for suggestions.