This blog contains experience gained over the years of implementing (and de-implementing) large scale IT applications/software.

Network with OEL 5.7 x86_64 install in Hyper-V

When installing Oracle Enterprise Linux 5.7 x86_64 in a Hyper-V 2012 VM, the Linux networking refuses to work with the Hyper-V “Legacy driver” if you have the UEK (unbreakable enterprise kernel) enabled and more than one vCPU.

First, you should always ensure that you add the Hyper-V “Legacy Network driver” to the VM container at the VM creation time to ensure that it will work when you come to install OEL in the VM.

Then, to get around the problem with the networking and vCPUs, disable the UEK kernel and shutdown, then you can add more than one vCPU to the VM.

Corrupt OEL 5.7 ISO Prevents Boot into Installer

I ran into this little problem whilst trying to install OEL 5.7 into a Hyper-V environment.

Kernel panic – not syncing: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on unknown-block(xxx,xx)“.

I tried all different manner of parameters with “linux xxxxx” as recommended by the installer.
None of these worked.
It looked like the Hyper-V drivers weren’t working at first.

So I re-downloaded the OEL 5.7 ISO, and re-attached to the VM cd-rom.
Then it worked!
Must have been a corrupt OEL 5.7 ISO that prevented it booting into install/setup from Hyper-V.