Hello Folks, I am facing an issue while installing a new BIG-IP OS to the 1600 appliance. The issue is, I can see 2 partitions available, in which one partition has the currently loaded BIG-IP OS, I want to upgrade 10.1.0 to 11.2.1 HF10. I have uploaded the image to F5, however unable to install the image on another available partition. It just gives me "Failed" as status while installing. Do I need to format that partition before installing 11.2.1? If yes, any help formatting the partition? Thanks folks! Darshan

Darshan Are you actually using partitions and not volumes? The lvscan cmd will confirm if you're not sure. If partitions then a format into the new volume disk format will be required. N

Thanks for the reply Nathan, Just a quick background, before started the upgrade procedure. This appliance is a standby appliance from active/passive HA. It wasn't accessible through GUI/CLI when we'd tried to access it for the first time. The LCD was showing message as "F5 incorporate" and navigations were not working. I have connected the appliance over console, and reboot it. I found that BIG-IP OS was crashed or something, as I couldn't see any BIGIP commands and it was a typical linux box with root prompt. I rebooted the appliance from a different partition and it started working normally. So I am assuming that the partition it self is corrupted or so. Could it be the issue it causing the problem? Because I am installing the new ISO to the same suspicious partition, as I don't have other choice. Thanks Nathan, Darshan

You could try deleting this volume (from the GUI) and then installing to it, or installing to a new volume altogether.

Thanks again Nathan, I don't see any option in GUI to delete/Format the suspicious partition. It is running on version 10.1.0, not sure if this version has that provision on GUI or not. Any help on this? Thanks Nathan,

just confirm what you get when you run these cmds from the cmd line. b software b software volume b software status

New image doesn't install on existing partition - V 10.1.0

23 Replies

swo0sh_gt_13163
Altostratus
Jan 23, 2014
Yes, the different image is 11.X Does it mean I need to format the whole disk and install the new image from USB or DVD?

Thanks, Darshan
nitass
Employee
Jan 23, 2014
I am sure the HDD is not faulty, as the appliance is running using a different IMAGE installed on different partition. The issue is specifically with partition only. Not with the HDD.

the different image is not 11.x, is it?

as nathan said, this is about formatting scheme. in 11.x, volume formatting scheme is required (i.e. you have to re-format hard disk).
swo0sh_gt_13163
Altostratus
Jan 22, 2014
Hi Nitass,

Surprise surpirse! I was not aware about this. However I didn't follow the steps so far, as I couldn't reach customer.

I am sure the HDD is not faulty, as the appliance is running using a different IMAGE installed on different partition. The issue is specifically with partition only. Not with the HDD.

Any suggestions?
nitass
Employee
Jan 22, 2014
just in case you have not noticed it. image2disk format option will format whole hard disk (not only one partition).

Warning: When you run the image2disk utility with the --format command to convert partitions to volumes, the operation removes all partitions or volumes, along with all data on the system.

Using the image2disk and diskinit Utilities
http://support.f5.com/kb/en-us/products/big-ip_ltm/manuals/product/bigip_gs_10_0_0/bip_gs_app_a_util.html
swo0sh_gt_13163
Altostratus
Jan 22, 2014
Fantastic! I will give it a go...

Thanks Nathan
nathe
Cirrocumulus
Jan 22, 2014
Appears you have the Partition disk format. This isn't compatible with v11.x.

You will need to use the image2disk utility to format/install a volume. There should be some good stuff on askf5 about image2disk.

Hope this helps.

Oh, /var/log/liveinstall.log may give you more details too.

N
swo0sh_gt_13163
Altostratus
Jan 22, 2014
Hi Nathan,

Just to confirm that I cannot see Volume management under Software Management. I need to check the result of given commands, as and when I get the appliance access from the customer.

Cheers mate! Darshan
nathe
Cirrocumulus
Jan 22, 2014
Or in the GUI, System - Software Management - Volume Management

Can you remove the offending volume from here? Sorry but I haven't got a 10.x to take a look.
nathe
Cirrocumulus
Jan 22, 2014
just confirm what you get when you run these cmds from the cmd line.

b software

b software volume

b software status
swo0sh_gt_13163
Altostratus
Jan 22, 2014
Thanks again Nathan, I don't see any option in GUI to delete/Format the suspicious partition. It is running on version 10.1.0, not sure if this version has that provision on GUI or not.

Any help on this? Thanks Nathan,