Platform - VMware ESX 4.1
Kernel 2.6.18-164.ESX on an x86_64
GUI access using vSphere Client, Firefox & IE (different versions), CentOS, Ubuntu and Win 7 OS, tested direct connectivity, and via switch, tried different vlans, etc.
Right, I have been working on this problem for a couple of weeks now and getting no where with it. Each and every attempt has just resulted in "Unable to connect to MKS: Timeout while connecting to read" with a black blank screen.
Mainly there is the ESX server running on a T610 Dell machine and I have a windows7 machine with the vSphere client and other machine with CentOS and Ubuntu. There is a service console (vswif0) created on the ESX via which I am trying to connect the vSphere client. I create 2 more VM networks and add the 2 newly created VMs with interfaces in each VM. They are all connected to DHCP server running on the CentOS machine. The VMs boot up and get IP addresses by the DHCP server which are pingable. But still, the console access do not work.
I have tried the web access as well using multiple versions of firefox and IE on different OSes and plugins but with same results. Have tried disabling firewall on each device, disabling any antivirus, any flashblocks, making any possible exception to ensure connectivity on the ports required i.e. 8333, 902, etc.
I have also tried access using a different service console on the ESX but no change. Also ensured same time zone and time on the devices. Basically, I have tried everything possible solution that I can find on the online forums here.
Moreover, I have absolutely identical setups with same HW and SW versions which do not give this problem. The only thing remaining is reinstalling the ESX itself.
I need help in -
1. what exactly does this error mean - "Unable to connect to MKS: Timeout while connecting to read" ?
2. what else can i try to fix the problem?
3. Any other method to console into the VMs?
Do let me know if any further details would be required. Any feedback is really appreciated.
Regards