PowerFlex: OS Conversion is not allowed with nodes Boot Mode in BIOS mode.

Résumé: This article explains steps to do OS Conversion while node in BIOS mode

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Instructions

  • PowerFlex OS Conversion is not allowed with nodes in BIOS mode and must be changed to UEFI
  • Consult the OS vendor before changing BIOS to UEFI (one node at a time)

In a Linux OS, refer to the following article: Recommended BIOS Settings for your Linux System
Changing BIOS to UEFI has not been tested on Linux SO nodes (have seen no issues with ESXi).
  • Storage Only (SO) nodes running SLES or CentOS should not be modified as it can cause the node to fail to boot.
  • If Boot Mode on a SO node running CentOS is changed from BIOS to UEFI, the node does not boot due to no GPT partition on CentOS. Switching back to BIOS enables the node to boot.
Therefore, use option #1 to completely remove SO node from Resource Group/Service and PFxM.

Option 1: Reprovision Node over PowerFlex Manager (Recommended)

Use this option for SLES/CentOS SO nodes (can also be used for HCI/CO ESXi nodes)

Refer to the admin guide for steps 1 and 3 - Managing components with PowerFlex Manager

  1. 'Remove a PowerFlex node' from Resource Group/Service

  2. Change Boot Mode to UEFI

    1. Enter BIOS/firmware setup during boot (typically by pressing F2 or DEL).
    2. Browse to Boot Settings and change the boot mode to UEFI.
    3. Save changes and exit.

  3. 'Perform PowerFlex node expansion' from Resource Group/Service

Option 2: Manual Procedure for Compute/ESXi Nodes

If an HCI node, sds/svm should be placed in Maintenance Mode first.

  1. Put Node in Maintenance Mode

    • Use PowerFlex Manager or vCenter to place the host in Maintenance Mode.

  2. Change Boot Mode to UEFI

    1. Enter BIOS/firmware setup during boot (typically by pressing F2 or DEL).
    2. Browse to Boot Settings and change the boot mode to UEFI.
    3. Save changes and exit.

  3. Attempt Boot of Existing ESXi Installation

    • If the system boots, run: 
      esxcli hardware platform get | grep -i firmware
    • If the output shows Firmware Type: EFI, the node is UEFI-booted.
    • If Firmware Type: BIOS or boot fails, proceed with reinstall (Option 1).

  4. Exit Maintenance Mode

 
 

Produits concernés

PowerFlex rack, ScaleIO
Propriétés de l’article
Numéro d’article: 000487976
Type d’article: How To
Dernière modification: 13 Jul 2026
Version:  1
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