HP ProLiant Gen9 - Installation VMware ESXi on internal SD Card

I try to install a HP Custom ESXi Image (ESXi 5.1 U2) on a HP ProLiant Gen 9 Server (BIOS Version 1.5).
The Server has no Disk only a internal SD Card.


First i try to install ESXi over the HP Intelligent Provisioning Tool. But no luck. I get this error:

A runtime error occured
TypeError: PCIDevice is undefined
controllerinfo.js: 174

OK, next try is an installation from a usb stick (created with Rufus).

The installation starts, but hangs on "Relocating modules and starting up the kernel"

Solution to get this thing running:

• Press Shift+O during startup of an ESXi 5.1 installation.
• Append the boot option
• ignoreHeadless=TRUE
• Press the Enter key to continue boot.

In the end, the ESXi Installer run, but only start the ESXi Server from the USB Stick. That was not the idea. I want install ESXi on the internal SD Card.

OK, next try (and finally working solution) is to install ESXi over iLO.

This requieres a iLO license!

• Connect to iLO
• Install iLO license (if not already done)
• Start the iLO Remote Console
• Add Virtual Drives > Image File > [Your ESXi ISO File]
• Start Server
• Press F11 for Boot Menu and select CD-ROM to boot from the virtual drive

Now the ESXi Intaller startup and its now possible to select the SD Card as Install Target.

Conclusion

The installation not work, if a usb stick is plugged in. So, I think there must be a bug with the BIOS or something.

I tried with an other ESXi Image (6.0) and an other USB Stick and  changed BIOS in legacy mode and disabled USB 3.0 Mode. But all this helps not to get a working installation from an usb stick.

At the moment the only solution is to use iLO for the installation.

Maybe there comes a BIOS Update and fix that...