Unable to detect VMware's PVSCSI device during installation.

This bug was fixed in the package linux - 2.6.32-16.23

---------------
linux (2.6.32-16.23) lucid; urgency=low

  [ Andy Whitcroft ]

  * SAUCE: PM report driver and device suspend/resume times -- move config
  * update to standards version 3.8.4.0
  * printenv -- expose all of the package selectors
  * source package -- cleanup source content control
  * doc package -- ensure we do build package content on buildd
  * lintian -- correct the address in the debian/copyright
  * lintian -- update debhelper package version dependancy
  * lintian -- fix ghostscript dependancy
  * lintian -- add required misc:Depends
  * lintian -- move our debhelper compat level to debian/compat
  * perf -- build the kernel carried tools
  * perf -- add linux-tools carrying the version switches and manuals
  * SAUCE: fix up Kconfig for staging drivers
  * [Config] enable NOUVEAU etc following drm backport
  * update DRM to mainline v2.6.33
  * [Config] Remove AppArmor config options that no longer exist (ports)
  * [Config] updateportsconfigs following drm update

  [ John Johansen ]

  * ubuntu: AppArmor -- update to mainline 2010-03-04
  * SAUCE: AppArmor: Reintroduce AppArmor 2.4 compatibility
  * SAUCE: AppArmor: replace strim with strstrip for 2.6.32 kernels
  * [Config] Remove AppArmor config options that no longer exist

  [ Manoj Iyer ]

  * ubuntu: rtl8192se -- version 2010-0115,0014
    - LP: #530275
  * [Config] added CONFIG_RTL8192SE module.
    - LP: #530275

  [ Tim Gardner ]

  * [Config] Added vmw_pvscsi to d-i/scsi-modules
    - LP: #531017
  * [Upstream] netfilter: xt_recent: Add an entry reaper

  [ Upstream Kernel Changes ]

  * Revert "KVM: x86 emulator: Check CPL level during privilege instruction
    emulation"
  * Revert "KVM: x86 emulator: Fix popf emulation"
  * Revert "KVM: x86 emulator: Check IOPL level during io instruction
    emulation"
  * Revert "KVM: x86 emulator: Add Virtual-8086 mode of emulation"
  * Revert "KVM: fix memory access during x86 emulation."
  * Add vlan (8021.Q) module package for d-i.
  * (pre-stable) drm/i915: blacklist lid status: Sony VGN-BX196VP, Dell
    Inspiron 700m
    - LP: #515246
  * [Upstream] docbook: need xmldoclinks for all doc types
  * x86: set_personality_ia32() misses force_personality32
  * lib: Introduce generic list_sort function
  * drm/nv50: Implement ctxprog/state generation.
  * drm/nv50: Remove redundant/incorrect ctxvals initialisation.
  * (pre-stable) drm/i915: blacklist lid status: Sony VGN-BX196VP, Dell
    Inspiron 700m
    - LP: #515246
 -- Andy Whitcroft <email address hidden> Fri, 05 Mar 2010 15:40:38 +0000

I don't know why this issue is marked as fixed. The Installer of 10.04 Alpha 3 (Server Edition) still lacks support for PVSCSI and VMXNET3 (both - the -server and the -virtual linux kernel image).

Oliver it was marked Fix Released because the fix for this issue was uploaded to the archive. This occued at the point the Janitor pushed the entry into the bug, and when the bug moved state. That occured after Alpha-3, so either you would need to use a daily ISO from a date later than the upload. But the key thing is it is released in the bug tracking sense; it is available in the archive.

I tried with todays server ISO image (2010-03-10). The good thing is, that the installer contains both, the VMXNET3 and the PVSCSI driver and detects the virtual hardware flawlessly. Unfortunately the system doesn't boot afterwards when installed in "minimal virtual machine" mode (using the -virtual linux kernel). The system then lacks the PVSCSI driver and drops to a BusyBox shell because no disk could be found.
When installing the system in standard mode, I can start the system when using the recovery mode (from the GRUB menu). Standard boot doesn't work (blank screen) - but this seems to be a graphic issue.

Shouldn't the VMXNET3 and PVSCSI driver be included in the -virtual linux image?

Seems only reasonable to have these drivers in the virtual flavour as well.

This bug was fixed in the package linux - 2.6.32-17.26

---------------
linux (2.6.32-17.26) lucid; urgency=low

  [ Amit Kucheria ]

  * [Config] SECURITY_FILE_CAPABILITIES dissapeared in 2.6.33

  [ Andy Whitcroft ]

  * rules -- allow architecture configurations to be missing
  * SAUCE: cdrom -- default to not locking the tray when in use
    - LP: #397734
  * expose the kernel EXTRAVERSION in dmesg and /proc/version_signature
  * record the drm version in EXTRAVERSION
  * linux-tools -- pull out the perf binary into a binary package
  * [Config] enable MMIOTRACE for graphics debugging
  * [Config] enable BLK_DEV_BSG
  * debian -- fix builds when tools are disabled
  * allow us to build default configs for automated builds
  * config -- allow locally specified configuration overrides
  * [Config] de-modularise PATA disk controllers
  * [Config] de-modularise SATA disk controllers

  [ Stefan Bader ]

  * Revert "SAUCE: (pre-stable) netfilter: xt_recent: fix buffer overflow"
    - LP: #540231
  * Revert "SAUCE: (pre-stable) netfilter: xt_recent: fix false match"
    - LP: #540231
  * [Config] Update configs for 2.6.32.10
    - LP: #540231

  [ Tim Gardner ]

  * [Config] Add vmw_pvscsi and vmxnet3 to -virtual flavour
    - LP: #531017
  * SAUCE: igb: Supress an upstream compiler complaint
  * [Config] Fix sub-flavours package conflicts
    - LP: #454827

  [ Upstream Kernel Changes ]

  * Revert "tpm_tis: TPM_STS_DATA_EXPECT workaround"
    - LP: #540231
  * Revert "(pre-stable) sched: Fix SMT scheduler regression in
    find_busiest_queue()"
    - LP: #540231
  * (pre-stable) Bluetooth: Fix sleeping function in RFCOMM within invalid
    context
    - LP: #534549
  * igb: remove unused temp variable from stats clearing path
  * igb: update comments for serdes config and update to handle duplex
  * igb: update the approach taken to acquiring and releasing the phy lock
  * igb: add locking to reads of the i2c interface
  * igb: add combined function for setting rar and pool bits
  * igb: make use of the uta to allow for promiscous mode filter
  * igb: add support for 82576NS SerDes adapter
  * igb: add function to handle mailbox lock
  * igb: fix a few items where weren't correctly setup for mbx timeout
  * igb: change how we handle alternate mac addresses
  * igb: remove microwire support from igb
  * igb: move the generic copper link setup code into e1000_phy.c
  * igb: add code to retry a phy read in the event of failure on link check
  * igb: add additional error handling to the phy code
  * igb: add flushes between RAR writes when setting mac address
  * igb: Use the instance of net_device_stats from net_device.
  * igb: Fix erroneous display of stats by ethtool -S
  * igb: add new data structure for handling interrupts and NAPI
  * igb: remove rx checksum good counter
  * igb: increase minimum rx buffer size to 1K
  * igb: move the tx and rx ring specific config into seperate functions
  * igb: remove rx_ps_hdr_len
  * igb: move SRRCTL register configuration into ring specific config
  * igb: change the head and tail offsets into pointers
  * igb: add pci device pointer to ring structure
  * igb: move rx_buffer_len into the ring structu...