Problem with HP Netserver 6000 U3, Raid 4m SCSI controller and HP Rack Storage 12 cage

[Jan Larsen]

Suddenly the complete disk cages drive dissapear in windows 2000.
In the event login the follwing error is written.
Even id 4097 from HPNMgt
\Device\HPN0 : ID(0:00:0); Unexpected Bus Free [Cmd:0x2f]

An reboot of the server makes the drive appear again.

The 4M raid controller is located in slot 5, an 3Com Gigabit netcard is located in slot 6 (due to the 66Mhz bus advantage)

HP Top tools is installed, and the SCSI detail agent is disabled as described in product update letters.

The firmware for the SCSI 4m controller card, and the server is the newest one.

What can be causeing this?, it has happen 2 times.

Not a good sing for a new database server that must have near 100% uptime.

Any suggestions?.

Best regards
Jan Larsen

[Chris Blumenshine · Accepted solution]

Probably ought to start with the 4m revision. The revision of the 4m is more than just the firmware of the controller. If you have a new firmware on the controller but you have old drivers or old FAST utility, then you WILL have problems.

You can see this from the command line interface (CLI). To get to the CLI, press Ctrl-Enter on your keyboard. At the command line, type "controller details"
What are the component revisions? ALL of the build numbers should be 4628. If you need updates, they can be found here:
http://h20004.www2.hp.com/keeper_rnotes/bsdmatrix/matrix76017.html

If it is updated, then start looking at the FW of the hard drives. I could write you a 1000 page book on how to check this, or your local netserver support tech can walk you through how to check them and verify that they are all up-to-date.

Also should look at updating the FW on the RS/12 and the hotswap cages internal to the server. These can be found here:
http://h20004.www2.hp.com/keeper_rnotes/bsdmatrix/matrix62500.html
http://h20004.www2.hp.com/keeper_rnotes/bsdmatrix/matrix76017.html

Next, need to check the netserver agents that you are using. If you have anything other than version 5.53 installed, then uninstall them, regardless if you have the scsi detail agent installed or not. If you need to have agents installed, you can find the newer ones here:
http://www.hp.com/toptools/download/server_agents.html

All of these things are critical to the performace of the 4m controller.

[Tarjei Aase]

Wouldn't the PCI bus in slot 5 and 6 be degraded to 33 MHz when you have a NetRaid 4M in slot 5?

The Netraid-4M is only 33 MHz http://netserver.hp.com/docs/download.asp?file=pp_nr4m.pdf

[Jan Larsen]

I have checked the firware, drivers and FAST utility version.

I was quite sure that i had updated the drivers, but NO.. i was not updated.
I updated the driver, and it was still not updated..

I found out that if i use the update driver, and search for a driver at this location, it will still suggest the old driver version, even that the driver at the location specificed was newer (dont think i have seen this before).
But i just changed the driver to the new insted.

The fast utility was not updated. I did't think of that one.

Thanks for you gr8 "little" answer ;-)


Tarjei you are completly right, damm i was sure it was 66Mhz.. well no problem, i have to install a HP Toptools remote mangement card anyway, think i will move it then.
Thanx

Jan