Fedora 13 Installation Problems HP DL165

[Vincent Santa Maria]

I've been fighting trying to get Fedora 13 to install on a HP ProLiant DL165 G6 for the better part of a week. The server is using a P212 SAS RAID card, and I've finally gotten the x86_64 install DVD to recognize the array (it wouldn't see it unless it was in Slot 2, unlike Fedora 12 which didn't care what slot it was in). I can progress in the install process up to the point where it is setting up the partitions, at which point it freezes when creating the ext4 file system on '/dev/mapper/vg_*-lv_home'. I've left the machine for up to four hours at this point, so I know it's frozen, and not just really slow (besides, the Fedora 12 installer would only spend ~3 minutes at this point).

I've tried using the release x86_64 DVD and the beta x86_64 DVD; the Live CD won't see the RAID array. I've also tried installing Fedora 12 (which works fine) and then upgrading via yum, but this causes problems abound.

Any suggestions (other than using Fedora 12)?

Thanks!

[Huc_1]

Just a thought, maybe you can get more information on what is going on by hitting the following key during install and leaving it on one of the following screen

keys to hit

F1
F2
F3
F4

On one of the above you even get a interactive shell prompt.

I can not be more specific on which one as I do not remember...

before it "freezes" leave it on the more informative of the F1,F2,F3,F4.

any way hope this of some use to you.

Jean-Pierre Huc

[Vincent Santa Maria]

Ctrl+Alt+F4 shows me that it's hanging writing inode tables.

This is on a RAID 5 array with 4 146GB disks. I tried using a RAID 1 array with 2 146GB drives, and it seems to be able to progress all the way to where it actually starts installing packages, but freezes somewhere in that process (randomly), and none of the other tty show anything of interest.

[Vincent Santa Maria]

One other thing I just noticed after taking out the risers and plugging the RAID card directly into PCI-E slot:

With the Fedora 13 install DVD, once the install starts, a red LED lights up on the motherboard by the small aluminum heatsink by the DIMM slots next to Processor 1. I popped in the Fedora 12 install DVD and that LED does not light up (and the install completes without incident). The LED is labelled CR7, but I have been unable to find any mention of it in HP's documentation; I guess I'll have to contact them next week and ask what it's an indicator of.

[irens]

Hi.

I tried to install fedora 13 too with this server, but stopped, when tried run fedora 13 live-usb.

But i have offtopic question.

Is your DL 165 G6 noisy ? My is running very noisy, cause fans operates at circa 9500 to 10000 RPMs.

Ambient etmp is 25-26 C temp and temp of proc is 21 - 23 C

Is very noisy. What about yours ?

[Vincent Santa Maria]

When it first boots up the fans do spin like it's a 747 taking off, but they ramp down after about 15-20 seconds.

I chatted with an HP technical rep, and they suggested to update the firmware on the P212 card, which I did, but it didn't solve the issue.

I never was able to make the server work with Fedora 13. I ended up using Fedora 12, though the only kernel I could get it to run stable under was 2.6.31.5-127 (I have 2.6.31.6-141 installed, but haven't booted under it yet, will report back on that sometime next week).

[irens]

Thanks for you reply.

Here is similar thread about noisy HP Proliant server: http://forums11.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?admit=109447626+1279478375588+28353475&threadId=1338715

It was ended up - HP has released a new ROM BIOS for this issue. I don't know, what will be with our DL165 G6. I have care pack, so i will phone them in monday. I'm affrad - i will hear, that this is normal - but these noise is horrible, even server is in another single room.

Best regards,
I.Piasecki

[Vincent Santa Maria]

What is the version of the BIOS on your server?

[irens]

Hi.

All firmware is the latest. I use the latest Proliant Support Pack for Linux and have the latest bios, latest ILO and latest firmware for SmartArray P212.

When i would know - that is so much horrible noisy - i would look for another server from another vendor.

[Vincent Santa Maria]

How many processors, memory modules and fans are in your server? Also, which slot is the P212 plugged into (one closest to the edge of the server, or one closest to the processor)?