Linux on Proliant 1600

[david elsliger]

Hi All,
I picked up an old proliant 1600, Dual P3 600, Smart array 221 controller and I wanted to start a project of making this into a file/print/ftp server using a linux OS with RAID 5. Ultimately I want to install VMWARE server and have a Win2k3 guest OS installed as well.
I already have a copy of Mandrake 10.1 linux. I was wondering if anybody has tried something similar. Any comments or recommendations would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

[Steven E. Protter]

Shalom Dovid,

I've installed RH 9, AS 2.1 and ES 3.0 on that very proliant model, 300 Megahertz process 256 MG of RAM.

I believe however there is not enough memory or power on that system to run Vmware. Win2k3 as the host operating system on that hardware would be barely able to function.

As Mr. Scott said often to his captain. "Captain, we need more power!"

You don't have enough power to accomplish your goal.

The machine will work quite nicely as a Linux server. Get the Smart CD for the thing, boot off it and configure the disk prior to the OS installation.

SEP

[david elsliger]

RH9 recognized the smart array 221 controller with no problems?

I actually have WIN2k3 on there now. It is running like somewhat of a pig. It is functional however. I have 512MB

I want to blow away 2K3 and try Linux. That's why I'm writing this e-mail. I basically want to know what distro is friendly with all the hardware I have listed.

[Lionel Giraudeau]

Hi,

I actually have a Proliant 1600 dual P3@500Mhz, Smart Array 3200, 512Mo of RAM.
OS is Debian Sarge with 2.6.8 Kernel.

It is running like a charm !

Of course, you cannot run "rpm -i hpacucli-x.x.rpm" 'cause rpm is not used on Debian and there is no debian packages (or source) on HP's website :(
But, I've successfully extracted files from rpm package and compiled enough to launch HP tools for SmartArray card.

About running vmware, I think you don't have enough RAM.

Regards,
Lionel

[Lionel Giraudeau]

I must add that HP tools are NOT mandatory.

In more, you just have to "apt-get install cpqarrayd" and you'll have a SmartArray survey daemon fully integrated in Debian environnement.
Just try it !

[Steven E. Protter]

RH 9 was clueless about the controller.

AFter booting with the Proliant CD and setting up the disk prior to the OS install, RH 9 recognized the disk presented by the configuration.

I was able to install and boot the OS off of it, with all three versions I mentioned earlier.

SEP

[Lionel Giraudeau]

That's remind me a problem I got when I installed it (4 years ago !) :
When using SmartStart CD to create logical drives on the SmartArray, I selected Windows as the operating system thinking that this has no importance.
But, when booting up Linux, it was unable to use the second processor. (no SMP configured !)

I then erased the system configuration with smartstart, chose Linux and it worked.