Basic use of driver diskette for RHEL?

[riva_gupta]

For RHEL installation on DL380 G7, we are to first create driver diskette and then use it while RHEL installation. I want to know what is the basic purpose of creating driver diskette. I have created driver diskette for RHEL 5.6 using SmartStart. When I use it, the only driver installed is kmod-hpahcisr(this can be seen in the snapshot attached).

As I searched, this driver is used to enable software RAID for proliant controller. But I am configuring my disks using harware RAID So do I need to craete driver diskette? Does it provide anything else other than hpahcisr?

[PGTRI]

hi,

You created a driver diskette for B110i controller and not for P410i (DL380 G7 onboard controller).

You can use the following llink to create a driver diskette for P410. It's for x64.

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareDescription.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&prodTypeId=329290&prodSeriesId=3883890&swItem=MTX-af83e2dcc49d4e0aa3478cb8f0&prodNameId=4017895&swEnvOID=4004&swLang=8&taskId=135&mode=4&idx=0

regards,

[Jimmy Vance]

Looking at the ProLiant Linux technical exception matrix RHEL5.6 shouldn't need any drivers on a DL380 G7

http://h18004.www1.hp.com/products/servers/linux/supportmatrix/rhel/exceptions/rhel-exceptions.html

the hpahcisr driver is for an embedded controller that is not in a DL380 G7

[riva_gupta]

@PGTRI: I have created the driver diskette using SmartStart 8.70 CD that came with my DL380 G7 server. It must create driver diskette for DL380 G7 that has the P410i controller. Isnt it?

@Jimmy Vance: Does the matrix you showed implies only these OS's can be installed on the DL380 G7 server?

[riva_gupta]

@Jimmy Vance: Also the following link(Simple Server Setup -> Manual OS Installation Steps) tells that when we performing a manual OS installation it is necessary to create driver diskette.

http://h18013.www1.hp.com/products/servers/management/smartstart/index.html

[Jimmy Vance]

Content shown on the Technical Exceptions Matrix shows the minimum version of OS's supported for each server.

The information listed under manual installation could be worded better. Some servers do require a drivers disk during installation or the OS cannot see the disks. This is not true in your case.

The latest drivers and related software for your server can be found here

http://h20566.www2.hp.com/portal/site/hpsc/public/psi/swdHome/?sp4ts.oid=4091432&lang=en&lang=en&cc=us&cc=us&ac.admitted=1332334710572.876444892.199480143