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Re: Compaq ML370 with a Smart Array 3200 and a Promise card -- boot sequence problems

 
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Gits
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Compaq ML370 with a Smart Array 3200 and a Promise card -- boot sequence problems


Hello,

I have a Compaq ML370 with the latest BIOS 4.12 P17-12/18/2002 (27 Feb 03) with a Smart Array 3200 controller with firmware version 4.44
I installed a Promise 100XT2 card to plug in a 80GIG WD HDU for data.
The server only wants to boot from this Promise card instead of the Smart Array 3200 controller.
This Smart Array controller is the first boot item in the server?

Some extra information.
I use SmartStart 5.50
The Promise controller hasn't jumpers or a bios for settings!

No threat in this forum can help me with my problem so i start an own threat!
(Sorry for my english)
8 REPLIES 8
Brian_Murdoch
Honored Contributor
Solution

Re: Compaq ML370 with a Smart Array 3200 and a Promise card -- boot sequence problems

Hello,

This might be due to the PCI Scan order so you should place the SA3200 before the Promise card in order to get it to be seen first and act as the main boot controller.

Please have a look at the attached image.

Place the SA3200 in PCI slots 1 or 2 if possible and place the promise card in any other slot 3 to 6. Slots 1 and 2 are on the Primary PCI bus, slots 3 to 6 are on the secondary PCI bus.

Run the system configuration utility (SCU) from the Smartstart CD and save the changes.

I hope this helps.

Brian
e4services
Honored Contributor

Re: Compaq ML370 with a Smart Array 3200 and a Promise card -- boot sequence problems

We would be interested to see if the above suggestion helped. Let us all know, others have had the same problem with the Promise products.
Also, write Promise support and post their response here.
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Gits
New Member

Re: Compaq ML370 with a Smart Array 3200 and a Promise card -- boot sequence problems


thnx Brian

what i didn't know was that the first two PCI slots were primary and slot 3/6 were secondary.
I ones tried the Smart Array controller in slot 2, but the Promise card was then in slot 1. Also a primary slot.

Now, the Smart Array 3200 controller is in PCI slot 2, and the Promise in PCI slot 5.
And it works.
I can boot from the Smart Array controller.
And the promise card after installation works properly .

Groet Hannes
Brian_Murdoch
Honored Contributor

Re: Compaq ML370 with a Smart Array 3200 and a Promise card -- boot sequence problems

Hi,

That is good news.

One other suggestion which is unrelated to the issue. Please update the Smart Array firmware to version 4.50 (last version created).

The online update version can be downloaded from here.

http://h18000.www1.hp.com/support/files/server/us/download/14979.html


Regards,

Brian
theMonk
New Member

Re: Compaq ML370 with a Smart Array 3200 and a Promise card -- boot sequence problems

hi -
i just wanted to post that i too was successful with installing a promise "fastTrak66" (a pretty old IDE RAID card) with the ML370 - i did as you suggested: moved the smart array controller to slot 1 and the promise card to slot 3... *poof* she worked!

...man those scsi drives are $$ mucho coin-age $$ - this enabled me to have mad disk space.. much thanks.

..the monk
theMonk
New Member

Re: Compaq ML370 with a Smart Array 3200 and a Promise card -- boot sequence problems

ok - hit a snag.. the machine can see the array controller (it init's successfully) but now the machine won't boot...

config:
- ML370 (early model, not sure about the "G" thing) its a P3 933MHz / 1GB RAM
- Array Controller 3200 in slot 1 - 18GB(x3)
- Promise Fasttrak66 in any slot (but currently slot 3)

now, when i go to boot with SCU floppy in, it just hangs at "starting ms-dos"..

when i try to boot off *most* CDs it just hangs..

strangness: however, when i try to boot off my redhat 6.2 CD, i get an installation screen. i havent tried an install.. just thought that was strange..

...anyone? ..much thanks in advance
theMonk
New Member

Re: Compaq ML370 with a Smart Array 3200 and a Promise card -- boot sequence problems

--> update:

so i went ahead and installed Redhat on the system and mounted the /boot on the fasttrak hdd. redhat saw BOTH the array controller drives and the Promise fasttrak66 drives (go figure). HOWEVER: upon reboot after installation, the system just hangs after initialization (like all the other methods) btw: same thing happens if floppy boot, cd boot, and array boot - as long as promise card is in the machine... it just seems that the ML370 system is not compatable with this promise fasttrak 66 card... *sigh*

..anyone else?
theMonk
New Member

Re: Compaq ML370 with a Smart Array 3200 and a Promise card -- boot sequence problems

*** FIXED ***

i have to post this fix to hopfully stop anyone else from losing hair on this.

i have successfully gotten a promise fasttrak 66 IDE RAID card to work on my ML370 - booting from the array controller! *w00t*

..this MAY work for other IDE cards.. please post if it does..

okay...
1- remove the promise IDE card (if its in the machine) - basically have the machines hardware in its original state.
2- boot using the SCU
3- go into the "config hardware"
4- make sure everything is "okay" (default)
5- go into the advanced settings for the PCI Bus
6- move the IRQ setting from 15 (default) to something else (i choose 10)
7- save settings reboot...
8- make sure everything still works..
9- power down, insert promise card (note: make sure promise card is physically in slot 3 or higher - slots 1/2 are "primary" and thus the array controller should go into one of those - assuming you want to boot from the original array controller).
10- boot up.. enjoy more disk space

hope this helps!

(for my specific problem, boot order and a hung system when trying to start up.. i figured there HAD to be a resource conflict.. sure enough, there was) ...


good luck!