DL160 G5 - Out of the box... but can't run the OS or the recovery CD

[FRSS IS]

Hi there,

We've just bought a DL160 G5 server ( member of the HP Proliant Storage Server family ). While starting it for the first time the system boot up, windows start, automaticaly logon and a magic popup appears :

The server you are running cannot run HP Proliant NAS software properly. You may be in violation of your license agreement. (...) The server will shutdown in one (1) minute.

..and of course the server did reboot 1 minute after this message breaking all the automatic software installation that was running.

I've tried to use the System Installation and recovery Kit v6.7 shipped with the server and I've got the following message :

This system does not appear to be a Proliant storage server.

.. is it an HP joke?

[Mi6t0]

Sometimes the same problem occurs when the serial number of the server isn't correctly entered in the bios.

[FRSS IS]

was a good idea, I've checked the bios settings but the serial is the same than the one written on the box.

[Brian_Murdoch · Accepted solution]

Hi,

Did you get any messsages at POST about the cache battery for the E200 being low or disabled?

Maybe it's just the case that the raid 5 is disabled which will prevent proper installation until it's charged. If this is the case, just leave the server running at the BIOS screen for a while until the battery charges.

As stated earlier, the license message usually occurs on NAS boxes (DL100 G2 for example) when a system board has been replaced but the product id (not the serial number) hasn't been entered in the IPMI area. I had a look through the DL160 G5 BIOS entries in the user guide but there isn't a location for Product ID there.

There is only one release of restore DVD for the DL160 G5 NAS so you have the correct DVD.

I did notice there were ID jumpers on the system board which might distinguish a DL160 G5 standard server from the storage server (NAS) version and there only seems to be a common BIOS release but don't change anything until you speak with HP.

Sorry I can't help further but I do understand your frustration.

Brian

[Brian_Murdoch]

Hi,

Have you got this resolved now and if so, what was the fix.

Thanks,

Brian

[FRSS IS]

The HP suport gave me the trick : The ASSET TAG must be filled in the BIOS of the server. It seems that Windows is looking for that to validate that the hardware is correctly "licenced"!

Thank you all for your answers !

[FRSS IS]

see last comment

[Brian_Murdoch]

Did the Asset tag hold the product ID?

Something like AJ675A as in our case.

Thanks.

Brian

[Brian_Murdoch]

OK - It is the product ID that needs to be inserted into the Asset field.

Once we had AJ675A inserted it all worked.
Other product ID's will be needed for the different models.

HP are not inserting this information when producing these systems in the factory so it is going to cause major issues as the NAS software won't install without this information and the Restore DVD won't work either.

I hope this helps others with the same problem and that HP issue a customer advisory very soon.

Brian