DL380p g8 - boot order and NIC issues

[Derek_S]

Hello all,

I'm sorry if any of this was already discussed in a different topic but I can't seem to find an answer to my current issue and I was wondering if others had similar before.

We recently got a DL380p G8 server with 4-port NIC.  I had initially installed the server with no issues outside of Intelligent Provisioning where I realized I set the wrong RAID level.  I decided to try out Intelligent Provisioning to make the the install easier for the drivers and things went well and I was into windows with the RAID level I needed and ability to join the domain.  The issue came up after I joined the domain and rebooted it went back to the Intelligent Provisioning.

Thinking something went wrong, I eventually got it back to joining the domain and rebooting and it booted fine.  So I installed windows updates, let it reboot but then the same issue came up where it tried to go back into Intelligent Provisioning.

After a few days of testing, I found the issue for this was the server is resetting the boot order back to default which for some reason has Intelligent Provisioning coming before booting to HDD and even disabling the option for Intelligent Provisioning didn't help in my earlier tests.  Setting the boot order worked one time but then ends up resetting itself and I have to keep manually booting from HDD.

I am also having another issue where the NIC doesn't always show up in the list.  It shows sometimes as I was able to join the domain and even download windows updates at one point but even trying to install the correct driver won't work.

I tried re-seating the NIC yet still encounter the same issue.

Does anyone have any ideas on something I may have missed?  I figured I'd message here in case anyone had ideas before messaging HP directly.

Thanks,

Derek

[Jimmy Vance · Accepted solution]

Did the Intelligent Provisioning process complete, or did you interupt and manually install the OS? When IP is used setup and install the OS, markers are set in the ROM during the installation process. Once complete the values are cleared. You can toggle swtich 6 to reset NVRAM or clear NVRAM from within RBSU, this should clear the marker values

[Derek_S]

I only manually installed the OS the first time.  After that, it has been IP and I walk away to let it do it's thing.

I tried upgrading IP to 1.6 and encounter the same thing so if it's not completing 100%, it's not through user interaction.

As far as I see when I watch it though, it seems to go through ok in that it copies the files from the USB/ISO, boots to the windows server setup, boots to windows to install the drivers and then never boots to windows until I manually force it.  I'll look in the RBSU in a few min to clear the markers and see if that helps with the IP issues.

[Derek_S]

Resetting the nvram seems to work for booting and now the network card is running.  Not sure if related but so far things seem to be working again.  Will leave it for a day to keep testing before marking best answer/solution.

[Derek_S]

Called HP about NIC issue and they are replacing it so the accepted answer is for the boot issue.