ProLiant Servers (ML,DL,SL)
1748027 Members
4528 Online
108757 Solutions
New Discussion юеВ

Re: Dissolving NIC Teaming destroys servers

 
Lenny Davis
Regular Advisor

Dissolving NIC Teaming destroys servers

I had problems a month or so ago with the loss of network connectivity on a W2K3 DL360 G2 server with teamed NICs, setup from the HP NW config utility with PSP 7.90. Suddenly the server just wouldn't ping anything else on the network. We eventually decided to dissolve the team and doing this completely destroyed the server. I had to rebuild it from scratch. It just Blue screened on boot and on the odd occasion I managed to boot it, it either then froze or the NIC's wouldn't let me configure an ip address.

Reluctantly, I had to dissolve the NICs on another server yesterday and this exhibited a similar problem. It just wouldn't get past the Array Configuration messages on boot. Just sat there doing nothing. Eventually managed to boot it and set an IP address on one of the NICS but again the server just couldn't see the network. Decided to reboot the server again and then it blue screened.

Is this a known problem with teaming / dissolving NIC's using PSP 7.90?

This is my first experience of teaming NICs and if this is what can happen then we certainly won't be doing it again.

Thanks

Lenny
12 REPLIES 12
James ~ Happy Dude
Honored Contributor

Re: Dissolving NIC Teaming destroys servers

Hello Lenny,
There have been quite some Issues with PSP 7.9, with NIC teaming. but not exactly as you mentioned. Strange issue.

PSP 7.9 came with NCU version 8.7;
However the latest PSP 7.91A has NCU version 8.8.
http://h18023.www1.hp.com/support/files/server/us/download/27946.html
#42.
This should have some fixes. Try it.

Regards.
KarloChacon
Honored Contributor

Re: Dissolving NIC Teaming destroys servers

yes

Happy Dude is right try the latest PSP 7.91 have some new drivers not included in 7.90.

ands also try disable TOE and RSS in the Network Properties on the NIC teaming itself

or TOE can be disabled like this

To disable TOE offload:
netsh int ip set chimney disable

To re-enable TOE offload:
netsh int ip set chimney enable

check this PDF page 10
http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/pe2900/en/engbrief/best.pdf

regards
Didn't your momma teach you to say thanks!
Lenny Davis
Regular Advisor

Re: Dissolving NIC Teaming destroys servers

Thanks for that info. I eventually managed yesterday lunchtime to get one of the NIC's on this server configured with an ip address. Think it was happier after being switched off overnight. However today we're seeing the same problem with one NIC - intermittent pings and errors on the switch. I'm downloading PSP 7.91 and will try and install it next week. Will keep this post updated.

Thanks

Lenny

Pieter 't Hart
Honored Contributor

Re: Dissolving NIC Teaming destroys servers

have no experience with psp7.91 yet.
But dissolving a team works best with network disconnected, as a dissolved team member reverts to requesting a dhcp-adress.
=> two former team members = double trouble.
(server with two nics with newly accuired dhcp adress registering with dns allmost the same time).
Lenny Davis
Regular Advisor

Re: Dissolving NIC Teaming destroys servers

I discovered last week that one NIC was using the correct HP driver and the other was suddenly using a Broadcom driver. I removed the Broadcom driver, rebooted the server hoping it would pick up the same HP NIC driver but it didn't. Picked up the Broadcom again. I then removed the Broadcom driver and manually installed the HP driver. Appeared in device manager with a Red Cross, but when you right click it, it suggests it is enabled as you get the option to disable it. In My Network Places however the card is disabled and when you try and enable it noting happens!

How do I fix this? I've even upgraded to PSP7.91 but still unabel to resolve.

Thanks

Lenny
KarloChacon
Honored Contributor

Re: Dissolving NIC Teaming destroys servers

hi


are these your nic cards? right?

Two Compaq NC7780 PCI-X 10/100/1000-T Server Adapter

let me ask you something else

you say the NIc card pick up broadcom driver.

but the driver is this one
http://h18023.www1.hp.com/support/files/server/us/revision/3405.html

in case you have the NIC cards above

--------------

try this
unistall NCU - reboot
unistall drivers(remove NIC cards from windows) - reboot
--------
-reinstall firmware for NIC cards
http://urlao.com/firmware
- reinstall driver
http://urlao.com/drivernic
- reinstall NCU
http://urlao.com/n28nv
- configure again

regards

Didn't your momma teach you to say thanks!
Lenny Davis
Regular Advisor

Re: Dissolving NIC Teaming destroys servers

Yes that's right, the cards are NC7780 PCI. The version of the HP card is 10.42 but I can't remember what version the Broadcom driver was. Maybe it was the same. Anyway, I've just remotely removed the faulty NIC driver and asked Device manager to search for new hardware, which it found, but on trying to select a driver automatically it's just killed my remote network link which I'm not too happy about. Will have to send someone to try and restore the link somehow then I'll probably just leave it alone until 2008 when I can get up there next as it's just too risky fiddling with unreliable HP/MS software.

Lenny
Lenny Davis
Regular Advisor

Re: Dissolving NIC Teaming destroys servers

By the way how do I found out the firmware version of the NIC's? Doesn't display firmware versions in HP Insight Manager Version Control Agent Screen. Just driver versions. Can't say I've ever upgraded firmware on Network Cards. Maybe my server that got destroyed just have the firmware sucked out of the network cards somehow? Our hardware support contractors swapped the motherboard out in the end as the BIOS didn't think the cards had any MAC addresses. Said they were disabled.

Thanks

Lenny
KarloChacon
Honored Contributor

Re: Dissolving NIC Teaming destroys servers

hi

dont remove the driver and ask windows to find them again
- remove them
- reboot
- and install the Broadcom drivers
and the other procedure that I told you

just in case update the system ROM

regards
Didn't your momma teach you to say thanks!