G3 always boots to floppy despite boot order

[Bryan Lucas_2]

I use stbtordr.exe to set the boot order on all my G1 machines, and attempt to use conrep.exe to set the boot order in the BIOS on my G3 machines, but the G3 machines always boot from floppy anyway.
The boot order appears as CD C: A: in the BIOS as it should, but boots to A:
I have tried the signdisk.exe utility unsuccessfully as well.

Note: we use automated build to create the arrays, partitions and logical drives via floppy, the change the boot order via command line and kickoff an unattended Windows build. Works fine on G1's; Need to manually eject the floppy on G2 and G3's.

[Bryan Lucas_2]

Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?

[steve drake]

I have two G3's doing the same. With boot order set to CD, Floppy, HD the server always boots from floppy if it is inserted. This causes problems when trying to perform an autoinstall of SuSE Enterprise Server 9 since it uses a floppy. Either you have to disable floppy boot in RBSU, or remove the diskette at the proper time during the installation. Bios is current: P28 9/15/2004

Anyone from HP with a solution?

[Terri Harris]

I tested the booting on a ML370 G3 Proliant lab computer. The default boot order was set in the RBSU (CD-ROM, then floppy). I put in a non-bootable floppy and a SmartStart 7.10 CD, which is of course bootable. Result = server booted from CD.
Could this be an issue other than the Proliant boot order? It seems to be working ok.

[Bryan Lucas_2]

I found a second floppy setting that must be changed as well. If you use the conrep util, the line is "Diskette_Boot Disabled".

If you go into the system configuration, there is another window to enter to disable the diskette booting...

So, I script a second import of a BIOS file to accomplish what we need to do...

[steve drake]

I get error [602 - diskette boot record error] if a non-bootable diskette is in the drive when booting on two G3 servers. The diskette drive is accessed PRIOR to POST reaching the RBSU prompt and processing the boot order. The boot order is irrelevant since this happens before the boot order is even considered. Only "disable floppy boot" in RBSU system options prevents this behavior. This does not happen if the diskette is bootable - in this case the diskette access ends, then booting from the 1st boot order device commences. Emails from support originally suggested they wanted to replace the main board to solve this. Now, no one is emailing any more. I suspect they don't want to believe the problem exists.

[Terri Harris]

Steve, can you tell us which Proliant G3 model you have?

[steve drake]

The G3 is a 3.2Ghz Tower (P28). I now have a G4 (P50) with the same behavior.

[Terri Harris]

Steve - ML370?

[steve drake]

Yes, ML370-G3 and ML370-G4.