HP ML350e Gen8 Fan Noise

[lujimen12]

Hi we are also experiencing this issue on a HP ML350p Gen 8 Server, this started when we added two new hard disks and changed the RAID configuration from RAID 5 to RAID 1+0, we have ESXi VMWare vSphere 5.5.0. Besides our disk controller is the P420 Smart Array 1GB FBWC, in our case the fluctuation happens when the temperature sensor for "Disk or DiskBay 1 08-HD" start to increasing without any logical reason from 35 celcius grades (normal temperature) up to 52 celcius, then the fans are elevating till 99.49%, the problem in our case is a system degradation due to a high DPC (Deferred procedure call) Queue by second in processor. We just have SQL Server 2008 R2 in a Windows 2008R2 virtual machine, so the big problem is impacting our transactional system. So if you think we have a very related issue I will appreciate you sharing more information with us.

[oneboise]

My experience...

We have a dozen clients with new ML350e Gen8 servers. A couple of them required add-on cards like USB 3.0 or eSata connections. Although it would be nice of HP to include at least USB 3.0 on these servers natively, we find other options for small businesses who can't afford more expensive enterprise equipment. 

Anyway, we have updated ALL firmware to the latest version as of this posting. The only change from a stock server (using HP brand drives) is the addition of a PCIe card in the top slot (can't recall which number).In addition to the firmware updates I have tried every other suggested solution in this post to no avail. That includes the latest power management firmware, PCIe Gen3 Control and the correct thermal settings in the BIOS (Optimal). These particular servers have only a single CPU and no additional fan kits. Before adding the PCIe cards the fans where whisper quiet. 

Fans have the same behavior on both machines in questions, typically between 29% & 36%

It seems none of the fixes suggested here work for us. I sure hope HP listens and releases a full fix via BIOS, which seems to be the only solution.

Thanks all

[Walt-2012]

Dear Marin_uk

I don't know if this has been adressed yet, seeing i didn't scroll through the entire thread but this is an advisory released by HP which might help : http://h20566.www2.hp.com/portal/site/hpsc/template.PAGE/public/kb/docDisplay/?spf_p.tpst=kbDocDisplay&spf_p.prp_kbDocDisplay=wsrp-navigationalState%3DdocId%253Demr_na-c03982895-1%257CdocLocale%253Den%257CcalledBy%253DSearch_Result&javax.portlet.begCacheTok=com.vignette.cachetoken&javax.portlet.endCacheTok=com.vignette.cachetoken .

New link: https://support.hpe.com/hpesc/public/km/search#q=c03982895&t=Documents&sort=relevancy&layout=table&numberOfResults=25&f:@kmdoclanguagecode=[cv1871440]&hpe=1

Kind regards
Walt-2012

[msimonds]

We have fixed our issue!!

I wanted to update everyone with an update that fixes the issue for us.  After following everything on here and other sources we had another look at the board and the onboard Raid Controller.

We noticed that our model had the option to install a  Smart Array Flash Backed Write Cache (512MB) (p/n -631922-B21)

We have since purchased this and installed it into our server ...... fans now running at 8-10%.   We have removed the other raid card installed and the system is up and running without issues.

[MarcoG7]

Incredibly mine stopped making noise after I updated the whole firmware as it went from 75% to 43%.

I also disconnected the Ambient temp connector!!

Now I disabled the PCI Gen 3 in Advanced options and I am at 6%!!

[Mike_Laverick]

Like others I've experienced the fan noise issue:

http://www.mikelaverick.com/2014/01/return-to-the-homelab-part2-hp-ml350e-gen8/#more-4947

http://www.mikelaverick.com/2014/02/return-to-the-homelab-part-4/

In the end I raised a support call with HP. They told me this is a known issue with non-HP Parts. The suggested I did firmware updates, but if these didn't work it wasn't their problem but mine. As I suspected a firmware update and tinkering with the BIOS settings had zero or nominal effect - when compared to disabling my Intel Dual Port Cards. 

The moral is never fit anything to a HP server that isn't from HP because the warranty T&C will invalidate any further support and you'll be left with the "this is a know issue" response. Who'd a thunk that, I niavely thought PCI was an industry standard?

Anway, throughout my research I remember someone saying that it was possible to disable the thermal detection on the PCI bus by some jumper/cable-pull on the motherboard.

For the life of me I can't find that in my search history, nor can I find a suitably detailed circuit layout to attempt this workaround (yes, I'm aware of the risks...) The alternative is yanking out the card, ebaying them and then giving HP even more of my valuable cash...

Regards

mike

[Edward Osicki]

We have a server which has had its mother board replaced 3x times.  Problem of excessive fan speeding and then servr crashing keeps happening.  The server is 100% HP with the latest firmware, so we are just left in the lurch - cannot HP take this seriously and investigate properly, and stop just replacing motherboards, as this does not cure the problem.  It is obviously something more deep that needs urgent tracking down. 

[VINCENT VAN DYCK]

Same noise problem with a ml350p gen8.

Many attempts to solve the problem. The only way seems to be very near of "HP's way of computing" (welcome back 25 years behind)! Anything non-HP dedicated seems to be very dangerous so don't do that... or hear it !

Only three fans installed so I'll give speed datas like this : X/F2/F3/F4.

Room temp is quite constant from 20 to 22°C.

8Gb RAM. P420i + FBWC 512Mb. BIOS P72 02/10/2014  + iLO 1.51 Jun 16 2014 + new CPU generation (less temp)

Nothing added into that server : No HDD - No PCI - No RAM...

First step : out of the box

Out of the box, without any HDD, fans are constantly running at XX/32/32/32 when idle (this is VERY loudy - approx 70dB @1meter). The only way to have the fans back at X/6/6/6 was to attach a disk at the P420i onboard raid card. Nothing else could do the job. I did this by adding an HDD in the hot-swap cage AND by just linking an HDD to the P420i directly with a SAS 2 SATA cable (SFF-8087 to (4) x1 SATA). Both solutions worked, just attaching a disk is enough, don't configure it, it's not needed. A broken HDD (An old laptop broken HDD - I don't advise using that in prod. env.) is enough too ! HP support (french speaking) was asked for a solution, but failed by just linking me to this thread (I has already known) !

Step two : added PCI boards (one at the same time)

Adding any non-HP (or even an old HP) PCI card speed up the fans by X/6/27/27 witch is quite a bit too loudy for an office. My goal was to use another HDD controler than the P420i (need JBOD for sofware raid), but it does not seem to be well ! As many other I'd like to add USB3 support (we're in 2014 uh!) in a dual-CPU SMB-class server, but it seems that even HP cards are incompatible (lack of temp sensor ?). I tried to disable the 'PCI gen 3' but this didn't do anything. I didn't tried to disconnect the ambiant temp connector...

I understand that HP wants to protect the hardware from overheating... but this seems to be a little bit too much protective ! Now, I have to leave some options and have to go back the HP way.

Less choices is never the good way.

[Bart_Heungens]

Guys,

I have no official response from HP yet (neither a logical explenation) but I found a solution for my issue with extensive fan noise...

Situation:

brand new ML350p, VMware 5.5 (HP Image) running on SD, no disks nor PCIx cards... Latest SPP updated... And a lot of noise...

Just by installing a physical disk inside the server (did not configured a RAID aset or so) lowered directly the speed of the fan including the noise...

Server is whisper silent now... I will escalate it to all my contacts inside HP for an explanation...

So it must be a logic inside sea of sensors which is not correct I assume...

Kr,

Bart

[ecpsys]

I don't know if this helps but I just added a new ML350p G8 next to a ML370 G6 and a ML370 G3. The G3 was removed after moving functions to the new unit.

The ML370 G6 with 18Gb RAM, 6x300Gb 10K drives running VMware 5.0 was much quieter than the G3 running Windows Server 2003r2 machine next to it, which I always considered loud. The G5 is very loud when first starting up and noticeable louder when restarting.

The new ML350p G8 installed with 32Gb RAM, 3x300Gb 10k drives, Server 2012r2 & SQL 2012 is almost silent. It is very loud when starting up and unlike the ML370 G6 it is also almost as loud when restarting. The sound level was unchanged when adding a second 460W PS. I have not yet added redundant fans and it will soon get more hard drives and another virtual server.