Insight Server Agents didn't start

[Joachim Peuker]

Hello all.

We have an open call at HP support since about 2 weeks, but they can't help me:

We got a new DL360 G4 with the latest BIOS (2005.08.16) installed. If we try a Installation of Windows 2003 Standard (German) with Servicepack 1, the service HP Insight Server Agents did not start after appling PSP7.4. It's a absolutly standard-installation without any special customizing or additional software! We've tried both, the smartstart74 scripted installation and the method by booting from the Windows 2003 SP1 CD. Same error! The Problem only occurs if we use Servicepack 1 _and_ with the latest BIOS. After downgrading to BIOS 2005.06.01 the Service starts fine! Whats wrong?

Also this machine is louder than all our other 8 HP Servers together. The fans are running always at full speed. Our server room is airconditoned, 21-22°C. HP Support tells me that the fan-control is disabled at this model. But i read of BIOS fan control, in this forum. Whats right in this case? We have the 3GHz processor model.

So, i hope to get any hints here.

Happy new year!
Joachim

ps. sorry for my possible bad english.

[Terri Harris]

The DL360g4 has hardware fan control. But there is no user option in the BIOS to change this. What you should hear when first powering up is the fans running at 100% - and this is loud. After 1-3 seconds you should hear the fans drop down, this takes 2-3 seconds to complete.
I do not see any known issues with Windows 2003 and the PSP 7.4, but I do not have the German version of Windows. Have you tried slipstreaming the install?

[David Claypool]

Are you trying to load just the agents or are you using the PSP? The agents don't work on their own, they need the supporting drivers.

Confirm that SNMP is loaded and configured properly. By default WS03 does not load SNMP.

Also, check the event log for why the agents didn't start.

It takes a lot of air to keep a 3GHz processor cool. Even at normal speed, the fans have to move a lot of air.

Terri is correct--the fan control is not 'disabled.' In the G4 models, the logic for fan control was moved out of the health driver and is now done by iLO, so there is no software dependency.

[Joachim Peuker]

Thank you for your answers!

First, the fans running always at the same speed. They are not droping down, not a little bit.

Then i don't understand what "slipstreaming install" means. We've tried the Install with the Smartstart CD, where Smartstart copies the system files from the Windows2003 CD, and then automatically installs Windows, SNMP Service (which runs fine), PSP. And our second way was booting from the Win2003 CD, install itself with standard-values and a static IP, manually add the SNMP Service and after that install the complete PSP. There are no hints in the eventlog why the Server Agents service didn't start.

Its really strange. It seems to be something is wrong with this machine, or with me ;-) But it's not my first Win2003 Installation on a Proliant server. Today i called the german HP Support again and told the thing with the BIOS downgrade. So i am waiting for feedback...

[Tony Cresswell]

I have the same problem with a Windows 2003 SP1 (English version and slipstreamed - this means SP1 is merged with the I386 files).
When I run the Support Pack 7.4 and reboot the server it sits at "Applying computer settings" for about 30 mins.
The eventvwr shows that the server agent failed to start and the foundation agent service therefore doesn't start.
I've a case open with HP but liek you they don't know whats wrong.
The server is a DL385.
Can't find the solution yet?!?!? Very annoying!
Regards
Tony Cresswell

[Joachim Peuker]

After 3 weeks of fighting with HP support the problem ist solved. After changing the power converter and the riser card, the fan control works fine. Now the machine is "silent" like our other Proliants. It was a hard work, because 3 or 4 technicans of german HP support tells us this machine is really loud and thought it was okay.
The Server Agents problem is strange again. At the moment the agents starts fine, but i cant explain what was wrong. After changing the systemboard the problem seems to be solved. One day later it was back again. Then i downgraded the bios, upgraded the bios, agents started fine. Maybe the 2 components we changed at last, solved the problem for the future. I hope so ;)

[Joachim Peuker]

closing thread