ML 350 G4P CD-ROM can not be reconfigured as "PRIMARY MASTER"

[Algirdas Gavelis]

Hi,

I need to install linux based sw which refuses
to boot from CD if IDE controller which owns CD is not primary.
IDE/ATA diagnostic tools shows that CD is connected to secondary IDE controller.
Funny, but there is no primary IDE controller on motherboard (or at least there is only one IDE connector on motherboard).
How I can make CD to be visible as "primary master"? What is the purpose of non existing primary IDE controller?

[Oleg Koroz]

did you change anything ?
CD Drive settings CS
Clear NVRAM - try again
Update BIOS if needed
http://h18023.www1.hp.com/support/files/server/us/romtabl.html

[Algirdas Gavelis]

did you change anything ?
CD Drive settings CS <- YES
Clear NVRAM - try again <-DONE
Update BIOS if needed <- IT is latest D19 2005.08.19
http://h18023.www1.hp.com/support/files/server/us/romtabl.html

Problem remains

[Terri Harris]

Can we get some basic configuration information?
1. What model ML350G4p do you have? What is your drive controller?
2. What OS (and version) is installed?
3. What is the Linux-based software?

[Algirdas Gavelis]

Hi, here is some info:

Can we get some basic configuration information?
1. What model ML350G4p do you have? What is your drive controller?
My server data:
PID=470063-794
S/N=GB8552VJHX
It is onboard IDE controller.
It is described as "Integrated IDE controller" in server manual.
(or "Primary IDE connector (ATAPI devices)"
on motherboard layout printout).
I did not changed anything here - it is
CDROM is connected here as it is shipped.

2. What OS (and version) is installed?
No OS, this problem prevents from this.

3. What is the Linux-based software?
In order to make sure that linux correctly identified problem I used "Drive Fitness Test 3.40" made by HITACHI.
This tool reported: CD-ROM is secondary master.
I also used one more IDE/ATA diag tool: result was the same.

[Oleg Koroz]

what other O/S you tried ?

[Algirdas Gavelis]

what other O/S you tried ?

I installed
Win2003 server x32
Win2003 server x64

Hitachi drive fitness test uses PC-DOS 7.0
I also had used some other IDE test utility using some DR-DOS version. Both IDE test utilities reported the same: CD-ROM is decondary master.

[Jerry Leinsing]

This may not be the same thing but...
When we load SCO Unix on HP servers [more than 20 in last two years] we get the same messaging that says we cannot select primary master because it thinks there is already something there. So we go with primary slave then when we get the unix installed we go to 'scoadmin hardware' to remove the first instance of CDRom, NOT THE SECOND. Also when asked, we DO NOT remove the file system.
Once the first listed CD is removed, the primary slave becomes the primary master on its own.
Hope this gives you some ideas.
Jerry

[Algirdas Gavelis]

I need to install appliance version of linux. It is detecting CD-ROM position in very begining of installation and if it is not "PRIMARY MASTER" it just stops with message "connect CD-ROM to primary IDE controller as master device".
So I can see only two exits:
1. Make Proliant to treat CD-ROM as primary master
2. Get linux workaround, but this sounds like impossible thing, because appliance software manufacturer has done this intentionaly and reason is pretty clear.