ML150 G2 Expansion ROM not initialized

[CA1240803]

Hi,

We're putting in a new HP ML150 G2 SATA server to replace an existing old server. As the SCSI AIT-1 tape drive in the old server is still quite new, we decided to transfer the tape drive across to the new ML150. The controller is an Initio PCI Ultra SCSI controller which we installed into the single PCI slot of the ML150.

Now, everytime we boot up the server, the server throws up an error towards the end of the POST screen :-

Expansion ROM not initialized - PCI Mass Storage Controller in Slot ....

And will not proceed until we select to resume or go into Setup.

Additionally, the normal POST screen showing the controller detecting the tape drive does not appear.

When Windows SBS 2003 starts up, the controller and tape drive is detected and works once we installed the drivers, but the boot time error still persists.

I have not been able to find any other references to how to fix the problem.

Help anyone ???

Kelvin

[amhakassa]

Hi kelvin,

Her eis the main problem

"The ProLiant ML150 server with System BIOS Version 16 supports a total of eight IPL devices. Four IPL devices, such as the IDE controller and the floppy controller, are integrated, leaving support for four additional PCI IPL devices (i.e., PCI card plugged into PCI expansion slots); however, the ProLiant ML150 has five PCI expansion slots. Therefore, it is possible to configure the ProLiant ML150 with five PCI IPL devices (such as SCSI controllers or NICs) and exceed the limitation of System BIOS Version 16"

Therefore updating the Bios to ver 16 should able to resolve the issue
You can download the BIO from this link
http://h18000.www1.hp.com/support/files/server/us/download/22128.html

I hope this will help

Regards
Amha Kassa

[CA1240803]

Hi Amha,

Thanks for the reply. A few things to help me understand :-

1) The link you posted was to install BIOS v5.05.16 onto the HP Single Channel U320 SCSI HBA G2. However, as I mentioned, I am actually using an Initio Scsi controller, not a HP controller ?

2) How many IPLs are actually used up ? The server is the SATA version and comes shipped with only 1 x SATA controller in a PCI-X slot, no SCSI controller as standard. No other cards were present until we added the Initio SCSI controller.

Hope to hear back again soon.

TIA for your help.

Kelvin

[amhakassa]

Hi Kelvin,

The BIOS update link I sent you is actually for the systemboard so that it can support 8 IPL devices. Therefore, by updating the BIOS on the server the systemboard should be able to recognize the controller with no problem. With the old BIOS the system supports only 4 IPL. (The new BIOS will expand it to support up 8 IPLs)

Update the BIOS and U should not be able to see that error. If you do not want to press F1 everytime u boot you can go to the BIOS setup and change the option so that it can boot with out prompting you to press F1

Regards
Amha Kassa

[CA1240803]

Hi Again Amha,

We finally got a time window to shutdown the server and apply the update you suggested. However, this still did not fix the problem. A similar post to HP support got a reply to apply System BIOS update 1.10-1 which we did and that also did not fix the problem.

We still have the same problem and the server will not boot past the error message without someone hitting F1 to continue.

Any other suggestion ?

Thanks.

Kelvin

[Cordula Maier]

Hi
Have exactly the same problem with Bios V. 1.20 and an Adaptec SCSI card 39320 on a HP ML150 G2 SATA server. Removed even the ATA card but still the same problem.
Have you heard anything from their support or does anyone know a solution??

Cordu

[CA1240803]

Hi Cordu,

HP Support's final correspondence to me states that because the SCSI controller and tape drive are NOT HP branded items, no further support will be available.

The problem still persists and we are stuck with it. It is still an issue and as the recent weekend extended power failure at the site proves, it is a big problem as the server did not fully restart and therefore no mails were received over the weekend (it's their mail server as well).They have used HP servers in both administrative as well as production offices.

Kelvin

[Inocent P]

I got the same problem. I wanted to maximise SATA capacity using spanned 4 SATA drives for online file backup. I was going to put windows boot and system files on mirrored SCSi drives using HP Smart array controllers.
Comes back with POST erros as you mentioned. Checked HP site and said check for bios update which is suppose to fix IPL issue. I can't upgrade bios because I have latest one. Spent many hours on a pair of these brand new servers. Makes me feel angry because HP has crippled this machine. I work with proliant G3 350's and 370's and have no problems with them apart from the WEIGHT!!! The SATA card will only allow mirror or span as well which limits what you can do wth 4 SATA drives. The BIOS is quite useless. The boot category will allow you to disable the boot devices and or change the priority but it doesn't allow you to choose another controller even if it registers in the PCI slots. Weird BIOS, I haven;t seen any HP one quite like this. (actually, isn't it a rebadged Intel board?)

[CA1240803]

The BIOS is customised to the HP Servers. Don't really know if it is a rebadged Intel though one of the e-mails I got from HP seems to imply it might be.

A little additional info on my original post. I actually purchased and installed a HP U320 SCSI card into the server and this will allow me to boot the server without needing to hit F1. While the card and Windows recognises the card and tape drive, ABSOLUTELY NO BACKUPS will work, NTBackup reports hardware failure. Eventually, I switched back to the original SCSI card which means I have to hit F1 again on bootup but at least backups will work.

Kelvin

[CA1304626]

Hi,
Have the same problem with Adaptec AHA2940 Ultra PCI. My Bios version is 1.20. Hopefully someone at HP could solve this problem.

Sonny