NMI on ProLiant ML 110 G3 when installing Windows Server 2008

[Henry Boehlert]

Please let me know if you successfully installed Windows Server 2008 on a configuration similar to the following:

ProLiant ML 110 G3 (404218-041) FW 2006.08.17
3GB of HP-RAM (390825-B21, 390824-B21)
Lights-Out 100 (390225-B21) FW 1.25
6-Port SATA RAID (372953-B21) FW 4.2-1-9304

2 RAID-1 arrays (250GB 349239-B21, 500GB Seagate eSATA)

The system is a test machine for software R&D running Oracle 10.2.0.3 and SQL Server 2005 SP2 on Windows Server 2003 R2 EE SP2 without a hitch.

When I try to install Windows Server 2008 I get a NMI bsod sooner or later.

Windows' Memory Diagnostics (Extended) ran an entire weekend without detecting any problem.

I can reproduce the problem easily by loading the 6-Port driver (4.2.1.7365) into the Windows Server 2008 setup upon installation disk selection.

The server and the 6-port are officially supposed to be supporting Windows Server 2008 (http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bc/docs/support/SupportManual/c00710606/c00710606.pdf).

Any ideas what to try next?

[James Kennedy_5]

Running PSP 8.0 and all the latest firmware?

[Henry Boehlert]

PSP 8.00 or the Firmware CD 8.00 do not support the ML 100 series.


However, I applied the latest firmware I could find on the HP Business Support website.

This is easier said than done.

Approach without a floppy drive:

Create the ROMPAQ USB Key (either 256MB or 512MB) from the BIOS SoftPaq.

"ECHO" out the ROMPAQ command in AUTOEXEC.BAT.

Copy the files from the 6-Port firmware diskettes to the key.

Create the iLO Firmware diskette in a Virtual Machine against a Virtual Floppy.

Copy the files from the disk to a subfolder on the key.

Run the BIOS, iLO and 6-Port firmware updates piecewise after booting from the USB Key.

[Shiraj Fernando]

Did u check with Insight Diagnostics ? U can run Insight Diagnostics by booting from the Server's driver and doc CD.

If all the drivers and firmware are up to date better to check your memory with Memtest86.

You can also try to install with one Memory Module plugged in. If you still get the BSOD during setup then change the module and try setup again. Tedious :)

I faced a similar situation with a ML110 G3 with 1GB RAM (2x512). The server will stop with a BSOD saying something like "NMI Parity Check, Memory Parity Error. Contact hardware vendor for support."

I diagnosed the server fully with HP Insight Diagnostics Offline. According to Insight Diagnostics there were no hardware errors. Then I checked with Windows Mem Diagnostics, it didn't show any memory errors either.

I applied all the driver and firmware updates that were available at that time and reseated the RAM but still the BSOD would come intermittently.

I searched a lot on google about this particular error and found that there's a util called memtest86.

I created a memtest86 bootable cd and diagnosed the server and it showed that one module was faulty. Replaced the faulty module and the problem was solved.

Learned about memtest86 from:
"http://www.experts-exchange.com/Hardware/Components/Memory/Q_22603037.html"

memtest86 can be found at:
http://www.memtest.org/
http://www.memtest86.com/

Hope this helps.

Regards,
Shiraj.

[Henry Boehlert]

Memtest v2.01 (bootable CD image) has now been running for more than 16 hours and completed 16 passes without finding any error or problem. RAM speed is stable at 2093 MB/s.

Now starting to tweak the options, but with the current results I cannot justify a RAM replacement.

[KarloChacon]

hi

what about loading this driver?

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareDescription.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&prodTypeId=15351&prodSeriesId=501887&prodNameId=3279679&swEnvOID=1005&swLang=8&mode=2&taskId=135&swItem=MTX-9553913a25fe499aa09e22cfe2


would you mind to specify what the BSOD says?

regards

[Henry Boehlert]

There is no Embedded SATA RAID controller in my configuration. I'm using the 6-Port SATA RAID controller (372953-B21). It's a 64-bit card on a 32-bit-only board, but the only HP way to control more than two SATA drives in the ML 110 G3.

But I tried anyway to install the cp007490.exe:

The software will not be installed on this system because the required hardware is not present in the system or the software/firmware doesn't apply to this system.

Windows Server 2008 setup also does not find hardware supported by this driver.

But it displays (Adaptec 2610SA) and loads the driver for the 6-Port SATA RAID (http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/DriverDownload.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&prodNameId=443244&taskId=135&prodTypeId=329290&prodSeriesId=443243〈=en&cc=us) and then blue-screens.

The BSOD reads:
*** Hardware Malfunction

Call your hardware vendor for support

NMI: Parity Check / Memory Parity Error

*** The system has halted ***


Screenshot attached.

[GeorgeBell]

I've had the same "NMI: Parity....." error when trying to install both Windows Server 2000 and 2003 on one of two identical DL380 G3 servers which I recently bought second hand. Perhaps a long shot, but the following may just be of help.

Browsing the internet, none of the solutions I can across worked. I applied HP's latest firmware update, ran their latest diagnostics, and finally ended up with a blue face, never mind a blue screen.

I was ready to write it off, until last weekend when with nothing to loose, I rather reluctantly allowed a Linux enthusiast to install Debian Etch.

It worked -- Up to a point! The Debian server could see the whole Windows Enterprise Server 2003 Domain, but for some reason, the network could not see Debian.

So time to tear apart the Debian install logs where, surprise, surprise, there was the NMI error which had been cleverly bypassed.

I won't even begin to claim to understand these logs, but suffice to say the Linux guy's conclusion was that it was Network Port related.

These models have 2 on-board Gigabit RJ45 ports which were then disabled. A 3 COM 10/100 PCI network card was installed, and minutes later the system was working as it should.

Subsequent testing using Linux utilities has confirmed that both Gigabit ports have failed, and yet they appear to pass HP's own diags.

The system has now been up an running as a file server without a hitch for a week now.

I shall therefore be leaving it as it is, and getting to know Linux.