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Re: NVRAM, Smartstart, server nightmare

 
KilledbyServer
New Member

NVRAM, Smartstart, server nightmare

hello all, I have been busting my @ss on this server for more then a month (not straight but off and on) I bought a proliant ML330e server from my pc supplier for $5.00. Hardware is perfect, everything works well. I can't install a damn OS on this thing to save my life. I tried the smart start disk, and it appears that I am in an NVRam loop of it wanting me to erase and I do then we start the dance over again and I end up going to the erase screen again. I bought this to have something to work on during the slow times, but I finally thought of a reason to use it and it is consuming all my time. I tried to fdisk it with dos and It sees the Array and lets me pick a drive letter good so far, then when I go to format I get an invalid media error. I tried to install the array driver and do it through windows 2000 I ger the drivers f6'ed in and then when I go to install it, either only individual disks show up, or nothing at all. I am new to this whole raid thing, I have set up once successful array but this thing is killing me. please someone who knows how to deal with this thing let me know.

A little more back ground
a single PIII 933mhz cpu
512 mb of ram
4 20gb hd's in a striped array for 57 gb's (ide)
smartstart 5.0
the array is based over two boards, its a mega raid.
I can't think of anything else you would need to know but if there is something you want I'll find it.
2 REPLIES 2
e4services
Honored Contributor

Re: NVRAM, Smartstart, server nightmare

Sounds like one of the RAID boards has lost it. 2 IDE RAID cards? That does seem quite odd. And if all you are doing is striping them together, not for redundancy, all for the cost of a $60 80GB IDE drive?
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KilledbyServer
New Member

Re: NVRAM, Smartstart, server nightmare

Well speed for one thing multiple drives are faster then one single drive. I do want to thank you for wasting the time to write that. I mean if you couldn't answer the question why bother, really. There is nothing wrong with either card, they worked fine when I got it. You also missed the point that I paid $5.00 for this server, with 4 20 gb drives onboard. So now I should go out and spend $60.00 to have one 80gb drive. If anyone else has the actual solution to the problem and not just throw money at it I would be grateful.