Need detailed Instructions to Install W2K on DL580

[Kris Kedzierski]

Hello all
So it's been like 4 days and 40 reboots later and DL580 G1 is still not installing W2K Advanced Server.
Server specs:
DL580 G1
ROM version 4.10A (7/4/02)
4 x Xeon 700
4GB Ram
Integrated Array Controller
ROM Version 1.50 ( don't know how to check if it's A or B)
4 x 18.2Gb Drives configured as RAID5 on the above controller

I tried both manual and assisted install with various releases of SmartStart (4.90 through 5.50) Either way I do it, every time I install it, it goes fine until the last part where windows saves settings. At this time one or two drives get the red X light on as if they stopped working. Windows finishes the installation and at reboot time it gives BSOD with either "Kernel Data Inpage Error" or "Innaccessible boot device" error. With manual installation I actually downloaded the SSD for NT4.0 and F6 W2K to install additional drivers. Question is which driver(s) from that floppy do I actually use as there is I think 7 listed.
Another question is what happens to the drives that get red X light during last part of install and what should I do to get the server running?
Thanks a lot for any help in fixing this problem.
Kris

[JohnWRuffo]

Kris:
Sounds to me like you have a warranty call on your hands. Maybe you can get the drives replaced under warranty?

If the drives are failing after a few minutes (say 30 min for the whole build) then they might have a heat probelm, SMART error or somethihng physical/electronic wrong with them.
There are a few drives with some SMART errors which can be resolved by updating their BIOS via:
http://wwss1pro.compaq.com/support/reference_library/viewdocument.asp?countrycode=1000&prodid=2086|StorageWorks+Enclosure+4300&source=EX020918_CW01.xml&dt=3&docid=12943

Also, check the fans inside the box and make sure all is well and they are not shutting down on you during the install.

More to think about, but if a drive shows a failure indication, I would not hesitate to drop a new one in the box and see if it's just the drive or something deeper.

G'luck!
-John

[Dan Baxter · Accepted solution]

Here's a suggestion: Since you have 4 drives and are possibly having problems with 1 or 2 of them, remove the problem drives and just use mirroring. Install the OS to your mirror set and see if it comes up. If this works, you most likely have bad drives and need to get them replaced. Once you replace them, you will be able to expand your array to Raid 5 using all of the disks.

[Kris Kedzierski]

Hello all

Thanks for the replies.
John: I checked the drives out, they might actually need a BIOS Update, but I don't think it's an overheating problem. I have quite a few spares lying around, I changed the drives out and the same thing happens. Also the drives that fail during install are not always the same slot/drive, ie. ones install drives 0,3 will go out, another install on same drives, drives 1,2 go out. Also, the "failed" drives popped into other systems work fine.:) All the fans work properly and they don't shut down. I was wondering if it might have to do with the Integrated SA and should I try swapping it? Does anyone know if it's the same as in DL380? ( I have a few of these somewhere)

Dan: I actually did an install on a single RAID0 drive and it worked. question is can I expand it on the other 3 drives and modify it to RAID5 ?

Thanks
Kris

[JohnWRuffo]

Hmmm... Yeah... If it is not consistant in a certain slot either, I would not discount the backplane board of the cage...
If it continues with a separate raid controler, then it has to be either the power subsystem or the SCSI channel on the backplane board.
If it turns out to be, the SCSI hard drive backplane board, the SP# is 387090-001.

Take a read of:
ftp://ftp.compaq.com/pub/supportinformation/techpubs/maintenance_guides/152301-003.pdf

[Kris Kedzierski]

Another funny thing is that if I transfer drives from a running box that has been configured, it gives me no errors or problems. We put in drives from another identical machine and it works fine. I'm ging back to firmware upgrading on the drives :)

[JohnWRuffo]

Gremlins! You have any small, funny looking, green guys with an evil laugh hanging around? lol j/k

G'luck to ya Kris!

[Dan Baxter]

Kris,

Glad I was some help. Yes, you should be able to expand/modify from Raid 0 to Raid 5 once you are able to get all of your drives working.

As far as the ROC (Raid on Chip) card being the same for DL380 & DL580, I'm betting as long as they are both G1's that it may work. Check the spare part # on them and see if they match up.

The fact that you can add drives from another machine successfully makes me suspect the ROC or the backplane.

[Kris Kedzierski_1]

Hello back everyone.

I finally got it to work, and the only thing that did it( I tried several scenarios with changing the ROC, swapping drives and other parts) was upgrading the Hard Drives Frimware. They had an original firmware and the new one was like 10 releases newer. Well that did it. Thanks to everyone for help and suggestions.

[JohnWRuffo]

Glad we could help.
-John