No 32 bit drivers for Gen 9 Proliant server

[matt_evolved]

Hello,

I am wondering why there are no 32 bit drivers available for Gen 9 Proliants like the DL380 Gen 9. We would like to use RHEL 6 32 bit because of a 3rd party limitation but this  doesn't seem to be an option, only 64 bit is available.

RHEL6 install guide says that RHEL6 OS must be 64 bit with UEFI boot mode but if boot mode was switched to Legacy BIOS then I would have thought that 32 would be a possible configuration. But from the lack of drivers for this OS it looks that 32 bit RHEL6 is not a usable OS on Gen 9 but I can find no definitive information on why this is.

Hope someone can help!

Many thanks, Matt

[Jimmy Vance]

ProLiant Gen9 servers only support 64 bit operating systems, Linux or Windows. If you really need to run a 32 bit RHEL OS, you will need to run it as a virtual machine.  There just isn't enough customer demand for 32 bit to justify the time/cost required to develop, certify,  and maintain both 32 and 64 bit versions of the drivers and agents.

[matt_evolved · Accepted solution]

Hi, Thanks for confirming,

Rgds Matt

[Skipperd]

It turns out you need the 32 Bit drivers for recovery environments too, I have been working with Shadow Protect for a full day on getting there Recovery environment to work on Gen9 server and no go as of now.  I am hoping they can liason with HP and get this resolved, I need to be able to do a cold Iron restore from there recovery environment.  This is getting Very frustrating.  Also placed a call to HP support with no answers.

[waaronb]

It's kind of funny because HP was in a 'darned if you do, darned if you don't' situation regarding UEFI and other things... it's definitely good to go that direction because that's where it's all at these days, but of course not *every* boot-level doodad was ready for things like that.

If I had to, I'd stick with what was mentioned and just use virtuals for any 32-bit environment.  Which also makes "boot level" recovery easy as pie on a virtual machine.  As long as you back up the virtual machines, who cares if you have to restore the host system from scratch... should be plenty fast, maybe faster than doing some strange recovery process. :)

[sainul]

I am trying to install server 2008 standerd 32 bit on DL120 Gen9 server but its not happening..

Please let me know if i install VMware or hyperV  we can install 32 bit server OS.

[itutech]

1. Install CENTOS 6.5 32bit on dl-380 gen8 (P420i)

2. Remove HDD and insert DL-360 gen9 

3. DL-360 gen9 power on.

 That's all.

OR

1. UEFI change to Legacy BIOS

2. notmal installed (CENTOS 6.5 32bit)

That's all.

[xdeetee]

Pardon me, but I still don't understand why you want to install 32bit application on modern 64bit computer? We have come a long way from 8bit, 16bit, 32bit to 64bit architecture.