ProLiant ML370 G3 Fan Speed problem

[Don Eilenberger]

I've read all the threads on this, installed the patches, checked the system settings on boot - and it still occurs.

The fans on my ProLiant ML370 G3 turn themselves up to a high speed. They do this with no triggering mechanism I can find, nothing is written to the system log, and it usually happens when I'm not around.

I can sometimes get them to slow down again by rebooting - but this isn't a satisfactory answer for a production server.

This needs to be solved. Has anyone gotten a resolution from HP?

[Miika T]

Which os are you running? Usually fan speed problems are solved after installing proliant support pack, and os loading the health drivers. If health drivers are loaded and if using Windows with no exlamation marks are displayed in device manager, a hardware problem is possible.

-Miika

[Girma Kassa_2]

Hi Don,

Are you running the current firmware on the server if not update the firmware first.

Girma

[HGN]

Hi

Check this thread it may be usefull

http://forums1.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?threadId=837673

Rgds

HGN

[Don Eilenberger]

I have been through ALL the fan-speed threads. I have done all the patches. I have flashed the ROM with the latest version. I'm running W2K, and have been running W2K for the past 2 years on the server. I have updated all of the HP updates for W2K drivers and interfaces.

The point really is - none of this should HAVE to be done.

The system ran fine for over 2 years. It is spotless inside. The fans are all running and green-lighted, plus I have redundent fans and power supplies.

NOTHING changes - it just switches itself to high speed operation. It requires one or two reboots for it to switch back to normal fan speed - where it will stay for a week or more before doing it again.

There is something WRONG - and nothing suggested has helped...

Thanks for trying - but I think this has to be pushed up the HP support chain.

I'm not the only one that this is happening to. I can only speculate that some thermal detector in the system is drifting out of specification. Whatever sensor it is - is not being reported anywhere that I can find (and all the on-board LED's look fine.)

[David Claypool]

Check the Environment link on the Systems Management Homepage to see the fan status as 'normal' or 'high.' Just because they are loud does not mean they are spinning at high speed.

If there is restricted airflow around the unit, that can be a cause of the fans trying to spin at high speed.

[Don Eilenberger]

David,

Thanks,

Just did that - all fans are reported as "normal" - which doesn't explain why they are louder (enough louder that people in the office have mentioned it to me.)

Nothing physical on the server, or it's environment has changed.

BTW - checked all the other monitors on the system - there are no errors or problems being reported.

If you read through the threads by searching on "ProLiant ML370 G3 Fan" you will find several identical threads. All the servers started doing it when about 2-2.5 years old.

From what I read - it sounds like none of the server users reported success with any of the suggestions that were made.

[ChrisCassino]

I had a problem with the fans on one of my 370's last June. Fans stopped completely, shutdown system due to temperature issues. This was a Monday AM as well.

We are under warranty, so once HP heard it was more than two fans they came up with a replacement board. Machine booted fine after the board was installed. The tech had mentioned that it is a common problem and a BIOS update will solve the problem.

I contacted HP regarding my other 370 and they suggested that I upgrade the firmware to ROMpaq dated 9/15/04.

[Don Eilenberger]

Chris, et.al..

Well - if your ML370 G3 starts sounding VERY noisy - be prepared for a motherboard failure.

Mine crapped out on Tuesday night - and is still not back up. HP has a one-week "backlog" on the motherboard replacements.

What happens is multiple fan failures that are not caused by the fans (the failure doesn't follow the fan if you move it.) Once 3 go out (my system has redundent fans) - it shuts itself down. And reboots. And shutsdown and.. and.. over and over.

If your fans start changing speed on their own - and it's a critical server - you might be prepared and just order a replacement motherboard to have on hand.

I have redundent everything on this system - except the motherboard... and that's what failed.

Don (waiting for my new motherboard - and not at ALL happy about my "24 hours" business support..)

[Michel Poirier_1]

Hi, we had a similar trouble on 2 of our servers to date. ML370 G3.
The system will give failure on 3 to 4 fans at the same time out of the max 6 fans in this model.
We had to replace the motherboard each time.