ProLiant ML370 G4 not posting

[Brad Swenson]

I've got a ML370 that we pulled from a system and I'm trying to throw ESX 3.5 on it. When I plug the server in, all indicator LEDs are green and I can't see any apparent issues. However, the server won't POST. The monitor won't even awake from it's sleep mode. I've swapped out memory and tried different processors in a single processor config to no luck. Any help is appreciated.

[Gary Benavides Meza]

If the minimun configuration was performed already and if you tried different cpus and memories, that would be an issue with the system board that needs replacement, just use the user guide for the Proliant ML370 G4 to make sure you are properly populating the memory and cpus and remove additional hardware from the server not required for booting

http://bizsupport1.austin.hp.com/bc/docs/support/SupportManual/c00218061/c00218061.pdf

[Brad Swenson]

Would a bad Smart Array P600 controller cause the machine to not POST? Or should I at least get some kind of audio/visual error? The status light on the board is flashing amber every second or so.

[Gary Benavides Meza]

The server should be able to POST and display video on the screen without the storage controller. There might be a posiblity that the PCI storage controller might be causing a conflict on circuit not letting to POST, but a bad storage controller normally is not a reason for the server not not to display anything on the screen. You can try only two memory and one cpu, remove everything else including the controller just to test and check if the server gives you any display on the screen.

[Gary Benavides Meza]

Try the following steps, I think that would be all you can try:

Check the video cable and then try a standalone monitor, keyboard, and mouse.

Reset the controller and the battery backed cache on the controller.

Reset the SCSI cables and the back plane.

Clear the NVRAM.

Reset all the hardware on the server.

Check the processor for any bent or broken pins.

Get the server to the minimum configuration (keep just one processor, two memory modules, and no PCI cards except the array controller).

Just keep one processor and all the memory back.

If the server does not POST, then keep one processor and take out all the memory modules and do a power recycle, then reboot the server. Once you get the memory beep code, then put the memory modules back.

Put the second processor back and take out all the memory DIMMs, then reboot the server and wait until you get the memory beep code. After that put the memory back.

Try swapping both the processors and their PPMs.