Proliant 1600 wont boot (new thread)

[apache_1]

Hello John,

I am back again.. I talked to a support tech and I have the numbers for hp resellers close to where I am.. For one last shot I will try something he suggested.. According to him..(in that order)

1. run smartstart and erase and install windows 2000 server..
2. Apply windows service pack 4 (which I had not done initially)
3. enable SNMP
4. Apply Proliant support pack (that you gave me the link for)

The only pieces that I did not try last time were the SNMP and service pack 4.. I will try it with that and see if thats whats making it unstable... If not I'll talk to my local guys and ask them to come over and take a look..

I'll get on it and keep you posted at how the attempt goes.. By the way, i am back at 256 ram (only one dimm) with windows 2000 server installed on it...

[apache_1]

Hi John,

Here is the current situation..

I did all the steps that I mentioned in my last post..

now i have, windows 2000 server + service pack 4 + snmp enabled + psp applied + i ran the dignostic from the diskette. It says no problems...

I am letting it stay running for a while and see what tricks it plays on me this time or do you think that all these service packs and support packs had the elements that make it more stable.. if thats the case, its great.. i should be okay now!!

any advice John??

[JohnWRuffo]

Well... your original errors were certianly hardware based. You could not even boot up.

Definately let it "burn in" over 24 hours before assigning it an application or a task you will trust it to perform.

SP4 is a more mature code to run and the SNMP package will allow the health agents from the PSP to log any errors and such.

You are definately your companies Systems Admin now!

Let me know if I can be of further help? -john

[apache_1]

Hi John,

I will post back tommorow morning with the health report of my box.. Lets hope it stays awake and plays a good boy..

apache (system admin :-)

[apache_1]

Same thing happened!! it was down this morning and can's boot up.. same old same old :-(

i have to go out today but will come back this afternoon and try to do stuff on it again..

[apache_1]

John,

I am back..

The only thing I have not tried is to replaced the dimm in slot no 1, which is closest to the cage.. Should I? But then, if the dimm is faulty why would it even boot sometimes and not the other time...??

AAAARGH! Being a sys admin is no fun!! well may be a little!

[JohnWRuffo]

Yes... swap out the DIMM with one of the others from the set you have... run the diagnostics to see if any errors crop up on the memory tests, then let it run for a day. If the system fails, then swap again. If it fails again, it may not be the RAM...

What is the error logged if any? Do you have a crash dump for me to look at?

b/t/w... did you get my e-mail? (talk about that off-line)

[apache_1]

Hi John,

No I did not get your email. Can you pls send it again.. once again the address is chillingplant at yahoo dot com

I will respond to your mail as soon as i get it.. it might have gone to my spam/bulk folder by mistake..

i'll do as you suggested and reply back..

[apache_1]

Hi John,

Talked to another support guy.. he thinks that the first thing i should do is have compaq ram in there.. i thought well, what the heck, lemme order some... so hopefully i'll have the ram on wednesday and will try (one last time before handing it over to the hp reseller guys close to me)

do you think that the fickleness of the ram could be because it was non compaq.. (it was viking something).. also, did you email me? cos' i dont even empty my bulk folder before seeing it just so that i dont miss you.. please let me know..

cheers,
apache

[JohnWRuffo]

Yes and no. Compaq released a customer advisory a while back ( http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/Document.jsp?locale=en_US&taskId=110&prodSeriesId=254906&prodTypeId=15351&objectID=PSD_CN0112W or http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/Document.jsp?objectID=PSD_EH990408_CW01&prodTypeId=15351&prodSeriesId=254906&locale=en_US or http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/Document.jsp?objectID=PSD_CN0111W&prodTypeId=15351&prodSeriesId=254906&locale=en_US )
basically stating Compaq/HP RAM was certified to work in their hardware and the other stuff should not be used. The statement implies that the RAM must only be purchased through Compaq/HP or it would not work correctly. If you read it, it states that Compaq/HP would not warranty the system if you used 3rd party.
Well, your server is well out of its warranty and I am sure you purchased the RAM from a reputable dealer. Viking is a good source for RAM and as long as when you ordered it, it had the Spare Part Number as a reference.

All that said, I feel purchasing the RAM is a good idea. Through your diagnostics it seemed as though the RAM was at fault on a few of the runs and it did not seem to want to play with the rest of the system. Let me know how your diags go today?

-John

p.s. chillingplant is the mailbox, right?