Proliant 2500 & Linux not seeing raid

[Simon Topley]

Hi
I am trying to install Suse 7.2 Pro on my Proliant 2500 tower ,twin CPU P200 Pro with 750megs of ram and a SCSI array, it has 3x4.3 gig, but soon to be upgraded, disks.
When I try to install using Yast it says there are no recognisable disks or valid partitons, this doesn't make sense, I have installed scsi modules but it just errors, at no point does it offer me the option to partiton, it is so frustrating,
I bought it off Ebay just to learn Linux and can't even get installed,I managed to install a dodgy copy of XP no trouble all disks recognised ok so I know they are OK.
I have a copy of the compaq software smartstart ver 5.3 and the management 5.3 and a smartstart server profile diskette.
Can anyone please point out to me my silly mistake or point me to a link, I have runout of ideas and have blisters from inserting and removing CDs.
Rgds
Simon

[Bill Wood_3]

1st, what kind of array controller is it? 2nd, have you run the array config utility to setup a logical drive?

[Simon Topley]

Hi
Sorry to sound lame but, can you explain how to interrogate the device to find out the type etc please??
And as you ask maybe I haven't actually assigned the raid array.
I am at work now and cannot check anything till tuesday. Rgds

[Simon Topley]

Hi
Sorry to sound lame but, can you explain how to interrogate the device to find out the type etc please??
And as you ask maybe I haven't actually assigned the raid array.
I cannot understand how the MS 'product' installs instantly but the Suse cannot see the disks?
I am at work now and cannot check anything till tuesday. Rgds

[Simon Topley]

HELP!!
I am totally stuck now I can't see how to do this poxy job, I have explored every avenue available in the smartstart disk, do I need another disk to set up and assign the raid, i appear to be running the smart 2sl scsi controller, at what point are you supposed to set up the array??
Is the disk I am using too late a version do I need an older version?
I have managed to upgrade the hard disks now to 9 gigs (5 off) all in the front hotswap bay.

Please help I am geting desperate.

[ernst limbrunner]

hi simon

1) if ss5.30 boots into the installation screen select "manual installation". this will automatically lead you to the ACU (array configuration screen). when asked for the OS answer "other".

after step 1 your disks should be set up properly and ss5.30 will install the system partition (this is a hidden partition which can be accessed by pressing F10 after the initial messages).

after reboot you should see: initializing smart controller .... 1 logical drive

2) if ss5.30 boots into the tools menu, first run system configuration. reboot. then run array configuration.

that should do the job.

if NOT, download the diagnostics diskette - do not run diagnostics, but INSPECT. save it to a file and send it to:

ernst.limbrunner@web.de

best regards from germany
ernesto

ps: i have been doing proliant trainings for 12 years now ...

[Simon Topley]

Ernst
I tried to follow your instructions, i tried to create the array config utility bit the versions on the smart disk only run from the smart disk, they do create copies on the floppies but then wont run from there.
I have installed the partition many times and have worked with it, but when it comes to set up the array it can't because the floppies are non bootable.
I found an older smart start cd V4.2, this had an older version of drive array config which was bootable but it said there were no drivers, it makes no sense to me I am a PC head not used to this, i can't see why i can't write files to the sys partition if I could maybe i could install drivers.

I tried to run the diagnostics but the version on my cd is in japanese, bootable yes, understandable....er no. I down loaded one off the website and this does not appear to run it needs an OS to run, it runs on this Pc but the server says incorrect media...

I am stumped, i just don't know what more I can do?

To summarise, I have smart start Cds 4.20 5.10 5.30.

what you said makes sense but is as though something is missing, is it possible to find a bootable copy of the array config utility?

Thanks in advance, thanks for taking the time to reply, if we keep talking through here you can earn points and maybe we can help some other poor soul.

Rgds from wet & windy england

Simon

PS this is my first compaq machine, an it is doing my head in :(

[Simon Topley]

I have made a discovery of some significance here, i out of desperation last night took the box to bits to reseat the 2SL SCSI controller card. There wasn't one.
So, have i been the victim of an Ebay rip off, or do i have a 2500 that is just different. The SCSI cabe goes to what is labelled inside the case as a SCSI controller but is this type capable of controlling the hot swap type devices that are fitted to my unit, the controller appears to be either on the CPU card or connected directly to it via a header card.
What do I do folks, can I sort it or is it back to Ebay?
Yours dejectedly
Simon

[Vince Van De Coevering]

Simon,

Grab a smart 2/P from ebay and go from there. I have 2 2500s running linux and freeBSD using that card.

The only gotcha to watch out for is a memory detection issue which can be defeated using the following:
mem=exactmap mem=640k@0m mem=(x-1)m@1m

Replace x-1 with your total ram -1 meg, for example if you have 512 meg of ram the line would be
mem=exactmap mem=640k@0m mem=511m@1m

Vince

[Simon Topley]

Righto
I have managed to find a scsi controller card on Ebay, it is a 2DH card, which I believe is compatible, I have inserted it and have the machine running now and it appears to spin the disks which is more than it has ever seems to have done, but it is saying stopped due to scsi cable error is this because I have to terminate the on boards controller? It doesn't appear to work but now I have an error.

Am I on the right track at last?
Simon