Proliant 3000 ROM Bias issue

[Steve Mylek]

I have a PL 3000/PIII/550 that I've been attempting to install another PCI video card on. On the Compaq site I found a service pack (SP20622) that seemed to address adding another video card. In the process of attempting to update the system ROM bios on the machine, I received a "Checksum match not found for CPQP0901.168" error. After cycling through a couple messages, the program started overwriting the old bios with the new one (actually started doing what it was suppose to do). Unfortunately, about half way through the overwrite, the system halted (I believe it had something to do with a difficulty reading the floppy drive containing the SP). Nothing happened for over 30 minutes and I tried re-booting. Now the system's dead, won't boot, tries to read the floppy after beeping twice, and sends out two long beeps continuously. There's no video from on-board ATI and the monitor won't cycle. Any suggestions where to start over and what I'll need- I'm really regretting trying to use this server. It's a hand-me-down that had been running but needed some upgrading for our needs.

[Martin Breidenbach · Accepted solution]

AFAIK there's a special BIOS recovery mode. It requires a certain system dip switch setting and a modified system rompaq floppy disk that updates the BIOS without any keys pressed.

I've done that only once and it was several years ago. Unfortunately I don't remember the exact procedure and can't locate it on the HP web site.

But HP support should know it.

[Brian_Murdoch]

Steve,

Please e-mail me and I will send you the procedure.

brian.murdoch@hp.com

Regards,

Brian

[Steve Mylek]

Martin, thanks. Although you didn't have specifics, there was enough info for me to solve the issue. I had to copy the factory config.sys file (config.fac) over original config.sys on the ROM Bios diskette I created from the downloaded SP (I found that somewhere on the HP support site). The switch settings were trial & error, but I figured the password switch (SW#5) had to be disabled ("On") and then I turned Switch 7 "on". Worked like a charm, cold booted with the diskette in, and I got a musical tone after it completed successfully. Also, I finally have another PCI graphics card working after months on problems- thanks again.

[herb_4]

i have both the gen 1 and gen 2 3000, i have not had a problem yet with video, if you add a second card is is imperative to disable the onboard though.

herb