Proliant ML-350 Boot Problem...

[Simon Marcil]

I have a Compaq Proliant Ml-350 with a Compaq Smart Array RAID Card containing a logical volume on which Windows NT Server is installed. I am trying to add a second raid card (Promise TX2000). The problem is the server always tries to boot off the promise card. I have change the boot order and the hard drive order in the bios but it changes nothing. It always tries to boot off the promise card.

Any idea????

[kcpant]

Hi,

Have you changed the boot controller order in setup?

[Brian_Murdoch]

Simon,

What you are seeing is a result of the PCI scan order in your Proliant ML350 server. In general the PCI scan has an order of embedded devices first, then PCI bus1, PCI bus2 etc. although some models have specific orders.

You need to make sure that your Compaq Smart Array controller is in a PCI slot which gets scanned before the Promise card. This way your system will boot from the Smart Array attached disks. You don't mention your ML350 model (G1, G2, G3 etc) but I have attached a diagram which shows the PCI bus information for G1 and G2 models. You will find that your server's top or side cover has a diagram which details the PCI slot information including the BUS assignments.

All you need to do is get them in the right order. Note that for example in the attached document, the G1 (1Ghz) and G2, PCI slots 6 and 7 are on PCI bus 1 and that PCI slot 2 is on PCI bus 2, so devices in slots 6 and 7 will be scanned and seen before those in slot 2 as a rule. Check your server diagram inside the cover to get it right.

I hope this helps.

Brian

[Simon Marcil]

Hi Brian,

Thanks for the reply. The server is a G1, the compaq smart array card (64-bit) is in the second PCI slot which is on PCI Bus 2 and the promise card (32-bit) is in slot 4 which is on PCI Bus 1.

Is there anyway to get the system to boot off the Compaq Smart Array which is on PCI Bus 2? I checked the BIOS but didn't see any options to change it. In the HD order i have The Compaq Smart Array....

Thanks

[Oleg Koroz]

I would believe answer should be in Promise Card itself, by turning off some option, as normally all RAID Cards have access to ROM Settings (Ctrl + S, ... etc) check if there some,

[Simon Marcil]

I called promise i can disable the rom... Well i'm starting to think this can't be done

[JP Steeghs]

Hi Simon,
A stupid suggestion maybe, but do you have the latest bios update for your promise card?
I checked their website, and it seems the TX2000 had a boot / boot order problem with the older bios versions, due to an erronous extended bios data area allocation (EDBA) ...
Bye, JP