Proliant ML350 G3 Server Reboots Randomly

[Dana Grantham]

We have a Proliant ML350 G3 Server that has rebooted randomly since purchasing it a couple of years ago. We have yet to come up with a solution to this problem. We even purchased another ML350 in case something were to happen so we could pull the drives and install in the "backup" server. However, the backup server has also started rebooting randomly. Event log tells us nothing. Please advise what we need to check for in order to resolve this problem. We are running dual Xeon 2.2GHz processors with 2GB memory and Windows 2000 Server. If additional info is required, please let me know.

Thanks.

[Gus Kwong]

Hi Dana,

Can you confirm the server has the latest firmware?

At which stage does it reboot? Does it reboot when OS comes up? Or before the OS comes up? Or after POST?

When it reboots, what is on the screen? OS dump?

Do you have Insight Manager messages? You have said the EventLog shows nothing, how about Integrated Management Log Viewer?

cheers,

Gus

[Dana Grantham]

The system is up-to-date on all critical updates, firmware, etc. As far as what stage does it reboot??? Like I said it reboots randomly. No particular stage. The server can be up and running for days and reboot while everyone is in the office and trying to work. Then sometimes it will reboot on the weekends while nobody is in the office at all. No particular time of the day or night...sometimes morning, sometimes night...like I said...just random. It may reboot everyday for a month and then it might not do it for a few days or a week or two and all of the sudden it starts again.

There has been nothing in any of the logs that indicate a problem. We have had the local company that we purchased the server from out here numerous times to check it out and they have even reformatted and reinstalled the operating system and it still does it. They seem to believe that it is a software issue. However, we don't really run much software from the server..most of the programs are loaded on the workstations with the data on the server. We do have some programs that must be loaded on the server but have never had any problems with them. We reinstalled those, one at a time and it still has the same problem.

I am beginning to think we need someone from Compaq to come out and check out the motherboard, etc. It is just a major problem because employees loose work when this just all of the sudden decides to reboot itself.

[Gus Kwong]

Hi Dana,

If your server is under warranty, then it is always worthwhile to get someone to look at it... if you have insight manager messages for a fault, Hp engineers will come out without asking too many questions.

You've mentioned in the 1st message about a "backup" server --- I assume this seperate machine was a fully working machine. You have to be really unlucky to have both servers suffer from the same hardware fault...

You have mentioned about reboot randomly --- can you confirm which OS do you use? Can you confirm that it does not boot automatically after a crash-dump?

For example, if it is running on Windows2000, goto SystemProperties, goto StartUp and Recovery, and Automatically Reboot should be unchecked.

Cheers,

[Dana Grantham]

Well consider us unlucky...because our backup server also reboots randomly!! Of course that is using the hard drives out of the original server. Our backup server was a basic server with a little less memory, only one processor (same size) and only one 35Gig HDD considering we would be pulling the HDD from the original server. So it was not up and running until the local company came and took our original server and they pulled the HDDs out and put in our backup server which is what we have been running on and are currently running on. It is rebooting too. Which sometimes makes me feel it is the hard drives or software. However, after diagnostics run on the hardware the local company says it is not a hardware issue. I have been trying to get them to contact HP directly and get someone out here to check these systems out. We are running Windows 2000 Server and Active Directory and are configured NOT to boot automatically after a crash-dump. Our workstations that connect to our network are running Windows 2000, Windows XP Pro, and Windows 98SE.

[Carlo Mormina]

Hi i'm having the same problem. Are you using an APC UPS.

I think I'm getting somewhere with this. It may be related to the UPS

Please let me know

[Muhammad_4]

HI Dana,
I believe the problem is between the drives or UPS.If it is the drives.Insight manager would give you information on the drives. If you are using a UPS.Try running the server without the UPS.If ther is no problem with the drives and the UPS then look at components like heatsink, processor, PPM or system board.

[Dean Foreman]

What Virus Software are you running, we have had simular problems in the past but resolved them!