Proliant ML370 Boot Issue

[Don Sharp]

One of our Proliant ML370's has had a problem with rebooting since we bought it. At a power off and restart, the server stops before finding the array controller - let alone any disks. It freezes there indefinitely, and it can take from 1-10 reboots before it finally starts. The rest of the time it works fine.

We've had every component replaced on it at least once (power supplies, cage, mainboard, array controller, daughterboard, etc), with the only exceptions being the case, badge and hard disks. Still the problem persists. The Bios etc is all at the latest version and appears to make no difference.

It seems to defy logic that almost every component has been replaced and we still see the problem.

Any ideas?

[Brouwer_1]

Mhhh...
I guess HP didn't replace all components at once, but one after the other. Now the problem could be, that one of the components was broke, and more or less shot one or two other components. So, if you keep replacing one component at the time, it still could be that one defective component "kills" the new components built in.
I know that it's hard to believe, but I've seen it happening several times...
So, one way to fix this problem would be to change ALL components at once.
Changing the case & badge seems ridiculous, but maybe, and I mean MAYBE, changing the drives would be another way.

Keep me informed please, and...have fun ;-)

[Terry Hutchings]

If you disconnect the drives from the controller, does it freeze anymore. I understand the machine won't boot up, but this should indicate whether a drive is causing this.

So the processor(s), ppm(s), and memory have been replaced also?

[Logan_3]

I plan to purchase a ML370 server very soon.

What kind of Array Controller and what kind of hard drives are you using and how many?

After speaking with Compaq and my vendor, a Compaq Smart Array 641 - Storage Controller RAID - SCSI Ultra320 - 320MBps is the best match for 36.4GB Wide Ultra3 disk drives.

I plan to use 3 drives to make a RAID 5 array.

Hope your issue is solved soon. However replacing everything would probably mean sooner :)

[Don Sharp]

Terry

"If you disconnect the drives from the controller, does it freeze anymore. I understand the machine won't boot up, but this should indicate whether a drive is causing this.
So the processor(s), ppm(s), and memory have been replaced also? "

I haven't tested the drive removal yet - that's certainly something I'll need to consider next. Thanks for the tip.

The memory has been replaced, the processor hasn't. The ppms? I'm not 100% sure on the processor as it's hard to keep track after all the visits and work that's been done.

[Steve Allison]

It could possibly be the processor.
I just had an ML370 give me a similar problem. On power up the server would never give any video until you cold booted it again. After installing matching cpus (PIII-733),with the same stepping, the problem was fixed.

[Don Sharp]

Logan

We have 2 ML370's, both with SMART 3200 Array controllers. On one the AC has been replaced 3 times, on the other replaced twice. The current ones are working ok, aside from the reboot issue on one server which may be related to the AC.