Starting drivers. Please wait, this may ... take HOURS!!!

[kira12]

Hello Bigbag,

i solve it with using a H440 instead of the P440ar. After change the Controller an update the BIOS to 2.80 it works and it swap back to V4 CPU and the

P440ar...

best regards ré

[SomeWhoCallMeTi]

Following for updates.
I'm getting the same thing on my DL360 g9. "Starting drivers, please wait" takes about 15-30 minutes, then moves to Power and Thermal Calibration, where it sits for another 30-60 minutes depending on its mood.
I have updated iLo, and not seen any improvement. I have tried to update the P440ar, but the update fails. I don't have warranty coverage any longer, so I can't download a BIOS update. I have also run the latest NIC software updates.
I plan reboots to occur in the dead of night so nobody notices. It works, but isn't helpful for my beauty sleep.

[SomeWhoCallMeTi]

Update...

After downloading the smart array controller software update (cp032801), and the array flash update (cp039995), I have had a significant improvement in boot time. It's back to a normal 4 minutes or so. The flash update will NOT run without installing the array controller software update first. 

[JB-LH]

I, too, have a server that does this. Though, it's in production, so I can't do any troubleshooting at the moment.

However, one of the reader comments at the link posted by "opoplawski" on January 23rd, 2020, caught my eye.

https://www.running-system.com/hpe-starting-drivers-please-wait-bios-p89-v2-40-spp-201704

"Solution was to change the storage option in the Bios from the default “Scan all targets” to “Scan Configured Targets only” prior to the update."

I'd be interested in knowing if this worked for anybody.

Thanks!

[AxelThirud]

Storage options was already set to "Scan configured targets only" on one of our servers with this problem

Looking at the boot options, there was a "VMWare ESXI" entry as the first boot option. I put the SD Card there instead (where my esxi is installed) and the server booted normally. (this setting can also be set through ILO before restarting the server)

Of course, there could be some error in the bios where the "Scan configured targets only" wasn't saved properly and that this was corrected when the bios settings where saved again after changing BIOS options....

[JB-LH]

Thanks for commenting, AxelThirud. I haven't had a chance to check my server yet, since it's still in production.

[busitech]

In our case, something about a Kingston Datatraveler Flash Disk attached to a USB port triggered this issue. A firmware component on the mainboard has some serious problems…. 2-6 hour POST tests, and extremely sluggish operation of virtual machines after startup, with unexplainable lags and gaps in processing capability of the system.

[kira12]

Hi,

what Version of Bios do you use?

best regards ré

[busitech]

We’re using P89 v2.92 and iLO 2.79 presently, but have tested several prior versions as well, with the same results. We have a P840ar installed. Strangely, while the system was having issues it was recognized as a P440ar instead. In our case, the same USB device has been used throughout the lifespan of the server, and this issue has not always been present. I’m not sure if it was an electrical issue or just a change in the partitions on the device that changed the behavior. I need to do some more testing with the device. A new device was substituted and formatted which has not yet exhibited the same issue since installation.

[busitech]

During troubleshooting, HPE gave us no information which was helpful, such as whether or not other users had experienced this. I have found much more information in the community forums. HPE said that they had seen issues when NVRAM needed to be cleared, and we reset the machine to manufacturing defaults yet saw no improvement or change. Obviously that was not the issue in this case.