Unabled to configure static IP on DL380 G5 after P2Proliant

[NJK-Work]

Hi,

This weekend I tried to use the HP P2Proliant software to migrate and old DL380 G1 server to a new DL380 G5. The migration worked fine, except when I went to configure the NIC on the new server with the static IP that the original server had. It would accept the IP and not give any errors, but when I would go back in to check it out, it goes back to DHCP. It will no keep its static IP address.

I then tried updating drives - no good. I tried removing drivers and reinstalling - no good. No matter what I do, I cannot get it to take a static IP.

Now - I made it worse. I tried uninstalling the NICs a second time and one of the two NICs is locked in with "unknown driver". I cant update it (says "Access is denied") and I cannot remove it (says it is need to boot the system ???). The other driver I can remove - and it gets auto-detected after a reboot, but the one NIC I cannot remove or update.

Anyone have any ideas? This is NOT rocket science - I have done this 1000 times and configuring a NIC with a static IP "just works" 100% of the time - I am litterally pulling my hair out on what should be a seamingly simple task.

Thanks
Nelson

[NJK-Work]

OK - got the bogus device removed. Had to use "Add/Remove" hardware. I was trying to uninstall it from the "Devices" list under "Computer Management".

But I am still back at my original problem. It will not let me assign ANY static address to ANY NIC - it goes back to DHCP when I go back into the NIC IP configuration.

Nelson

[Bryan Eley]

Hi Nelson,

Is it possibly an issue with the fact that the DL380 G5s use Broadcom NetXtreme II NIC chips and virtual buses? Broadcom has a faq (#99) about this at http://www.broadcom.com/support/ethernet_nic/faq_drivers.php, and their faq is summed up from Microsoft :

"You cannot configure a network adapter that resides on a virtual bus to use a static IP address in an automated deployment of Windows Server 2003"
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/920293/en-us

Best,
Bryan

[NJK-Work]

Hi,

Thanks for the tip, but:

1) I am using Windows 2000, not Windows 2003
2) I am not using an automated setup. I used the HP Physical to Proliant software to copy an image of the original server hardware to the new server hardware.

Thanks
Nelson

[NJK-Work]

My co-worker just got it working. He had to rip all the nework settings out of ***ControlSet## in the registry, reboot and reinstall the drivers.

Man - that P2Proliant sure did a number on this server.

Nelson

[NJK-Work]

See last entry in this thread.