ml 350 restart after ups power failure

[Laszlo Ordogh]

Hello!

We installed a HP Proliant ML350 G3 server with Windows Server 2003 and an APC Smart-UPS 2200. When power failure occurs the UPS agent shuts down the server and the ups turns off. After power returns the ups turns on but the ML350 server won't start. How we should configure the ML350 to restart automatically when power returns?

Thanks,

Laszlo Ordogh

[Colin_36]

I took parts of this from APC.COM:
This problem is independent of the type of UPS connected. It is a function of the BIOS implementation supporting the soft-switch on computers. It is not a problem with APC UPS's or with PowerChute plus, PowerChute Pro, or Power Management Extension.

Solution:

To resolve this, change this BIOS setting, if possible, to Last State. If you cannot modify this setting, then the UPS will not be able to automatically reboot the computer under any circumstances - with APC or any other UPS.


Background:

Most new computers available in the market today use the ATX motherboard which supports the use of a soft switch to turn the computer On and Off. The implementation of this soft switch includes a BIOS parameter which defines the state the computer will enter when the power supply senses input power when plugged into the wall. This BIOS parameter can have any one of three values :


ALWAYS ON: When power is cycled on, the computer will automatically turn on and boot up.

ALWAYS OFF: When power is cycled on, the computer will stay off until the user manually hits the On/Off soft switch.

LAST STATE: When power is cycled on, the computer will either come on or stay off depending on whether it was On or Off when the power was lost.



Most computer manufacturers set this parameter to Last State and some computer
manufacturers set this parameter to Always Off. It is highly unlikely to find the Always On parameter setting. In many cases, the computer manufacturer permits the user to change the value of this parameter by using the system setup menu which can accessed prior to the operating system loading when the computer is turned on.



If this parameter is set to Always Off then an APC UPS cannot reboot this computer as it will not turn on when the power is cycled independent of the state of the PC prior to power being turned off.

[Laszlo Ordogh]

I have read that before I posted the question. My problem is that I can't find the appropriate BIOS setting in ML 350G.
Anybody?

Thx

[Victor Pendlebury]

Hi

Proliant servers do not have such a setting in the Bios .

I also remember that G3 machines no longer support the Stand By ACPI Mode .

I don't think you'll find a solution

Regards

Victor

[Graham Pohl]

You may have solved this by now. The only way we found around it was to use shutdown.exe from the W2K resource kit.

This shuts down windows but does NOT power off, just like a pre-ACPI server.

Copy shutdown.exe from reskit to c:\winnt

Set up UPS using W2K UPS service as normal

Tick box labelled "When the alarm occurs run this program" and configure to run c:\winnt\shutdown.exe /y /t:00

The switches ARE important /y answers yes to the prompt and /t:00 shuts down without delay

If you need to shutdown multiple servers write a batch file and configure to run the batch file when the alarm occurs eg:
c:\winnt\shutdown.exe \\remotepc1 /y /t:00
c:\winnt\shutdown.exe \\remotepc2 /y /t:00
c:\winnt\shutdown.exe /y /t:00

(last line shuts down local server)

HTH

Graham
MCSE CCNA

[Ivan-Ho]

Hi all,

I am facing with same problem. I tried to append shutdown command before UPS alarm.

But it was not OK.

Any solution?

Thanks

[Kevin Williams_11]

Hey All,

This is a problem with Windows 2003 not differentiating between two EWX_ flags. The HP 350 G3 BIOS is set to start at previous state after power restore. Windows should exit with the "It is now safe to power off your computer" message as it does on the same hardware on Windows 2000. Because Windows 2003 totally powers off your system, rather than shutting down Windows and not sending the signal to the BIOS to power off the system, which means when the power is restored, the BIOS remains in the state it was before the power loss... off. Microsoft has released a hotfix mentioned in article Q819760 that is required. Doesn't seem to be many resources around about this article. Here is a link: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;Q819760
You may also need to configure a group policy to specify not to turn off system power after a shutdown. Apparently this will be fixed in SP1.

Good Luck

[Andrea_94]

Hi, I have the same problem with an ML 350 G3 and an APC SmartUPS 1500. I have contacted the italian HP helpdesk. The answer was that there is no appropriate BIOS setting to solve the problem: "the server had to be rebooted MANUALLY!!!" >:(
I have also installed the Microsoft patch described in KB819760, but I haven't find the appropriate group policy setting as described in the MS article.
HELP ME!!!

Regards,
Andrea

[Terri Harris]

I know of at least one customer who resolved this by configuring his iLO (integrated Lights-Out) port on the Proliant to automatically power on server. This is under the Virtual Devices - Virtual Power setting for iL0. There is a yes/no option here to "Automatically Power On Server".
In this example the configuration included a NMC (Network Management Card) installed in the UPS.
Hope this helps.

[Andrea_94]

OK,
reading ILO documentation I have tried that a setting to solve my problem is available, but ILO doesn't seem to be supported by ML 350 G3 server!
RILOE II, instead, is supported, but I haven't tried the same setting in it!

Any solution?

Thanks.