Can't install W2K3 Enter. on old DL580 quad Xeon 700

[CA1278045]

I have deployed at least 5 dozen newer dl and ml servers with smart start and even installting direct from CD, but this old DL580 is abusing me. I have upgraded the firmware to P20 (12/2002) via smartstart 7.20 but it won't let me prep and install an OS, it indicates that this model is not supported? I check the smart start matrix and it appears to be supported by 7.20? I tried to update the firmware on the integrated SCSI controller to 1.50 via the firmware CD, but it will not update, it's still at 1.42. I've tried to install the os 3 different ways:
1. Smart Start 7.20 - no luck
2. booting to W2K3 CD - stuck on "Setup is starting Windows" for 1 hour before I bounced the box
3. Install from DOS prompt, running winnt and enable Smartdrv - same thing, hangs at "setup is starting windows."
I tried to install the SCSI during the windows install by downloading the drivers to a Floppy, I tried to let the windows install detect the SCSI card and install W2K3...
I ran all the diag's and utilities on the HDD's and Server and all come up fine. I have 2 18.2 Ultra2 10K drives installed on bays 0 and 1. 512meg RAM. I even tried to install W2K and update to W2K3...no luck...
What am i missing !@#$% I must be doing something stupid, because this should work...
one odd thing...if I use the Smart Start CD to config the HDD i can do RAID 1+0 and get the full approx 18GB....if I f10 from the boot screen and setup the HDD's I only have 8.4GB of storage...I figured that was a firmware issue...but i can't update it...I even tried to install the os with that HDD config and no luck...I've been at this for 6 hours...any ideas????

thx :-)

[CA893598]

Try it with 256Mb RAM - if it installs you can add the additional RAM later.

[Stephen Kebbell]

Hi,

you can't use SmartStart 7.20 to install an old DL580. The latest version that would work is SmartStart 5.50, but that does not support the assisted installation of Windows 2003. At least with 5.50 you can install System Configuration Utility - the system partition you can access with F10. This was before Proliants had a ROM based Setup utility. You may need to set some options here. You can download SmartStart 5.50 here:
http://h18004.www1.hp.com/support/files/server/us/subscription/ssdownloads.asp

Boot from that CD, select the Manual Installation method and select Windows 2000 as your OS. Then configure your array, let it install the system partition, and at the end it will ask you to reboot to your OS installation CD. Then boot from your W2K3 CD and see if it will get past the "Setup is starting Windows" screen then.
Another option is to remove any extra PCI cards you may have installed.

If you get Windows installed you can then apply the latest Support Pack (7.30) for Windows 2003.

Regards,
Stephen

[CA1278045]

I was finally able to get W2k3 installed. I found a post about 30 minutes after i posted my message....I used the erase utility on the 7.20 CD and erased the nvram and the partition information(I did not erase CMOS)...I then booted to the 7.20 smartstart CD and configed the array with ACU utility. Following that I booted to the w2k3 cd and installed to OS. I could not access the system partition (F10) as I blew it away. I then applied the the 7.30 software pack for w2k3, that updated all the firmware with the exception of the SCSI controller...it's still at 1.42? I still have to figure that one out? I will see if I can find the post...to get the exact details. It was a great post, I was so tired I forgot to save it :-(

[Tracy Swisher]

Thanks Vic! I just bought a DL580 700mhz and have been pulling my hair out trying to get W2K3 to install. I am now installing thanks to your instructions

[Tracy Swisher]

Well, My last post was a little premature. After Win2k3 installs the setup files to the SCSI drives and does a restart, my drives will not boot to complete the WIN install. Any suggestions?

[Tracy Swisher]

I guess I should provide some more details on the setup. The drives are Ultra3 SCSI, 36gb, in a Raid 1+0. The controller is a Smart Aray 532 running v2.58 firmware.
I have run the test for the drives and they report OK. I just can't get them to boot Win 2003 to complete the install.