Proliant 1600 does not always boot

[CA1251097]

Hi,
I was fortunate enough to get bits of Porliant 1600's given to me, enough to make up a server.
The setup is as follows:
- dual PII - 300MHz with 128MB RAM (made of 4 x 32MB EDO 60ns RAM slots)
- floppy, CD-ROM and DAT 4/8GB
- 6x HDD bay currently loaded with 3x 9GB and 2 x 36GB drives - the 6th slots has a blanking plate in it
- a Compaq Smart Array 221 controler
- a 3Com Ethernet 10/100 network card

I also have as a spare another CPU cage with a single processor, a Smart Array 2DH controler and another I/O cage.

The problem is as follows. I boot the server, do bits (like running the SmartStart utilities, installing Windows, etc) and all works OK.
I then try to reboot it, either with a cold or hot reboot, and even though the fans spin and the lights come on, there is nothing on the monitor, and the keybd lights (Num Lock, Caps Lock, etc) stay off. I try again - nothing
Ultimately the server will restart after:
- me leaving it overnight
- taking out and replacing the CPU cage (or sometimes just taking it out and putting it back in again)
- taking out and replacing the I/O cage (or sometimes just taking it out and putting it back in again)

What starts to errode my confidence in ever being able to use it, is that there is no consistency on what's needed to restart it properly - once it's taking out the CPU card when the next time this has no effect. Sometimes just waiting for a few hours does it. I basically never know what it'll take to restart it!

I have run a full diagnostics on the box that came up all clear, and when it does boot, there are no error messages at all thrown by either the BIOS/BootROM or the Windows Installer.
I have also updated both the BootROM and firmware for the controlers to the latest available - doesn't change a thing.

Has anyone got a clue on what's going on?

Thanks in advance

Olivier

[kskr]

Sounds like a powering problem or a failing motherboard.
Try to replace the power supply with a working one to see if it works.

Or, when you're unable to boot, try unplugging the power cord, press the server power button on and off a few times, plug the power cord back and power it on to see if it can boot. If it could, maybe it's the problem of the failing capacitors on motherboard/power supply.

hope it's helpful

[Thorsten Jalas]

You should also try to strip off all unneccesary hardware.
First try to use just one processor, no network card, only one disk and so on - just to figure out if one of the parts is faulty.

If it doesn´t help: seems to be your motherboard :(

Regards
Thorsten Jal