HP SmartArray P400 Controller will be blasted with a shotgun shortly ...

[Stephen Keane]

I have an HP Integrity RX2660 server with an HP Smart Array P400 Controller and 2 x SAS 72 GByte disks.

It is a test system and had 11.23 IA installed on it. I wished to re-install it with 11.31 IA.

So I tried booting it from the HP 11.31 IA Installation disk, but when it finally gets to the first menu, it determines that there are no disks!

So I interrupted the boot sequence using the F8 key to configure the Smart Array controller. I deleted the existing logical volume which was a mirror setup using both disks. I then created a new logical volume as a mirror setup using both disks.

I then tried booting from the HP-UX 11.31 IA installation disk and still there are no disks! I tried running the shell, but the limited commands available are effectively useless! (No 'lsdev' for instance, and of sourse no sautil/saconfig)

I tried insf (various options) but it doesn't create any disk device files.

Why won't the stupid controller let the O/S see the disks?

[YAQUB_1]

Hi,

When U interrupted that time U see EFI shell mode?

If possible send the screen shut?

BR/
Yaqub

[Stephen Keane]

I can go into the EFI shell if you want. Anything in particular you are interested in?

[YAQUB_1]

Not now other think...just send the screen shut.....

[Stephen Keane]

What is it that you want a screen shot of?

[YAQUB_1]

after interrupted, what U see.....that want I need?

[Stephen Keane]

I can't get a screen-shot at that stage.

I see the option to press F8 to configure the Smart Array. I press F8. I get the option to see the logical volume, create a logical volume or delete a logical volume. I delete it. I then select create and can see 2 disks. I select both disks and chose a RAID1+0 configuration. Then I follow the prompts to create the logical volume successfully.

[TTr]

Try using the 11.23 installation media and check if it sees the disks. This will narrow down the problem to either 11.31 or something else with the server. It does not look like it is the controller. Another area to check is if there are any firmware upgrades needed on the server before installing 11.31.

[Stephen Keane]

FYI

Installation disks being used

HP-UX 11i Version 2
Mission Critical operating Environment
Core OS Install and Recovery Version B.11.23
September 2006
DVD 1 of 2

HP-UX 11i Version 3
Mission Critical Operating Environment
Core OS Install and Recovery Version B.11.31
February 2007
DVD 1 of 2

The two disks are in slots 7 & 8

DG072ABAB3 in slot 7 72 GBytes SAS
DH072ABAA6 in slot 8 72 GBytes SAS

The 11.23 Installation disk can see one 68.3 GBytes disk (the logical volume) fine.

The HP Smart Array P400 Controller firmware is version 4.12

[Torsten.]

There is already a FW version: 5.20:

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareDescription.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&prodTypeId=329290&prodSeriesId=1157687&prodNameId=1157689&swEnvOID=54&swLang=8&mode=2&taskId=135&swItem=ux-60996-1

Not sure if this is related.

Do you have any newer release of 11.31?

[Stephen Keane]

I only have the one version od 11.31 :(

[Torsten.]

*if* I remember correctly the P400 was NOT supported in the initial release of 11.31.

I'm 99% sure about this.

[Torsten. · Accepted solution]

Now 100%!

http://docs.hp.com/en/SM_SA3/SA_Support_Matrix.htm

footnote 12

(P400) Supported on HP-UX B.11.31.0709 or later

[TTr]

Now you have to blast the 11.31 media with the shotgun...

[Torsten.]

Do not waste the card - send it to me ;-))

Maybe the install will work with a current ignite server and driver, but better to get fresh install media (march 2008).

[Stephen Keane]

So the solution appears to be to obtain a newer version of 11.31 Installation media.

So to be clear an older version of 11.23 (Sep 2006) WILL work with the HP Smart Array P400 controller. But a newer release (11.31) with a newer date (Feb 2007) WON'T work.

I can't help thinking that HP are trying to drive me mad be releasing O/S that don't support their own hardware! There is presumably some logic to this situation, but I will be busy with a shotgun shortly.

[Torsten.]

IIRC the initial release of 11.31 was not supporting PCIe devices for any reason - in this time the P400 was the only PCIe device for this server. Hmm, now there is no reason to still use the initial release, but many reasons to use the 0803 release.