Can't Get Server Running

[Jason_393]

Hello,

I'm having problems getting a NetServer LPr PIII/500 up and running. It is to mainly be used on our LAN for storage and hosting for our website. Upon examining the system, it would appear one of the hard drives is dead. It makes a loud clicking noise and the system hangs when it tries to read from it or identify it. I am still trying to work up to getting an OS installed on it. I took out the faulty hard drive and kept in the single other drive (P1166A 18.2GB ULTRA3 10K) but I cannot seem to be able to do anything with it. I've spent close to nine hours playing around in the BIOS and in the NetRaid Express Tools configuration program, but all I can accomplish is getting the NetRaid card to beep loud and long at me when I try boot with the settings. I'm afraid I dont know a whole lot about SCSI/Raid configurations, as I'm new with working with servers of these kinds. I have tried moving around the cables to get the drive to show up on Channel-1, 2, and 3, and the ID is always shown as 0. When I Array the drive (not sure I really undertstand the process) the HDD is shown as "ONLIN A0-O". Upon save and reboot, the NetRaid card beeps constantly and I have to clear the configuration to get it to stop. I can boot Linux and Windows installation CD's just fine, but when it comes time to partition, the beeping starts back up again and the system stops. I am at a loss as to how to deal with this issue, though I'm afraid it's probably something inredibly simple I'm just not doing right.

Any and all help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

~Jason

[Ivajlo Yanakiev]

Did you try to read controller manual ?
Genaraly if you have RAID ctl you just make new Luns and RIAD ctl make all for you.
You do not need to set scsi ID or somting like that. Use default set on your RAID ctl.
Did you have navigator CD it come with server ?
It can help you to set right RAID config.
Check all hardware helt.

[Jason_393]

There is no documentation here for the server, other than a layout of the components inside. The server also did not come with any software, but I will check online for this Navigator CD.

Thanks!

~Jason

[Ivajlo Yanakiev]

I have one :)
If you have problem to find I can send you one.

One idea.
When I have problem with hardware I use
http://www.knoppix.org/
KNOPPIX Linux Live CD

This boot CD can help you to up your server and check hardware.

My be your problem is hardware based!

Genaraly you did right step and must be work.
It's sound like SCSI CTL problem. But I can be sure 100 %.
Navigator CD have diag part you can use it for hardware diagnostic.

[e4services · Accepted solution]

Jason,

It sometimes can be difficult dealing with a previously operating system with a RAID configuration. The systems have built in recoverly to try and correct problems and to bring the system back to where it was. This is good for the operation, but to reconfigure it is purposely made more difficult.
What you need to do is clear the configuration on the LPr, clear the configuration of the NetRAID card and may be even clean the drives off. THEN start to create a new configuration.
The beep you are hearing is th drive failure notification from the NetRAID card. You can turn off the audible notification in the set up, but what it is saying is that the configuration is still being installed and the card still thinks there is a failed drive.
Get yourself a copy of the LPr Installation Guide and the NetRAID users Guide to learn more. If you can't fing them, we may have one on our site or somewhere here in pdf format.

[Ivajlo Yanakiev]

Yes generaly if you do not make new config
RAID controller try to read old config.
But You try new config and it does not work ?
If you make new config using CTRL bios or
software tools it must be work anyway :)

[Jason_393]

Hey guys, thanks for the responses. I did download Knoppix and i'll be playing with that soon, once i get osme new drives. After clearing the Netraid and LPr configurations, I worked with both hard drives. The one hard drive I thought worked came up with "ERROR" when I tried to initialize it. I then tried the one that I new for sure was broken (the one with the loud clicking, making me think the plates had collapsed or something) and initialization hung at 1%... then said "ERROR". I have flipped the drives around (one in bay one, one in bay two) a couple different ways, and it's the same deal. The one drive just flat out fails when it comes to initialization and the other one tries to initialize then fails at 1%. It would appear that both drives are indeed dead, then. It's too bad. If you have any other ideas, that'd be great, but i've about given up with this.

Here is my next question. What's the largest size SCSI drive the LPr can handle? With both drives dead and me needing storage and uptime, I'm about ready to run out and pick up a single 36 or 73 GB SCSI drive. Some are 10,000 RPM, and others are 15,000. They are quite costly, so for the time being, i'll need to stick with just one. There wont be any problem setting up a single drive array, will there? As stated above, here is my question again. What is the largest size this server will handle? I dont want to buy a hard drive and have it be beyond what the server can use. I am also unsure wether I need a drive with 68 or 80 pins. If you could help with this, i'd greatly appreciate it.

Thanks so much!

~Jason

[Ivajlo Yanakiev]

YES you can make array with one disk.

Use this site to find out supported hard drive.
http://partsurfer.hp.com/cgi-bin/spi/main?sel_flg=modsrch&template=main&cpric=&prodsrch=LPR

probably this is your disk:

P3577A 73.4GB 'hot-swap' Ultra3 SCSI hard drive - 10000 RPM, low profile - Includes hot-swap tray

[Jason_393]

For $698.00? That price is just a bit too steep for me. The server itself cost us about half of that. I was hoping to be able to get a SCSI drive (close to $300) from TigerDirect or somewhere local. I don't have to use HP parts, do I? As for the tray, I have two and I can pull the broken hard drives out of each. If I got a SCSI drive from elsewhere, it could be used with the tray, right?

I need to get a hard drive installed quickly and it needs to be one that is within our budget.

[Ivajlo Yanakiev]

if your server is out of support you can use non-hp disk. But you must use disk that is COMPATIBILITY with hp disk.
I tell you any disk that is high voltage differential.

[Jason_393]

The drive we are considering buying is here. http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=674170

"Introducing the sixth generation of Ultrastar 10,000 rpm disk drives. The Hitachi Ultrastar 146 Z10 drive family offers high quality and superior performance. These drives feature more powerful processors and read/write channels to excel in server-class environments.

To achieve maximum I/O performance, the drives combine fast seek times, large 8 MB multi-segmented buffers, a sophisticated command queuing algorithm, hardware automation, and superior data rates (825 Mbps). Ultrastar 146 Z10 drives include new servo technology (Rotational Vibration Safeguard "RVS"), employed to counteract the effects of rotational vibration that commonly occur in multi-drive cabinets. They also employ fifth-generation giant magnetoresistive (GMR) head technology to double areal density from previous generation drives (26.3 Gbits/sq. in.) and boost performance. In addition, highly efficient No-ID* sector formatting enables more data to be stored per disk."

Capacity (GB) 73
Interface 68 Pin Ultra 320 SCSI
Spindle Speed (RPM) 15K
Buffer Memory 8MB
Average Seek (msec) 4.7
Type OEM

I see no information regarding the voltage of the drive, nor was I aware that voltage would have to play a factor in the purchase of a new one. This just keeps getting more and more interesting. Thanks for the continued help!

~Jason

[Ivajlo Yanakiev]

go to Hitachi site and find more info about your HDD

[Ivajlo Yanakiev]

also I know that there are many company that send old HP hardware :)
You can buy from them and price is low.

Try Epoka