G7 blades with AClient, failing to boot to automation

[Rich Dowling]

Hi all,

We have a number of G7 blades which are failing to boot to automation when using AClient (which is our standard with Windows 2003).

If DAgent is installed, or you force it into one of the automation environments manually, then it will subsequently boot into automation ok, until the next time it boots Windows 2003 with AClient.

The same image is working fine on G1/G5/G6 blades with no such problems.

RDP is on versions 6.21 and 6.31 (this is across multiple sites).

I have tried updating the drivers to SPP 2012.06 with no change.

There is an error in the AClient.log when it tries to set the one time boot to PXE:

[07/20/12 07:59:09.037] CInventoryMgr::IsPXE():  returning 0!
[07/20/12 07:59:09.037] CDBClient::SetOneTimeBootToPxe(): Attempting to one-time-pxe boot
[07/20/12 07:59:09.037] CDBClient::SetOneTimeBootToPxe(): ForceOneTimeBoot was NOT Yes, deciding based on product name
[07/20/12 07:59:09.037] COneTimePxeBootCF::New( const CString &strProductName ): Checking product name = proliant bl460c g7
[07/20/12 07:59:09.037] CCpqHealthDriver::CCpqHealthDriver(): it appears CpqHlth is available...
[07/20/12 07:59:09.037] CCpqHealthDriver::CCpqHealthDriver(): it appears CpqHlth is available...
[07/20/12 07:59:09.037] CCpqHealthDriver::SetOneTimeBootToPXE():  Setting value CQTBT1 to 64
[07/20/12 07:59:09.037] CCpqHealthDriver::WriteEV():  Setting value CQTBT1 with 2 bytes
[07/20/12 07:59:09.193] CDBClient::SetOneTimeBootToPxe(): CAtrsException exception, error = "Unable to call DeviceIoControl", Windows error = 122, at line 205
	re-throw at CCpqHealthDriver::WriteEV
	re-throw at CCpqHealthDriver::SetOneTimeBootToPXE()
	re-throw at CHPServerOneTimePxeBoot::SetOneTimePxeBoot
[07/20/12 07:59:09.193] CConfigGlobal::Reset():  Setting m_nConfigMode to MODE_NONE

 Anyone had any success with this combination or suggest a way forward?

Thanks.

Rich

[shocko]

Any reason not to use the DAgent? G7 generally have Flex-10 nics. Have you setup the server profile in the VC domain to only allow PXE from a certain nic? The DS will check the MAC address of the client conecting at PXE boot

[Rich Dowling]

Have had inconsistent behaviour in the past with DAgent on Windows 2003, so try to avoid it.

It does PXE if you F12 at bootup, but it should automatically PXE if the next job runs in automation. And it's fine with W2008/DAgent, so can't see it being any kind of VC issue.

Pretty sure it's to do with the AClient not talking to the hardware in some way.

[shocko]

Yes, you are probably right in that it can't modify the boot order in the BIOS.

[shocko]

Just tested an having some similar issues on a G7 windows 2003. Using daagent though is fine.

[Rich Dowling]

Cheers, good to know it's not just our build.

[shocko]

Would you not consider upgrading to Insight Deployment 7.0?

[Rich Dowling]

Will be doing so at some point to support the Gen8 hardware, however I need to schedule downtime for it, and don't want to do it just before clearing off on 3 weeks leave!

[shocko]

Ha ha! I hear that! I suppose I can only speak from my experience and suggest doing the upgrade as I haven't encountered many issues with v 7.0 and I have a real mix of models, generations, OSs.