BIOS resets to default after power cut off / HP Proliant DL380 gen9

[MrBean1962]

My server is running 24/7 but electricty prices are sky-rocketing here in the Netherlands. While I only need my server to be up and running, say between 10h00 and midnight, I want to automatically shutdown and startup the server. 

Well, it wasn't hard to create a script for shutting down my proxmox node and DL 380 server. That works like a charm. However, automatically booting the server at 10 in the morning is a different story. I understand that it's not possible in HP's BIOS to set an automatic boot time (unless I am corrected now..?), so I figured to fully power off (using HomeAssistant and smart socket to power off at 01h00) the HP server. To start at 10 in the morning, I thought to power on the smart socket at that time. In the BIOS I have setup the DL 380 needs to always boot up after powerloss (or something in that ine). 

Now, the first part worked fine, the HP server booted at 10h, but it seemed the BIOS had reset itself to boot using Legacy BIOS, rather than the require UEFI boot. While booting I got the message that the Smart Battery could not be connected to.  I checked the battery to see if it came loose or something. I got it out and put it back in. Cheked ILO and there it was stated the battery is working fine. 

I have the following questions:

- are the bios settings (UEFI boot and bootdrive selection) kept alive by the Smart Battery or is that only for keeping smart array setup safe and is there a separate battery for BIOS settings? 

- if Smart Battery is also for BIOS boot settings, could it be the case the smart battery is failing, even though ILO indicates it's working fine? 

- Please share if you have any ideas or advice for me

Thank you.

Gerco van der Boon, Netherlands.  

[Cali]

Hi,

this big battery is only for write cache of the raid controller.

If you shut down regularly, the Write Cache is empty, and no need for this Battery until Power up.

BIOS Settings are stored in NVRAM and need no Battery, on the Mainboard there is a smal Battery for the Clock.

Cali

[rabindra11sharm · Accepted solution]

Dear  MrBean1962

As pefr your first & second question, answar is No. Smart battery is only used for RAID controller card. The HPE Smart storage battery is a lithium-ion, low-halogen centralized backup source and is required to backup the write cache content onto flash memory of controllers in case of an unplanned server power loss.

for BIOS settings it requaired CMOS/ Coin battery installed into System Board. A CMOS battery in a computer powers the CMOS chip on the motherboard, which stores important system information like the date and time, boot order, hardware settings, and password information. The CMOS battery also powers the BIOS firmware, which is responsible for booting up the computer, managing inputs and outputs, and operating peripherals like the keyboard and mouse.

For Third question, You have to check your CMOS battery which is installed into mother board. remove it and check its voltage will be between 3.0 to 3.3 VDC. If you using any script for server schedule boot, Please check it once again, 

Thanks & Regards.

Rabindra

as per your given information, If your system unable to kept its BIOS configuration Please check CMOS.  Also suggest you please keep your server firmwares upto date. for better exprience.

[MrBean1962]

Thank you, Cali.

[MrBean1962]

Thank you, Rabrinda.

[rabindra11sharm]

Dear  MrBean1962

If you have more to know, Please let us know, or you may mark this conversation/topic as Solved.

Thanks & regards..

Rabindra

[support_s]

Hello,

Let us know if you were able to resolve the issue.

If you have no further query, and you are satisfied with the answer then kindly mark the topic as Solved so that it is helpful for all community members.

Please click on "Thumbs Up/Kudo" icon to give a "Kudo".

Thank you for being a HPE valuable community member.