[ DL380P Gen 8 ] Window's Server OS Install Issue

[mp_ljna]

Hello,

I have an issue with my DL380P.

I've attempted to use USB Key booting, it will not recognize the ISO on the drive.

I've configured the RAID-1 disks I want to install my OS on, but when I attempt to use intelligent provisioning, one of two things occurs.

It fails on a single driver during the PE install phase, and when I reboot, it indicates the boot is corrupted or can't be found.

Or,

If I use intelligent provisioning (Recommended or Manual option), and it make's it past the driver error, it just spins indefinitely at the Windows screen prior to when you get to select Datacenter, Standard, etc.

I'm at my wits end with it and was wondering if there is something simple I'm missing.

I've tried 2016 and 2012-R2 Standard ISOs from my VLC dashboard, not the demo versions as the documentation indicates the server won't accept those.

[BPSingh]

Greetings!

Please try out the following steps and let us know the result.

1. Update Intelligent Provisioning to latest version using Intelligent Provisioning recovery Media 1.71. Please follow the installation instructions.

https://support.hpe.com/hpsc/swd/public/detail?swItemId=MTX_a2b2caf8066e4a8b82a966d628#tab1

2. If issue persists, unplug the USB key and mount the ISO image from iLO and check the result.

3. If issue persists, please try manual installation (Without Intelligent provisioning) and check the result.

[mp_ljna]

I upgraded the firmware and Intelligent Provisioning

Some issues are resolved, such as it will now see the ISOs on the thumb drives, but no matter what approach I take, it still sits at 0% on installing forever.

Is there any way to capture the logs so I can see what the underlying issue is?

Another note; My RAID-1 OS configuration activity lights are almost always off during this, every now and then one or the other will blink; but my data array is constantly spinning.

Is this indicating for some reason it's attempting to install on that data array? I've specifically instructed it to install on the RAID-1 array and when I go through intelligent provisioning it indicates that's where it's installing. All the problems seem to begin after that point.

[BPSingh]

Greetings!

Thank you for the update.

There are no logs to check what exactly happens during the installation.

OS would be installed on the logical drive that you select during the installation. The RAID-1 OS configuration activity lights are off because there may be no activity/OS installation happening.

Please following the below steps in sequence and let us know the result.

1. Remove the USB thumb drive, mount the OS ISO image from iLO and try installing the OS. If iLO is not configured, you can configure iLo by following "Setting up iLO" on the weblink below.

https://support.hpe.com/hpesc/public/docDisplay?docId=c03334051

2. Please try installing the OS directly from the OS media (without Intelligent provisioning).

3. If issue persists, please use a different copy of ISO and re-attempt steps 1 and 2

[mp_ljna]

I feel like I've done that a boatload and it just spins forever.

I will try again and post back.

In the meantime, where can I get usable update files for the 420i and iLO Arrays? The only ones I find on the HPE site are .exe and are not accepted when I upload them via iLO Firmware page.

[BPSingh]

DL380p Gen8 will have P420 controller, and the drivers should be included in the OS media.

However if required, you can download the driver from web-link below:

https://support.hpe.com/hpsc/swd/public/detail?swItemId=MTX_90b6d3b309174d6f86065034ff&swEnvOid=4231

Please extract the .exe file and either mount the contents via iLO virtual folder or copy the extracted contents in a FAt 32 formatted thumb drive.

Another suggestion I missed to mention that, you can delete and re-create the arrays before trying to re-attemp the installation.

[mp_ljna]

Ok, let me try to do further updating.

But I have cleared arrays and rebuilt them and still no go.

The issue definitely seems to be with some underlying scripting process.

It takes forever for one, but also, it just sits at 0% installing forever.

I've watched the entire PXE script run, and I don't see any speicifd errors.

[mp_ljna]

Ok I've moved up iLO to 2.73; going to do some further testing.

[mp_ljna]

Ok, iLO to 2.73

Firmware to 2018 release.

Still no change on 0% OS install from Virtual Media or USB ISO.

[BPSingh]

Greetings!

Please let me know if you had the chance to test with below steps as mentioned earlier.

1. Please try installing the OS directly from the OS media (without Intelligent provisioning).

2. If issue persists, please use a different copy of ISO and re-attempt steps 1 and 2.

Is the BIOS on the server above release 2015.07.01?