Hard Drives not Recognized by Server

[TSNWS]

I recently tried repurposing two HP Proliant DL380 G6 servers.  I first "sanitized" the old 15k 146 GB SAS drives using the following commands:

dd if=/dev/urandom of=/dev/sda to randomize disk contents

dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sda to zero drive contents

I then replaced the original drives with HP 10k 300GB SAS drives.  I can't get the server to recognize the new drives.  It says no drives found on initial boot.  When I hit F8 to get to the Raid Controller setup it says no physical drives found. 

I tried reloading the firmware with the HP Smart Update Firmware DVD that originally came with the server but that didn't work.

If I put the old drives back in the server, it recognizes them and I can load an OS on them.

What am I missing?  What do I need to do to get the server to recognize the new drives?

[Torsten.]

The DL380 G6 has most likely the HP Smart Array P410i installed.

The current firmware is 6.64.

I would try to update this first.

I think the installed version is very old now.

By the way, if you run your "dd" command against the RAID, you write to the logical drive, but not to the disk directly.

[TSNWS]

Thank you for the quick reply.  I tried that yesterday and it didn't help. 

Also, a little more information on my problem.  I have two servers and installed two new drives in each getting the same results...can't see the drives.  I ordered four more drives thinking I got bad drives with the first order.  The second set won't work either.  I sent two of the drives to another office that has the same servers and they couldn't get them to recognize either.

We have 23 offices in our region.  They all recently updated their drives in their old HP Proliant DL380 G6 servers with the same drives I'm using with no problems. 

I also have two HP Proliant DL380 G7 servers.  I tried installing two new drives in it with no luck.  When I say install, all I did was pull the old ones out, put the new ones in, and boot.

I can't believe I'd get 8 bad drives.  I may be the only office that "sanitized" the old disks first.  Is it possible that the procedures wiped out more than just the contents on the disk?

[Torsten.]

>> I can't believe I'd get 8 bad drives. 

agreed.

Do you have a model or partno. of the new dirves? Picture maybe? What exactly did you order?

[TSNWS]

My regional headquarters did a mass order for all 23 offices.  I'm not sure how they ordered them.  Here is the model and part number off of one.

HP Model: EG0300FAWHV

HP P/N: 507119-004

I know that 10k disks should work but is there some firmware that needs to tell the server it's alright.  I can't figure out why it recognizes the old disks but not the new.  The only difference is the size and speed.

[Torsten.]

If you translate this modelno. using

http://h20564.www2.hpe.com/hpsc/doc/public/display?docId=emr_na-c00305257

you find it is a 507127-B21 - supported for exactly your server according to the quickspec.

This is good.

OK. If you swap these disks, you should power off the server. swap the disks, power on and press F5 to go into the array config.

At "create logical drive" you should see the available disks. No disks there?

This is bad.

Back to the firmware. What version does the controller have?

It is shown during POST.

[TSNWS]

When the Raid Controller is searching for drives it shows (256M V 6.64) beside it.

[TSNWS]

More information to help in the troubleshooting.  When I initially boot up the lights on the disks flash green then eventually go to a solid amber.

[Torsten.]

Maybe you hit this issue:

http://h20565.www2.hpe.com/hpsc/doc/public/display?docId=emr_na-c03342857

You should contact the vendor and/or HPE support.

[TSNWS]

I don't think that's the issue.  My part number isn't on that list and the odds of my office getting the only 8 bad drives out of 96 ordered by region HQ is pretty slim.  They initially had 92 sent to them then shipped 4 to each office from there so it wasn't like the vendor may have grabbed a bad batch for my office and not the others.  Region later ordered 4 more for my office from a different vendor.