HP DL380 G7 SSD boot order

[Jonas Kempinski]

After final installation of a HP DL380 G7 (1 x RAID 1 system, 1 x RAID 10 data) I added a single SSD drive in slot 7. This drive got drive letter "H" in Win Srvr 2008. But whenever I boot the machine with this SSD inserted, the system see it as "C" drive and will not boot (since it's not system drive).

How to tell integrated controller, that this single SSD isn't C-Drive? Real "C-Drive" is the first RAID1 and it works all well if SSD isn't inserted.

[Jonas Kempinski]

I should add to my previous informations, that the single SSD is always installed as "Array A", even if it's insterted after whole installation processes.

Is there a rule that "Array A" is always boot array?

[Jan Soska]

Hello,
check boot order in server bios when all drives are plugged in. You should have option to change boot disk according your needs.

Jan

[Jonas Kempinski]

Hello Jan,

I already checked boot order in BIOS if all drives are plugged in. But I didn't find any opportunity to select certain drive or raid cluster. There are just options to select certain boot controller (I only have one) and boot order of c-drive, USB, cd-rom, etc.

Bad thing is, that if SSD is plugged in, BIOS will handle it as drive c. I can't believe that this is a correct functionality.

[Jan Soska]

Hello,
I do not have G7 server, but somewhere in bios (or mayby in array bios) is option to choose exact disk from boot device...

Jan

[Michal Kapalka (mikap)]

hi,

check this docu :

"Configuring Arrays on HP Smart Array Controllers Reference Guide"

https://support.hpe.com/hpesc/public/docDisplay?docId=c00729544

mikap

[Moderator edit: Updated the broken link.]

[Jonas Kempinski]

I checked all options in ACU, CPQONLIN, ORC which are described in mentioned manual but I didn't find any option to assign a certain boot drive. What I found is the option to assign a certain boot-controller but sind I have only one controller, this isn't my solution.

Can't believe that there's no chance to assign a certain boot drive.

[Jan Soska]

Hello Jonas,
I've checked it deeply and here are results:

SmartArray always boots from logical volume with lowest number available, for example #1.

I your case it seems your ssd has lower number than previous lowest numbered logical volume. Could you check it in SmartArray bios config?
If my suspiction is confirmed, you have to change ssd logical volume number to higher (could be tricky as numbering is automatic)

Jan

[Jonas Kempinski]

Hi Jan,

thanks a lot for your effort! So far I can confirm your informations, only I didn't find it anywhere to read.

SSD is always getting a lower ID, even if it's plugged AFTER setting up SAS boot array. Hm, it appear a bit poor to me that there's no chance to change this logic. Every mainboard I know has settings to select boot disk.

Any other ideas? Thank you.

[Jan Soska]

Hello,
I consulted it with our HP team, they say there is no way to pick boot logical volume... :(

are you saying ssd always gets lowest volume number if connected even if there was lun with ID #1?

I see one possible solution - buy some aditional cheap controller and attach ssd to it... :(

Jan

[Jonas Kempinski]

Thanks Jan, I appreciate your help.

Yeah, I set up first raid-arrays and attached later ssd drive. Anyway it was assigned as boot drive.

I will wait for a comment from HP staff or will escalate it directly to HP. Still feel a bit shocked :-(

[patchytaylor]

Hi I had the same problem (or so I thought) on a g7. My solution worked for be but required a leap of faith. If you were booting off a single drive before it may be appearing as a logical drive but is not. If you aren't worried about data on the array press f8 and delete the logical drive. The logical drive for your boot disk will also disappear. Wtf you might say but wait... Now create a raid 0 using just the disk you want to boot from. Be brave and press f8 to confirm. Now your boot disk is logical disk 1 hoorah! Now recreate your logical array and reboot.