HP SmartStart 8.50 x64 boots into Command Line?

[Rory Schmitz]

Why is this? It boots to a GUI, but then it goes directly to, what looks like, a linux command prompt. Anyone else experiencing this?

I have a DL380 G4 I'm trying to reinstall. I'm currently using the 8.40 x64 version as I don't have time to wait. Is there something new I should be doing? I downloaded it from the Drivers and Downloads page on the DL380 G4 section.

[Diego Castelli]

SmartStart is linux-based. in ANY version of SS you can switch to the shell using CTRL+ALT+F1 (or F2, F3, ....). I used it also for data recovery in some times... eheeheh.

One of those "F" will bring you back to the GUI.

Is there something strange with your keyboard or SLT, that can cause key presses at that time?

anyway, use the SS 8.50 after windows installation (with 8.40) is completed, to install latest PSP: it's equivalent to have it installed from the beginning.


HTH bye!

[Rory Schmitz]

Hi,

Thanks for the response. I will give it a try. I'm not sure what happened. The 8.40 version boots right into the GUI without any user interaction. I'm not too concerned. It's up and running now. I appreciate the help.

Rory

[juan quesada]

hello,

I have seen that many time already, something is wrong with 8.50.
BIOS update fix this on some servers if not you can go back to 8.40 or install the OS without it and the load the PSP 8.50 to install all drivers and HP apps

[Rory Schmitz]

I will try the BIOS update as well. Thank you for the comments. I'm not too familiar with the point system for questions answered so I just did 5/5. Hope that will suffice.

[Peter Capriccio]

Just in case anyone is interested, it has been my observation that this release (both x86 and x64 versions) seems to boot fine on "newer" systems, but on some older systems (even though they are documented as supported), the behavior is that of what this post's author has reported. What I have seen happen is that X Windows is not starting and so you are dropped into a command shell on the first virtual terminal window (Ctrl+Alt+F1). On the "normal" X Window session (Ctrl+Alt+F2) I typically see a blank screen or, depending on the system, a single line of text ("acpid: 1 client rule loaded" is the one I most often see). The "Xorg.0.log" file in "/var/log" typically shows something like:

(II) VESA(0): Total Memory: 127 64KB banks (8128kB)
(EE) VESA(0): No matching modes
(II) UnloadModule: "vesa"
(II) UnloadModule: "int10"
(II) Unloading /usr/lib64/xorg/modules//libint10.so
(II) UnloadModule: "vbe"
(II) Unloading /usr/lib64/xorg/modules//libvbe.so
(EE) Screen(s) found, but none have a usable configuration.

Fatal server error:
no screens found

It is my conclusion that the cause of this problem is the fact that they have changed the "xorg.conf" file in this release (at least compared to the one prior). When I do a "diff" between the version 8.50 and 8.40 files, I see:

114c114
< DefaultDepth 24
---
> DefaultDepth 16
117c117
< Depth 24
---
> Depth 16

If I set the color depth back to 16, I can successfully start X Windows. You can quickly test this on a system that exhibits this problem by issuing the follow commands from the shell:

# sed -i.original '/Depth/s/24/16/g' /etc/X11/xorg.default-us
# /usr/bin/X &

NOTE: that in this release, "/etc/X11/xorg.conf" is a symbolic link to "/etc/X11/xorg.default-us"

This will edit the "/etc/X11/xorg.default-us" file to make it the same as the previous version (and make a backup copy of the original as "/etc/X11/xorg.default-us.original") and then launch "X". After starting, your screen should flip to the X Window session (Ctrl+Alt+F2) and you should see the "vanilla" X environment (grey cross-hatch background with a big "X" cursor).

My guess is that because the "older" systems have less video memory, they are unable to support a color depth of 24. For example, a ProLiant DL385G1 (which exhibits the problem) uses an integrated ATI Rage XL video controller with 8MB of video memory, whereas a ProLiant DL385G5 comes standard with an integrated ATI ES1000 video controller with 32MB of video memory. However, the SmartStart v8.50 Server Support Guide document shows both systems as supported for the "HP SmartStart CD x32" and the "HP SmartStart CD x64":

ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/c-products/servers/management/smartstart/serversupportguide8.50.pdf

[SebastianT]

Sweet!

I've just ran into the same situation with SmartStart 8.50 x64 on BL465c G1 with AMD processors.
Also the 9.0 firmware on 3 out of 7 BL465c G1's led to no power no video and then to system board replacements.

Seb

[Thomas Deliduka]

So, there's no real solution here? I have a dl360 G4p and I can't get this to work. I ran the "sed" command listed and was able to get the RAID controller GUI to run. What command do I run to make smart-start load? Or is that is, I have no other choice but to download 8.40?

[Peter Capriccio]

The modification to the xorg.conf file and manual startup of "X" was just to highlight, in my experience anyway, a possible root cause. I would imagine that only HP would be able to offer you an "official" supported solution, however the following worked for me (NOTE the usual disclaimers apply, your mileage may vary, you didn't hear it from me, etc). Basically, all I did was to edit the xorg.conf file as before (using "sed" in my case, but you could use "vi" or whatever else is compiled into BusyBox) and then startup "X", the window manager, etc, by running the following init scripts:

S52X
S54icewm
S56mouse
S58firefox
S60boot.health

The above scripts (well, they are actually symbolic links to the "real" scripts elsewhere) all reside in "/etc/init.d/boot.d". I ran them like so:

# sed -i.original '/Depth/s/24/16/g' /etc/X11/xorg.default-us
# for n in 52 54 56 58 60 ; do /etc/init.d/boot.d/S${n}* start ; done

This worked for me as far as doing a SmartStart OS install, but I didn't try any other utilities and so you might need to run additional scripts (for example, you might need to start "S64boot.diags" if you are going to run the Insight diagnostics).

[Thomas Deliduka]

Wow, that is exactly what I was looking for.

I spent two hours looking for what scripts to run. I noticed apache was running so I tried to go to the local webpage and that failed, I was so frustrated I simply downloaded 8.40 and did that.

I am going to bookmark this, however, for the next server I have to build, which will be soon.

[rjt_1]

_Attached_ is very rough draft shell script to make a USB boot stick that boots directly into the GUI without having to type anything at the HPSS prompt.

If someone knows the best way to modify the ISO and rebuilding the ISO, please post.

Read the attachment before executing because it is very rough draft and could easily simply retype the commands.

[rjt_1]

#!/bin/bash
#ModifyForDepth16HowTo.sh
echo The following will fix a USB stick installed with HP SmartStart
echo 8.5 x64 so that it will boot with 16bit color depth.
echo Otherwise, the boot will stop at a command prompt.
echo Builds on Peter Capriccio s quick fix sed and for loop command
# sed -i.original '/Depth/s/24/16/g' /etc/X11/xorg.default-us
# for n in 52 54 56 58 60 ; do /etc/init.d/boot.d/S${n}* start ; done

echo ROUGH DRAFT OF COMMANDS TO CHANGE 64bit version of HP SmartStart 8.50
echo SO THAT IT WORKS ON HPDL380g4.
echo http://forums11.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?threadId=1438546

echo Create a bootable USB memory stick running HPSS 8.5 x64 by
echo first booting machine with HP SmartStart 8.5 x64 and run
echo Peter Capriccio s two line fix once. The sed and for loop above.
echo It would be best to open this script as a text file to get
echo the exact command.
echo Now, you should be in the GUI, so click on to run the command
echo to create a bootable USB memory stick. This will take a while.
echo Restart and poweroff when done to make sure files are flushed.
echo Move USB stick to a working Linux machine (i used Fedora 13 with
echo all updates).

su -l root #NOT SURE WHAT COMMANDS REALLY NEED ROOT.
mkdir -p $HOME/Desktop/HPSSfix/
cd $HOME/Desktop/HPSSfix/
cp /media/sdX1/SomeThing/HPSS850_64/system/rootfs.tar.lzma ./
tar --verbose --verbose --list --lzma -f rootfs.tar.lzma etc/X11/xorg.*

echo Decompress because tar --lzma compression uses differenet dict= size.
tar --verbose --verbose --lzma --extract -f rootfs.tar.lzma rootfs.tar
tar --verbose --verbose --extract -f rootfs.tar etc/X11/xorg.*

echo CHANGE DEPTH LEVELS FROM 24 to 16, KEEPING BACKUP.
sed -i.24bitDepth '/Depth/s/24/16/g' etc/X11/xorg.default-us

echo RETAR
tar --verbose --verbose --update -f rootfs.original.tar etc/X11/xorg*

echo RECOMPRESS SO dict=32MB
lzma --verbose --verbose --compress --format=lzma --lzma1=dict=32MB rootfs.tar

echo VERIFY IT WORKED
tar --verbose --verbose --extract --lzma -f rootfs.tar.lzma etc/X11/xorg.default-us
grep Depth etc/X11/xorg.default-us
DefaultDepth 16
Depth 16

echo OVERWRITE ORIGINAL rootfs.tar.lzma
cp rootfs.tar.lzma /media/SomeThing/HPSS850_64/system/

[Aaron Plank]

For reference, here's the above script modified for HP SmartStart 8.50 x86 and Ubuntu 10.10.

#!/bin/bash
#ModifyForDepth16HowTo.sh
echo The following will fix a USB stick installed with HP SmartStart
echo 8.5 x86 so that it will boot with 16bit color depth.
echo Otherwise, the boot will stop at a command prompt.
echo Builds on Peter Capriccio s quick fix sed and for loop command
# sed -i.original '/Depth/s/24/16/g' /etc/X11/xorg.default-us
# for n in 52 54 56 58 60 ; do /etc/init.d/boot.d/S${n}* start ; done

echo ROUGH DRAFT OF COMMANDS TO CHANGE 32bit version of HP SmartStart 8.50
echo SO THAT IT WORKS ON HPDL380g4.
echo http://forums11.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?threadId=1438546

echo Create a bootable USB memory stick running HPSS 8.5 x86 by
echo first booting machine with HP SmartStart 8.5 x86 and run
echo Peter Capriccio s two line fix once. The sed and for loop above.
echo It would be best to open this script as a text file to get
echo the exact command.
echo Now, you should be in the GUI, so click on to run the command
echo to create a bootable USB memory stick. This will take a while.
echo Restart and poweroff when done to make sure files are flushed.
echo Move USB stick to a working Linux machine. I used Ubuntu 10.10 with
echo all updates.

#su -l root #NOT SURE WHAT COMMANDS REALLY NEED ROOT.
mkdir -p $HOME/Desktop/HPSSfix/
cd $HOME/Desktop/HPSSfix/
cp /media/FAD7-0CA8/USBstick/system/rootfs.tar.lzma ./
#Didn't bother getting this one working
#tar --verbose --verbose --list --lzma -f rootfs.tar.lzma etc/X11/xorg.*

echo Decompress because tar --lzma compression uses differenet dict= size.
#tar --verbose --verbose --lzma --extract -f rootfs.tar.lzma rootfs.tar
#tar --verbose --verbose --extract -f rootfs.tar etc/X11/xorg.*
lzma -d -f rootfs.tar.lzma
tar -v -v -x -f rootfs.tar etc/X11/xorg.default-us

echo CHANGE DEPTH LEVELS FROM 24 to 16, KEEPING BACKUP.
ls -l
sed -i.24bitDepth '/Depth/s/24/16/g' etc/X11/xorg.default-us

echo RETAR
#tar --verbose --verbose --update -f rootfs.tar etc/X11/xorg*
tar -v -v -u -f rootfs.tar etc/X11/xorg*

echo RECOMPRESS SO dict=32MB
#lzma --verbose --verbose --compress --format=lzma --lzma1=dict=32MB rootfs.tar
lzma -v -v -z -9 rootfs.tar

echo VERIFY IT WORKED
#tar --verbose --verbose --extract --lzma -f rootfs.tar.lzma etc/X11/xorg.default-us
lzma -kd -f rootfs.tar.lzma
tar -v -v -x -f rootfs.tar etc/X11/xorg.default-us
grep Depth etc/X11/xorg.default-us
# DefaultDepth 16
# Depth 16

echo OVERWRITE ORIGINAL rootfs.tar.lzma
cp rootfs.tar.lzma /media/USBstick/HPSS850_32/system/

[Chumari Wachaga]

is there a solution to this. I have a DL380 G4 that when i try the command line it returns 'no file /etc/x11/xorg.default-us was found.

[Peter Capriccio]

What version of SmartStart are you running? You might want to check what files are in "/etc/x11/" because "/etc/x11/xorg.conf" is a symbolic link to "/etc/x11/xorg.default-us", at least in versions 8.50 and 8.60.

[Chumari Wachaga]

am running version 8.50 could the reason be that am running it from a cd?

[Peter Capriccio]

It shouldn't matter if you're booting from the CD.

Be aware, the correct path is "/etc/X11/xorg.default-us" -- note the case of "X11" (unlike what I previously posted in the last reply, where I did a cut and paste from your post -- sorry about that).

[Chumari Wachaga]

Thanx man it worked perfectly twas the case on X11 that was the issue.

[theruck]

hi

anybody tried to install windows server 2008 r2 enterprise with this smartstart cd?

beside the issue with X i was able to install windows but after the first reboot i get instan reboot cycle. it looks it is always doing on disk.sys

using smartarray 6i with all the bioses updated byt firmware maintenance cd 8.50

[krpolaski]

Worked great just remember to put a space between g; and /etc

[MDella]

In my case, I have a similar problem however its a little different in that I *WANT* it in CLI mode from the get go...

I'm booting off the CD via the virtual CDROM in the iLO and using the VSP serial port to work on the server (its in London, I'm in the US) and the machine boots into some sort of GUI and I no longer have access to it.  What I want is the standard serial console interface offered via VSP on the iLO.

This machine has a failed P410i controller that i'm trying to work on, but I can't get to it in any way because of course iLO doesn't have an F8 key during the boot process, and now the smart CD (my fall back) doesn't have a non-GUI mode...

Any suggestions?

Marcos

[Jimmy Vance]

The function keys work in VSP mode. F8 is ESC+8 , F9 for RBSU is ESC+9

Another option is to download the HP Scripting Toolkit for Linux. Boot the image via PXE or ove iLO and you are dropped at a shell prompt and have access to many of the HP tools

[humphry]

When booting my hp ML370 from hp smartstart...I end up to what appear as linux command prombt. I dont understand what nature of line should I key in to get smartstart installed. Or how should I go through this installation????

[Torsten.]

Version 8.50 is really old - what is the generation of the server and what are you trying to install?

[kenjohns]

Peter Capriccio

Re: HP SmartStart 8.50 x64 boots into Command Line?

The modification to the xorg.conf file and manual startup of "X" was just to highlight, in my experience anyway, a possible root cause. I would imagine that only HP would be able to offer you an "official" supported solution, however the following worked for me (NOTE the usual disclaimers apply, your mileage may vary, you didn't hear it from me, etc). Basically, all I did was to edit the xorg.conf file as before (using "sed" in my case, but you could use "vi" or whatever else is compiled into BusyBox) and then startup "X", the window manager, etc, by running the following init scripts:

S52X
S54icewm
S56mouse
S58firefox
S60boot.health

The above scripts (well, they are actually symbolic links to the "real" scripts elsewhere) all reside in "/etc/init.d/boot.d". I ran them like so:

# sed -i.original '/Depth/s/24/16/g' /etc/X11/xorg.default-us
# for n in 52 54 56 58 60 ; do /etc/init.d/boot.d/S${n}* start ; done

^^^^^^^^^^^^  Great job, these two command lines worked well. 

Note: there are other S* scripts in that path one might also check.