ML115 G5 RAID Management Tool for W2K8 x64

[Richard Theo]

Bought a new Proliant ML115 G5 server last week part no 480570-035. There are no drivers or management tools on the CD for the embedded SATA RAID. We configured a RAID-1 drive pair in the BIOS and installed Windows Server 2008. This worked fine because the drivers are included with Windows. However, under the WIndows Disk Management console, you see a single drive and no RAID information. Presumably we will not be notified in the event of drive failure etc. Its critical that we have this functionality.

I have looked on the HP website for a RAID management tool for the ML115-G5 embedded SATA RAID for W2K8 x64 but there isnt one.

I know that this server uses the Nvidia nForce 3400 Pro chipset but there is nothing on the nvidia website either.

Clearly software is available because other mobo vendors that use this chipset provide the nvidia MediaShield software including RAIDTOOL.

Can you please advise where to get the HP version of this for our server.

Thanks

Richard

[KarloChacon]

if the RAID is not enabled as you say SATA Management tool won't since that tool monitors RAID either 0 or 1 but when there is no RAID configured that tool won't even controller since RAID needs to be enabled in other for the software to create alerts

bye

[Richard Theo]

the RAID IS enabled as a RAID-1 pair in the BIOS.

[KarloChacon]

oh sorry I did not read correctly ok

in that case try this one and let us know

HP Embedded G5 SATA RAID Controller Manager for Windows Server 2003/2008

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareDescription.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&prodTypeId=15351&prodSeriesId=3577708&prodNameId=3577715&swEnvOID=4022&swLang=8&mode=2&taskId=135&swItem=MTX-3f27718395524ff393ffc94d2d

bye

[Richard Theo]

it installs fine but reports "no controllers were found in this system"

[Mark Cadwell]

This is for the ML110 which if memory serves, has an Adaptec based RAID controller. The ML115, as mentioned, has a nVidia based controller.

The config software and drivers are on the Smartstart CD, but there's no software to set-up any alerting in the event of failure, which makes the whole concept 'redundant' (sorry).

[Richard Theo]

i located the NVIDIA software on the TYAN website for one of their mobos that uses the same Nvidia chipset MFP3400. I haven't tried it because i can't risk killing the server which is now business critical. If someone else could try it and report back to the forums that would be great. NB. you only need to install the MediaShield part of the software which includes the RAID and SATA drivers and RAIDTOOL software.

ftp://ftp.tyan.com/drivers/nvidia2/MCP55%20-%20v.10.3.0.21/Server%202008%2064-bit/nVidia_Chipset_MCP55_v9.27_Win2k8_64.zip

[KarloChacon]

I think I can test that in 1 or 2 days and be back to you

[KarloChacon]

it worked

ftp://ftp.tyan.com/drivers/nvidia2/MCP55%20-%20v.10.3.0.21/Server%202008%2064-bit/nVidia_Chipset_MCP55_v9.27_Win2k8_64.zip

[KarloChacon]

by the way this one worked too

http://us.download.nvidia.com/Windows/nForce/15.16/nforce_winvista64_15.16_international.exe

source
http://www.nvidia.com/object/nforce_vista64_15.16.html

[Richard Theo]

brilliant well done.

is it safe for me to install on a live server with a BIOS configured RAID pair without killing it ?

Thanks

Richard

[KarloChacon]

I installed it.
I only installed the RAID monitor tool not any other stuff you get the menu to choose

it will install and request a reboot and that's it.

no problems at all

[Richard Theo]

Ok - i took a risk and installed it. Actually the version i used (from tyan) didn't give any options other than (a)network and (b) mediashield. So i just ticked mediashield. It installs new drivers and the nvidia RAID management software. I have to say i closed my eyes and prayed at this point ! But sure enough a few minutes later it was rebooted and working perfectly. I now have full windows visibility of the RAID pair via the Nvidia console including the ability to migrate the RAID array, add/remove drives etc, view SMART info for the individual drives etc. In device manager the storage controllers have changed to an Nvidia nForce RAID Controller and 3 instances of an Nvidia NForce Serial ATA controller.

Hope it helps.

Why oh why can't HP provide this themselves. It would have saved me several days work.

[KarloChacon]

glad that worked for you

no idea why HP has not released that in fact I thought the Embedded manager software would work I was wrong until I deployed my own server in the lab

[Paolo borri]

Hello
i have find the raidtool.zip.
but hao i have to do to install?
i have try install on the root but there's only driver

[Anonymous]

Hello,

I am just going through the same thing. I am appalled that HP is shipping without the drivers and without the instructions for W2K8x64.

Question: did you have to choose between bootable raid and non-bootable raid? I did not come across the option in the raid set up bios utility. so I'm wondering because shouldn't there be?

thanks for your replies!

[u84823]

HP support for these servers is non-existant unfortunately. They even STILL have bad drivers for Win2k3 for download (cause BSOD on writing to optical device).

[Anonymous]

By the way, my set up was successful. I did not have the option between bootable and non-bootable anywhere.
OS shows one hard drive, the nvidia tool shows two hard drives, one healthy raid.
Only the smart self test takes very long. How long is it supposed to take?

[GarethShark]

26 Nov 2009

Just thought I'd update this thread I've encountered the same problem on a ML115 G5 server.

BE WARNED: I downloaded the nvidia file above and received a BSOD for my efforts!

I extracted the file instead (as well as a newer nvidia driver v9.28) and neither would pick up the RAID Array in Server 2008 F6 post install. Only the HP ML115 Nvidia storage driver would recognise the array.

In the end and I managed to get the RAID tool to install by doing the following:

1) Extract the HP ML115 Nvidia storage driver and copy all files within: RAID_10.3.54.10_S2K8_64\2008_64\RAID_10.3.54.10_S2K8_64
Select All and Copy.

2)Download and extract the nvidia 9.28 driver.
Source:
http://www.nvidia.co.uk/object/nforce_pro3000_winserver2008_x64_9.28_uk.html

3) Paste the copied files from step 1) in to:
9.28_nforce_winserv2008_64bit_english_whql\IDE\WinVista64\sata_ide

and

9.28_nforce_winserv2008_64bit_english_whql\IDE\WinVista64\sataraid

4) Run the setup.exe in
9.28_nforce_winserv2008_64bit_english_whql


The 9.28 RAID TOOL installer will run - and install the already existing HP working Raid Storage drivers!

I rebooted and no BSOD. Ran the Nvidia Raid Tool and it all seems to be working!

Hope this helps someone out there.