ML150 G3 embedded SATA Raid problem

[J. Muurling]

When building a mirror using the HP embedded SATA Raid controler the system restarts when it reaches 15-20% during the build. This is
already the second server with the same problem.
What might be wrong here?

[Oleg Koroz]

2003 or 2003 SP1 ?
OS ?

[Nick Arkas]

This behaviour happens when you enable the SATA RAID BIOS. Building or not building a RAID is incidental. Try leaving the RAID BIOS screen open at any of the menus. You will find the server will reboot itself after a few minutes.

This is happenning on 3 separate ML150G3 boxes we have here, consequently delaying 3 network upgrades for various clients.

We have logged the call with HP and awaiting their engineers to advise something more than the usual fare of disable this, disconnect that etc.

It happens whether or not you have a SCSI card installed, any hard disks plugged in or out, changed the amount of RAM etc.

A firmware update is required to sort this.

[J. Muurling]

Hi all,
thanks for the replies. I have logged a call at HP and they are investigating now.

I managed to find a workaround myself. Instead of using the build option I used the clear option. During the clear action it finished until 100%. The disadvantage is that you loose everything which is on your disks.

So we have to wait for HP for a solution I guess.

[J. Muurling]

Anyone else having this problem because HP has got problems to find the issue?

[Alan Wyatt-Jones]

Hi,

I purchased a ML150 G3 yesterday and I too have the same problem as quoted. I have tried creating a RAID1 mirror array and during the build the server restarts. Incidentally, I have also tried the clear option mentioned above and this does not work. I am also trying to work out how to install the SATA whilst installing SBS 2003 R2 as there is no internal floppy drive on this server and the SBS2003 install is looking for drive A: from other posts it seems like I have to purchase a USB floppy, surely not!

[Alan Wyatt-Jones]

Just to say I agree with the earlier posting. Simply leaving the server at the SATA config screen results in a reset a few minutes later. Let's hope there is a BIOS fix shortly.

[J. Muurling]

Hi Alan,
I have escalated the call at HP. When there is a solution I will keep you informed.
I would like to suggest that you also create a call at HP and reference to my call (CASE_ID_NUM: 1212435040)

[Alan Wyatt-Jones]

Hi again,

I spoke with HP support yesterday afternoon - are they in India? - very little help I am afraid. I need to speak with someone who can acknowledge the problem and actively do something about sorting it out. I am expecting a return call tomorrow. HP Case number is 1212558061 and I will reference it to yours.

Anyone has any update, please post it a.s.a.p

Regards,

Alan Wyatt-Jones.

[J. Muurling]

Hi Alan,

I spoke with people from Ireland, but I will keep you updated.

[sandeep_raman]

Hello J Muurling/Alan Wyatt-Jones,

Wondering if you tried options in Pg 34,
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bc/docs/support/SupportManual/c00260539/c00260539.pdf
Btw,what's the controller driver link?

SRH

[Alan Wyatt-Jones]

Hi again.

I spoke with HP again today and related this call to yours. Having conducted some further testing, I have found that the system actually resets itself after about 9 minutes and 42 seconds consistently. I have used a stopwatch at the point the SATA Raid menu appears. I expect that this is probably actually 10 minutes because it depends when the reset timer is started. If this is started at the point the SATA BIOS screen is shown prior to pressing F8 then this would account for the other 18 seconds. I am considering returning the server because I cannot wait but it would be interesting to see if your times are equal. Will have to ask HP for a return reference if I hear nothing tomorrow.

Regards,

Alan Wyatt-Jones.

[Alan Wyatt-Jones]

Sandeep,

Yes I can confirm all my BIOS settings are as per the manual p34. I think I may have stumbled upon the answer by accident. There is a BIOS setting that controls the timeout value to wait for the OS to boot. On my server this is set to 10 minutes! Aha!. I think what may be happening here is that the BIOS sets this timer running when the machine boots. Due to the fact that I have 2 x 250GB SATA drives in my RAID1 array, the building takes much longer than 10 minutes. After this 10 minute timer expires, the server reboots right in the middle of the array creation. I am current running a test having set this value to 100 minutes. Keep your fingers crossed hopefully this will sort it.

Regards,

Alan Wyatt-Jones

[Alan Wyatt-Jones]

Unfortunately changing this setting has absolutely no effect. I also disabled this option and other options but the same problem persists. I thought I had it there. So a further day goes by with another promise of a call back from India that's "Anand" and "Riju" who have both failed to return calls. HP customer service appears to be pretty poor!

Alan Wyatt-Jones

[J. Muurling]

Hi Alan,
I was called today and I have to translate some updates in ENG from Dutch.

I can't find the time-out setting in de docu on page 34. Is it in the Bios or in the SATA bios?

I will keep you updated.

[Alan Wyatt-Jones]

The settings are in the BIOS I think it is in advanced settings under the IMRI section (I don't have the server running at the moment to check!) or a section like that. Not easily findable. However, as I said before this had no effect so I am still awaiting a response.

[Alan Wyatt-Jones]

Spoke to HP again this morning. They have advised this case has been escalated as already implied. I received an email from HP stating "CASE IS IN PROGRESS: Additional Technical Resources are being added". Not sure what this means. The title of the case states unable to configure raid on server. I feel a better description should be server reboots after 10 minutes during configuration of embedded SATA controller.

[Alan Wyatt-Jones]

Had an email and call from HP today - they are doing something it appears. The suggestion was:

Extract from HP Email . . . .
By reading through the case, it looks like to a similar issue which we faced with ML150 G2. Have a look at the following steps and action accordingly and let me know whether it helps or not.

1] press F10 (setup) on POST.
2] on the Main (tab) -> Memory Cache
3] Cache Extended Memory Area: Change to Write Through or uncached.

Having checked my BIOS, I have no Memory Cache entry on the MAIN tab. Does anyone else? Is there a BIOS version issue. My BIOS is O07 06/23/07.

[Alain Grenier]

Hi,

I just got a new ML150 G3 and I was having the same problem. But I was able to verify my array for more then 25 minutes with the following Bios settings:
F10 -> PhoenixBios Setup -> Advanced -> IPMI ->:
BIOS POST Watchdog: Disabled
OS boot Watchdog: Disabled

Have a nice day!

[Datanet]

Yep same issues witrh ML150-G3 4 x 160gb sata in raid 1 config that I was configuring on the 9th Sept.

Changed to the disabled setting and all worked OK.

F10 -> PhoenixBios Setup -> Advanced -> IPMI ->:
BIOS POST Watchdog: Disabled
OS boot Watchdog: Disabled

Thanks Alain.

[JRink]

I have also had this same problem. Has HP come up with a supported fix other than what's noted here to set those 2 bios options to disabled?

What do those two options do anyways? Anyone know?

Also... on a side note, does anyone else notice that the lights on the SATA hard drives never come on? With the cover opened, I never see any activity or power lights on the drives. Is this normal?

JR

[J. Muurling]

Hi JR,
There is still no solution from HP, yet.

I also found out that I never see the diskleds burn. Only the diskactivity led from the server is busy (but that is the system itself)

Kind regards,
Jeroen Muurling

[Jeffrey Higgins]

FWIW

HP released a new BIOS firmware revision 9/14/2006 ...

It fixed our ML 150 boot problems with an Adaptec controller.

Neither Adaptec nor HP phone support seemed aware of our issue.

[chongkan]

Did the firmware upgrade worked?

I'm interested in knowing the resolution of this issue.

[OMRZ]

Hi all, i bought a ML150G3 here in France and i have the same reboot problem when building the Raid. I tried the last bios upgrade and it's always the same. Less than 10 minutes then "reboot". If anybody has found a solution..... Thanks