ML350G5 hangs on Applying Computer Settings

[e-Karl]

We have a ML350G5 server running w2k3. We have 5 drives in the machine, 3 in a raid 5 array with hot spare and a single 36GB sas boot drive. We are running the i200 controller with 128mb cache. The server runs sql2000 and a real estate database which everyone accesses. apart from that the server is configured in standard form with exchange and sharepoint etc.

For no apparent reason the ML350 locked up yesterday and kicked all the users off the network.

Upon arrival I found the machine in limbo, nothing but a hard reboot was possible.

Upon restart the machine hangs on "Applying Computer Settings"

Managed to get it rebooted in safe mode, the event log shows no error applicable for this. Ofcourse there were plenty of errors due to booting in safe mode but nothing logged for the time the server locked up.

Item we have tried so far include:
Chfdsk - Worked fine no errors
Updated to latest NIC, Raid Controller drivers
Tried disabling plenty of services and booting but no luck

I have read plenty of articles on the web wich suggests it might be the NIC driver or APC Software, We do not have any APC software.

I have just tried accessing the server after leaving it sit on Applying Computer Settings overnight in the hope it might just take time, however still no change after 10 hours of sitting.

Any suggestions would be helpfull as ther is allot fo work involved if this machine can't be fixed.

Regards and thank you in advance

Karl

[KarloChacon]

hi

I suppose it is W2003 SP2?}

does the server have proliant support pack installed? if so which version?

Steps
- remove network cables
- reboot server
- wait for Windows log in
- plug network cables

- reboot again if the issue continues install this NIC driver version

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareDescription.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&prodTypeId=15351&prodSeriesId=1121586&prodNameId=3279711&swEnvOID=1005&swLang=8&mode=2&taskId=135&swItem=MTX-14054e39b7e04b22af5d1e2d29

regards

[e-Karl]

Hi Karlo.

Yes it is a 2003 sp2 and we tried you suggestion with the cable and have this driver.

This is why it is so frustrating, there is no evidence or reasoning as to why it doesn't boot.

Someone mentioned in these forums about a offline diag tool. Is this available anywhere for download that you may know?

[KarloChacon · Accepted solution]

hi

I did not understand very well what you said above

you passed Applying settings or not?

you say you have that driver I mean that version(it is an old one)?

what about proliant support pack?

I would not say this But I'm not a fan (big fan) at the diagnostic tool I mean the one that test HW apart from faulty HDDs and memories I've never found that tool discovering something else (well this is my case)

if you what to try download smartstart cd and go to maintain server and test.

regards

[e-Karl]

We have tried your suggestion already with removing the network cable. Machine still hangs at Applying Computer Settings.

We have updated the NIC to 2.8.18.0 and still the same problem.

Support pack I am not sure of at this stage but I am about ot go onsite again to attempt further diag.

[Mi6t0]

Are you able to log on in safe mode?
And how did you succeeding driver update when you cannot login into windows?

[e-Karl]

Thanks for the advice Karlo. Managed to get the server up once we updated the raid controller driver to 6.8.0.38 and firmware to 1.66. all good and cheers

[KarloChacon]

hi

well Mi6t0 I think that was done in safe mofe

"Managed to get it rebooted in safe mode, the event log shows no error applicable for this."

so he apply the updates for the controller, let me ask you I suggested proliant support but how did you guess that the issue exactly was the controller?

regards

[mike24]

Hello,

I just starting the same problem with an ML350 G5. The server was running fine for months then this. Is your server ok after you updated your bios and raid driver?

[Gabriel Elias]

Im experiencing the same problem. I havent solved the issue completely, still have some debuggging to do, but it seems that its my HP RDX storage solution that is causing my server to hang for atleast 1-2 hours at "applying computer settings". This was logged, so the event veiwer said that the HP-RDX-Sysmon took more than 16 minutes to start. I disabled it and rebooted, everything went fine, enabled it again, rebooted, and I´m stuck at "applying computer settings again".
This problem started occuring after I applied a bunch of windows updates, unfortunately, they were many, so if it was one of those updates that caused a conflict with the HP RDX service, its pretty difficult to determine which one.

At the moment I have to wait 2-4 hours to see the desktop, then I will disable both HP RDX services and reboot, if it then goes well, it has to be it.

Im running SBS 2003 32-bit on a HP ML350 G5.

[wilson94t]

I am not sure how to solve your problem exactly but if you remove the network from the server, it is likely you will be able to login with a local account.

Once there, you can trouble shoot, even put the network cable back in and use the network.

We have also seen something simlar this weeked after installing MS patches with SMS & Windows update service. I'm not sure if that is related yet.