ML370 & second CPU causes reboot

[Joe DeNicola]

I have two older ML370 servers (1Ghz PIII) that were donated to my kids school.

I installed Windows 2003 Server successfully on one of them.

We only need one server, so I took the memory out of the 2nd ML370 and put it in the first and that works OK.

Then I took the CPU and power module out of the 2nd ML370 and put them in the first. When I turned it on, the POST messages that display show that it sees both CPU's, but when Windows 2003 starts, I see the 2003 logo and then it shuts off (everything - fan, etc.) then restarts itself. No error messages or anything. It continually does this.

I tried re-installing a fresh copy of Windows 2003, but it does the same thing. It seems like when the second processor is enabled by Windows 2003, that's what causes it to choke.

I flashed it to the latest BIOS (it already had the latest, but I flashed it anyway).

If I pull out the second processor, it goes back to working normally.

Is there anything else I can try to get the second processor to work?

[Mahesh Kumar Malik]

Hi Joe

Windows 2003 is not certified OS for ML370 . Please refer to following link

http://h18000.www1.hp.com/products/quickspecs/10493_div/10493_div.HTML

Try installing Windows 2000 and check functionality with dual processor

Regards
Mahesh

[Gavin Hubbard_1]

I've heard of similar faults with the Proliant 1600. The second processor is detected fine by Windows 2000 server but is not detected at all by Windows 2003 server.

Unfortunately I can't offer any information beyond this.

[Joe DeNicola]

Thanks, I'll give Windows 2000 a shot.

If it works, then I'll have to decide whether it is better to have Windows 2000 and dual processors or Windows 2003 and one processor...

I'm curious as to how support for the 2nd processor gets "lost" or "removed" between 2000 and 2003.

[Joe DeNicola]

Very strange....

I went to install Windows 2000 on the system and accidentally booted it into Windows 2003 - and now it works!?!? Windows 2003 sees both CPU's.

The only thing I recall doing last is installing the Compaq system software from the SmartStart 5.5 CD in Windows 2003, and running the diagnostics off the SmartStart CD to test the CPUs. But I swear I tried booting after that and it did not work. But it was kind of late in the evening...