SmartStart blank screen DL360 G5 Server

[Pharris_1]

I'm trying to boot a DL360 G5 Server using the SmartStart(SS)CD that came with it(although I have tried different versions, the latest and older ones)

What happens is the server boots without any errors, everything lights up as it should. The drives are detected, ram detected, etc. It then gives the option to boot to SmartStart or the hard drive.

When I select boot from SS the progress bar appears and then fills up to 100% at which point the screen goes blank and nothing happens.

Any ideas

I can't get past this part

[sanesh vig]

Hi,

Which version of Smart start you are using ?

Have u tried booting from OS CD ?

Which do u want to install ?

Make Sure that the BIOS firmware is updated

[sanesh vig]

Sorry !!

Which OS do u want to install ?

[sanesh vig]

Also check the Boot order & Boot controller order in BIOS.

Make sure that the correct controller is selectec as first option under Boot controller order.

[Pharris_1]

Hi

Thanks for your response.

I have tried using the following versions of SmartStart:

7.60
7.90
7.91 (the latest download)

The boot order is set to boot:

CD
Hard Drive
Network
Floppy
USB


The controller order is:

Smart array P400i
HP integrated PCI IDE controller.


I haven't even got to the point where the operating system is required but when I do get there is will be Win2003 Server

I don't have a bootable OS CD and I need to boot into SmartStart

[sanesh vig]

Hi,

Thanks for the update!!

How many PCI cards are installed ?

Is there any third party Hardware installed in the server? If yes then try to boot without it.


Also, Please make sure that the firmware is updated.

use the following link for the Firmware Maintenance CD

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareDescription.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&prodTypeId=15351&prodSeriesId=1121486&prodNameId=3288144&swEnvOID=1005&swLang=8&mode=2&taskId=135&swItem=MTX-26a0f9e294764a91b76b282f2a

Regards

[Mislav Puškar]

Hi

If you have 2 CPU in your server, try removing one from motherboard. I had this problem on DL360 G4, and it was bad CPU.
You must only take care that CPU0 must be always populated.

[TRS]

Hi Pharris,
Have u tried with hardware refix??If not just try once.
Try with minimum hardware(single cpu/mimimum ram/without extra hardware)
try after f/w updates also.

[seehigh]

Go ahead and clear the NVRAM go into the BIOS F9 and set defaults...then let us know !

[Pharris_1]

Hi

Okay I have removed the second processor and it now will boot into SmartStart.

I'm going to configure the drives and then replace the processor and see if it works. It did detect both processors before so I don't think there is an issue there. Hopefully I can get it working that way.

Will keep you posted.

[Allen George]

I have the same problem with a ML350 G5. I updated the BIOS to the latest version and it made no difference. I took out the second processor (per suggestion in this thread) and SmartStart ran fine. Once the system was built (Server 2003 Enterprise x64) I put the the second processor in and everything appears to work fine.

But.... I built a ML350 G5 a couple of weeks ago and did not have a problem with SmartStart.

Still makes me wonder what is going on though. I fear there may still be some underlying problems that have not surfaced yet.

Any further thoughts on why SmartStart won't run with the second processor installed?

[Pharris_1]

Okay everyone you'll be please to know that I have resolved the issue but it was a bit weird.

Built the server to win2003 with one processor with no problems

Added the second processor and the server would reach the Win2003 screen where it detects the hardware and then it would reboot, and would loop in this fashion, reaching the same point and rebooting.

I then swapped the 2 processors over and rebooted and it booted without any problems.

I had two identical servers with exactly the same issue and this fix worked for both.

No idea why this would happen as I had been swapping the processors around thinking that one of the 4 was faulty but they all worked fine individually.

It was only the swapping between slots that appeared to fix this.

Hopefully that's helpful and makes sense to everyone.

[Doug_134]

Check out this advisory.

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/Document.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&objectID=c01293621&jumpid=reg_R1002_USEN

Advisory: SYSTEM ROM UPDATE RECOMMENDED: Mixed Stepping Processor Configurations May Cause a Linux Kernel Panic in Some ProLiant Servers