Change in server boot behavior from ILO2 1.35 to 1.42

[Adrian Clint]

Got a BL460c server with ILO2 firmware 1.35 that when it boots windows
shows the recovery console option>>

Windows Server 2003, Enterprise [EMS enabled]
Microsoft Windows Recovery Console

The top option is highlighted, after about 5 seconds it autoselects the selected option and then boots windows.

If I put firmware 1.42 on it then it does not select an option and sits and waits for the user to select one. This is causing problems with image deployments, as some servers now require manual intervention.

Has it got something to do with WHEA support? Is there a registry key or ILO option to change?

[Martin Kögler]

Same for me:
Proliant DL385 G2, Windows 2003 64bit

[acartes]

There are some changes in iLO 2 v1.42 that might come into play. Clipped from the release notes:
http://h18004.www1.hp.com/support/files/lights-out/us/revision/9270.html
-> Fixed an issue that could cause possible VSP data loss when displaying to the screen

-> Fixed an issue that could cause a possible hang when installing Windows Server 2003 on a blade a server if a VSP client is not connected

Microsoft Windows Hardware Error Architecture (WHEA)

iLO2 supports the 'Error Record Persistence' feature of the WHEA architecture.

This allows the Windows Operating System to save and retrieve hardware error records to/from battery-backed non-volatile storage (NVRAM).


I do not think that WHEA is related to this. It is more likely virtual serial port via SPCR:
http://technet2.microsoft.com/windowsserver/en/library/5d7c7670-fad8-4936-821a-0999292e435d1033.mspx?mfr=true

Have you checked boot.ini (bootcfg.exe) to see if there is a default OS timeout established?
You you have an open connection to virtual serial / remote serial console when the OS boots?

This behavior sounds like what happens when a menu sees keystroke activity and cancels the timeout default behavior.

[SharePointDave2007]

I am experiencing this issue as well. Has anyone discovered whether or not there is an option in the BIOS or ILO to change settings so that we can have the system automatically boot into the OS after a set time period?

[acartes]

This is being investigated by the HP iLO team and appears to be related to a firmware change.

[Mikael Rönnbäck]

I can just add in that we are possibly experiencing the same on several blade servers, removing additional entries in boot.ini seem to be a workaround however that is rather tedious work when having multiple servers.

[Andrew Hong]

Either open an ilo2 virtual serial console or Disable EMS console from the BIOS then the problem goes away.

[Gabrio]

I received a call from a customer with the exact same issue.

new BL460c and BL465c Blades
when they have windows installed with EMS enabled
and with the recovery console it goes to the
stops there and waits until someone presses enter.

iLO firmware is 1.42.

I advised him to downgrade the firmware to 1.35 and the issue went away, so that is also an option.

[jandal wearin ninja]

Experiencing the same problem on several BL20pG4 blades. Will HP be releasing a firmware update to fix this?

[Adrian Clint]

See
http://forums11.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?threadId=1185236

So next week (with Xmas & NY?) or possibly in Feb.

[Oscar A. Perez]

iLO2 version 1.43 with the fix for this issue has been released.

[Mikael Rönnbäck]

My SIM server does not seem to be downloading any 1.43 FW for ILO2 for some reason, does anyone happen to have the direct download link on the web ?

[acartes]

To download the latest iLO 2 firmware:

Go here: www.hp.com/go/ilo
Click iLO 2 Advanced
Click Download Software
Click OS
then download the top firmware component.

The page is rearranged, so it looks different than before.

[kiran_iis]

Deploy Windows and wait for it to complete - Do not open an iLo2 session to view the progress of the deployment. Once the image is deployed succesfully, you can continue viewing ilo2 - hope this helps