BL20p G3 and ADS (Automated Deployment Services) Problem.

[Gavin_44]

Hi All,

We currently use ADS as our means of imaging servers. I initially test the build process using a floppy virtualised through the ILO for an unattended build before the image is grabbed.

The following process that I'm going to outline works 100% this way but as soon as I start using ADS and the image from the floppy it fails. FYI, Win98 boot disks are used as a tool we use doesn't like DOS 6.22.

We do an unattended build, using CONREP, ACR, CPQDISK and CPQFMT to configure the server. The boot disk creates a network connection to the ADS server to run all of these commands. STATEMGR keeps track of where the process is at, REBOOT reboots the server during the process and other HP tools check what server and RAID controller is being used.

We use NIC1 to PXE boot and as the network connection during the unattended build. It's IRQ is locked to the 6i controller and the ILO processor. We can't and don't want to use NIC2 or any other NIC.

The server is using the BIOS dated 2nd December 2004 and now version 2.36 of the 6i firmware. HP released this upgrade for the 6i which 'doesn't specifically address your problem but may fix it'. I found that it didn't.

What I am seeing is the following issues:
1. The REBOOT command (HP SS toolkit utility) fails. No error message but the server doesn't reboot.
2. CPQDISK fails to create the partition.
3. Intermittent hangs when booting from the virtual floppy. One or two strings of characters appear on the screen and everything locks up. It doesn't seem to be the same string and looks something like this - 0038. If anyone knows what this could be I'd like to know.

As a result we cannot sucessfully obtain an image and redeploy it.

We've got many other server models that this process works with seamlessly. The BL20p G3 is a different beast though. If anyone has any ideas or fixes (that's what I really want) please let me know.

Cheers.

[Kai-Uwe Schurig]

Hi,

first, make sure that you use the lastest System ROM and ILO Firmware (1.70A), there were some bugfixes in the latest release (especially in the ILO FW):

http://h18023.www1.hp.com/support/files/server/us/locate/69_6010.html

There are also updated versions for the HP Scripting Toolkit available:

http://h18000.www1.hp.com/products/servers/management/toolkit/

Finally there is a problem if you are try to connect with a DOS or Windows 9x Client to a share on a ADS Domain controller:

From the altiris knowledgebase:

---cut---
Problem:
When attempting to map to the eXpress share on a Deployment Server that is an Active Directory Controller you may be prompted for username/password. Regardless what you enter the following error may occur:

"Error 5: Access has been denied"

Cause:
SMB signing is enabled and required on a Domain Controller.
Solution:
Change the "requiresecuritysignature" key in the registry of the server.

Run Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe).
From the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE subtree, go to the following key:
System\CurrentControlSet\Services\LanManServer\Parameters
Set the following value to 0:

Name: RequireSecuritySignature
Type: REG_DWORD
Value: 0 (disable), 1 (enable)

Click OK and then quit Registry Editor.
---cut---

Good Luck and Regards,

Kai-Uwe

[P._2]

Hi,
I am experiencing a similar problem. I can't seem to get my BL20p G2 to connect to a network share with Altiris network boot disk. I tried connecting to a NAS storage and Win2003 file server, both failed. I get an error 51 "The specified computer is not receiving requests".

I checked the Altiris website and not mention of this problem.

Can someone help?

Thanks,
Patrick

[Jerry Debner]

Has anyone begun using ADS 1.1 yet? We cannot get any of our g4's or g3's to boot successfully to the Deployment Agent.

Yes, we have updated firmware / bios levels of system, nic, and ilo. We have utilized driver verision 8.4.8 version of the drivers, integrated them into the repository, restarted the ADS services.

The system will boot to the DA but will never recieve enter the connection state info so no bmcp message is never recieved at all. We have enabled PXE tracing amongst all other tracing on the ADS server and the ADS server never shows anything.

We have tried an HP PCI card - this did not function. We placed in an IBM PCI broadcom NIC and it works! Wierd huh?


We can take these same machines and build off of our ADS 1.0 server just fine.

We have a call opened with HP and they havc replicated the issue. We do know that if WinPE is utilized, it will work - so it is just the ADS 1.1 DA that doesn't function.

[kergoat]

Hi
I doesn't have any problem to deploy server DL58x or DL380G4 and BL2xPG3 server with ADS 1.1 and PXE boot.
You myst Download the latest NIC and Controller drivers from HP.

Extract these files into C:\Program Files\Microsoft ADS\nbs\repository\User\PreSystem, you can also put them in PostSystem to make sure it works.

Make sure that the Time of your server is similar with the ADS server.