HP DL140 G3, anyone got one?

[cookie_monster]

We have a new DL140 G3 and i'm having trouble installing windows on it, i'm pretty sure that it's down to the SATA RAID drivers. I have a USB floppy on the server and i've used that to feed all of the drivers on the CD to windows but it still doesn't find the disks, one driver must be similar as when i used Nlite windows recognised and formatted the disks then installed but on first reboot it blue screens.

I've not had a problem with the DL300 series as the Smartstart CD supports them but not the DL100 series apparently. Sigh!!!

Using Server 2003 with SP2.

Anyone have any ideas?

Cheers.

[Michael]

If you're using nLite, you should be able to integrate drivers when creating your new CD, (presumably with 2003 SP2)?

[Netman]

Been there... done that!

ProLiant Servers - How to Install OS on Embedded Sata Raid Controller with Out Floppy Drive or Slipstreaming OS CD
ISSUE:

Most of the 100 series and 300 series servers does not go with the floppy drives and customer not able to install OS as he is not able to inject/supply Raid controller Driver. Customer has to use a Floppy Drive or a Slipstreaming OS CD.
SOLUTION:

Follow the steps below and there is no need to use Floppy Drive or a Slipstreaming OS CD:

1. Install the OS with Embedded SATA RAID Disabled (No Drivers or F6 required) on one Harddrive.
2. Once OS is installed, Extract the Embedded SATA RAID Drivers to a folder. HP Embedded SATA RAID Controller Driver for Windows 2000/Windows Server 2003:

Click here to go to HP Embedded SATA RAID Controller Driver for Windows 2000/Windows Server 2003 Support and Drivers - Transition Page
3.
Go to Control Panel-> Add New Hardware->Device is connected->New Hardware->Raid Controller->Have Disk->Browse to the folder where the Embedded SATA RAID Drivers were extracted. Select the .inf file->Install Adaptec Raid Driver.

4. Restart the Server go to BIOS enable the Embedded SATA RAID.

5. Press F8 and go to Sata Raid BIOS->Configure the Drives->Create Array->Raid 0/1 A warning message will appear " Warning: Configuring the drives will erase all Array information from the selected drives, if that drive is part of an array. Arrays using any of these drives as members will be affected! Do you want to continue?(Yes/No): ". Press "Y" to continue.

6. If Raid 1 is selected it will ask you what is the Source Disk, select the Right Disk in which OS was installed previously. Warning message might appear again. Select " Y".

7. Rebuild will take sometime, once rebuild is complete restart the server.

Once rebooted Raid would be detected and windows would boot up, in windows it would detect new hardware and Adaptec Raid drivers will be installed. Now Server is built migrated to Raid Successfully.

[SYNACK]

There are a whole pack of drivers here:
HP ProLiant DL140 G3 Server series- Download drivers and software - HP Business Support Center

You could extract them all and nLight integrate all the likely candidate into a slipstreamed installation cd and let windows sort it out. This would also reduce the chances of a corrupted files thanks to the ever present limitations of floppy technology.

You could also look at upgrading the firmware of the controller and the BIOS to the latest level, these are also on that download page.

[cookie_monster]

@ SYNACK: i've tried every driver on the CD and on HP this seems to be a common issue.


@ Netman: i had just printed those instructions out when i checked back is that the only way you have found even if you have a floppy drive?

[Netman]

@ Netman: i had just printed those instructions out when i checked back is that the only way you have found even if you have a floppy drive?

From HP forums:
"The issue with Windows 2003 + SATA RAID controller + Proliant series 100 has been discussed in these forums many times.
The official way is you purchase the supported HP USB floppy drive or USB floppy/key and load the driver with it.

Other ways are integrating the drivers with nlite, edit files on the driver so it supports non-HP floppy drives, load the driver on a USB floppy and USB key at the same time...

The note is on the Quickspecs, which you're supposed to read before purchasing a server:

NOTE: A diskette drive is needed to install storage controller drivers during a Windows operating system installation from a CD

HP 1GB USB 2.0 Floppy Drive Key 442085-B21
HP 256MB USB 2.0 Floppy Drive Key 442084-B21
USB 1.44-MB External Diskette Drive DC141B
USB Floppy Drive DC361B"

I do it the first way - I also have IBM x226 that are exactly the same, but those have the management CD to install the OS - except if you don't turn on the RAID before you do the install Windows crashes when you do 'cos it doesn't have the driver...

[cookie_monster]

I did read the quickspecs but didn't see an issue as i had the HP floppy key software that i've used on other servers and a USB floppy drive, as it says quite clearly that it supports server 2003 and there are drivers i was assuming HP would of actually tried the OS on the hardware. Silly me

[maniac]

We've got one of these, literally just set it up over the half term break to host our e-portal installation. We also had the same problem initially, but we managed to integrate the driver into the build using nlite with no problems, it worked first time. Has yours got the LSI 1068 disk controller by any chance??

What I wasn't impressed with was the controller card died on me about 3 days after we had the server. HP were very good at sending out a replacement, I had it the next day, but it did take it a very long time to replecate the drives again once the new controller was installed.

It's been OK ever since.

If you've got the LSI card, then I have the correct drivers I can send you if you still require them.

Mike.

[robk]

We use a 100 series for our eportal server. Ended up using the procedure netman mentioned.

HP.... Only some of their tech support guys know about this as well.

RobK

[maniac]

Actually that is a good procedure netman, can see it pretty much applying to any situation where you can't get the correct RAID drivers into windows setup, I've kept it for future reference!

Cheers!

[cookie_monster]

Mike
It's the integrated Adaptec driver i'll try Netmans way again tomorrow as it didn't work the first time but i think it was due to not breaking the mirror that i had created i just dissabled the raid in the bios.

Cheers.

Only some of their tech support guys know about this as well.

I've had a similar experience with Dell

[cookie_monster]

I actually got it working with an Nlite CD in the end on the second try, the first time it didn't work. It was very odd if i used a USB floppy it would find the driver using F6 during install and then find the disks alow me to format them the install would then begin and it would then blue screen shortly after.

Anyway it all seems ok now cheers all.

[maniac]

It was very odd if i used a USB floppy it would find the driver using F6 during install and then find the disks alow me to format them the install would then begin and it would then blue screen shortly after.

I'm glad it wasn't just me who had this problem, with my USB floppy drive it read the drivers fine when your pressed F6 and found the drive, allowed me to partition it etc. but when it started copying files, it prompted me to insert floppy in drive A, and would not read from the USB floppy drive no matter what I did!

Where would we be without nlite!

Mike.

[cookie_monster]

Yep i'm going to put this down as a blip for HP as i've usually been impressed by their kit. Why they don't provide a smartstart CD like they do with their other boxes is beyond me, i think HP have screwed up there.
Nlite has been an invaluable tool for a while now, one of those gems that you wonder how you got by without.

[john]

The 1 series of servers dont have smartstart from what i remember as they dont have the need for it tbh as its supposed to be simple and idiot proof to setup so they claim. Clearly you have found a problem with there logic though.