HP ML115 can't install 2008 R2

[googlemad]

Got a HP ML115 server (G1) has some form of nVidia RAID SATA chipset? Which isn't getting picked up during Server 2008 R2 setup and therefore not picking up the SATA drive for installation, can't find the relevant drivers anywhere.

 

Any ideas? I know the server supports 2008 R2 and the SATA works within it as I've had the install on a IDE drive with SATA data drives!

[TheMan100]

Are you getting that stupid error saying it can't find the correct drivers during the install? It then gives you option to find it, blah blah blah... still doesn't work, if so, then post back here, and I'll post how I solved it, as I don't want to post the solution if it's not the right one

[googlemad]

I'm at the installer screen where it its supposed to list the hard drives installed in the server and let me partition / format / choose where to install Windows and can't find any drives / storage controller drivers

[TheMan100]

I'm at the installer screen where it its supposed to list the hard drives installed in the server and let me partition / format / choose where to install Windows and can't find any drives / storage controller drivers

 

Ah, sorry, I don't have a solution to that. My solution was for one stage before that in the installation process. Hopefully somebody else here will be able to help you.

[m25man]

Make sure that you have the latest SmartStart CD Image from the HP Website Ver 8.7 x64 version.

From the maintain your server page use the utility to erase your drives/array (you will loose all of your data)

 

Reboot from the SmartStart cd and use the OS installation utility to install your OS

[googlemad]

Tried a different hard drive which was picked up straight away so connected the old drive back up and did FDISK on it, then it was picked up straight away! Bizarre

[m25man]

Did you try and use an old SmartStart Disk or 32bit Disk first?

 

The installation routine must copy the wrong drivers into a cache file after that only erasing the drive (or FDisking it as you have found) works...

 

I did exactly the same thing myself on Friday, started the Smartstart Install using the 32 bit disk by mistake, after that every attempt to install SBS 2011 failed.

 

Wiped the array used the 64bit Smartstart disk and it installed 1st time... PIA.

 

Anyway you got it working which is the important bit.

[IanT]

I would always advise when building a HP Server to use the HP SmartStart CD\DVD - Can make life a lot easier!

 

I had a client a few years ago trying to install 2008 onto a DL380 G3 just using the 2008 media - had raid problems etc, told them to download latest SS CD\DVD and worked!