Help with second Raid controller in ML350 Server

[HHohn]

My company bought a Compaq ML350 with a Smart Array 431 connected to 4-18 GB Compaq drives, a little over a year ago. Who'd of thought we would run out of space so soon?

So, I thought of upgrading the 4 drives with 36 GB drives. But it doesn't make much sense to replace brand new drives just for space.

So, my super suggested we use the Proliant Storage System from an older server and install the Smart-2 Array controller into the new ML 350 Server along side the 431 controller.

I am green, no doubt about it. I am reading the manuals. But don't want mess up what is in place.

Would you please share with me your concerns? And what I should watch out for? Is there any way I can blow out the existing array by installing the second controller? Is there a boot order I will need to set in Bios? Will NT boot up and recognize the new array? How do I configure the older array? Will that blow out the existing array?

I'd like this to go smoothly, and I certainly do not want to break what is already in place. Thank you.

 

[TheLad]

Ok, the main array will only get blown away if you get twitchy fingers. In the Compaq Array utility, you will have the choice of what RAID card you want to look at. You will notice that the 431 controller will already be configured so don't touch the settings, when you switch to the Smart 2 it will report as being unconfigured. Just configure a new array/logical drive as normal.

When the controller is inserted, the server will detect it and will probably inform you that it is not configured. It should not change the boot priority so the 431 should remain as the primary. -----------------------------------------------------
"It's true, its damn true!"
-----------------------------------------------------

 

[Sunny79]

Your setup should go like this:
1. Install the Smart 2 controller with no harddrives attached and set the boot controller order for the 431 to be first in the BIOS, which is accessible by pressing F10 when prompted, and then go to the OS. Run the Compaq Support Paq from the smart start CD to load the driver for the smart 2 controller.
2. Attach the harddrives to the smart 2 controller and boot to the array configuration utility or go to the OS and run the array configuration utility. Go ahead and setup your new raid array for the smart 2 controller. Make sure not to delete or modify the existent raid array for the 431 controller. Save the settings in the array configuration Utility and you're done. If at anytime you get confused or think that you have messed something up in the Array configuration just go ahead and close the utility without saving the changes and you will be back to square one.
I don't think I have left anything out; If you follow these steps your setup should be smooth.
Good Luck with your upgrade.

 

[HHohn]

Well, it may have gone smoothly. I was able to start the smart start CD and configure the drives from boot up. But, when I tried to go into NT Disk Administrator, the ML350 rebooted instantly. And now I get a 101-OPTION checksum error during POST on the SMART-2 card.

I don't know if the SMART-2 card is bad or not. Sunny or TheLad, do you have any ideas what I should do?

I did look on the HP website, but 101-OPTION... documents only pertained to deskpro and other workstations, not proliant servers.

Thank you.

 

[Sunny79]

All the documentation is talking about the updating of the Options ROM of the server. So go ahead and update the BIOS of the server and see if the issue is resolved. The errors are all pertaining to the way the system rom handles the NIC controller. So, go ahead and update your rom which is downloadable from the

http://www.HP.com

website

http://www.compaq.com/support/files/server/us/download/14532.html

After that see how your system reacts. Let me know if you are using a thirdparty NIC card also, because an error like that is super rare on a Server System.
If the BIOS flash doesn't help go ahead and remove the thirdparty, NIC if you have one, and see if the issue is resolved.
Keep me updated on your progress.

 

[Sunny79]

Hi, don't follow the link above. The correct link for the firmware on the server is

http://www.compaq.com/support/files/server/us/download/13868.html

If that is a Generation one system.
For a Generation 2 system go to

http://www.compaq.com/support/files/server/us/download/15287.html

Sorry about that.

 

[HHohn]

Thank you for the help everyone.

I have not had a chance to update the hardware, yet. But, I did find my way around the HP/Compaq site to find ML350 specific downloads. And there I found SMART-2 card and 431 card rompaqs, disk drive rompaqs and a BIOS rompaq. I will be installing probably on Friday Night.

If there are any issues I should be aware of when installing rompaqs, please share them with me. Thanks again for the help.