Proliant 3000 Utilities Question

[bill1055]

Hello all- I have a Proliant 3000 server running Netware 6.5. RAID 5 array. It runs fine, I need to add a SATA adapter card. I installed the card, (PCI), then restarted the server. BIOS recognized the card, the boot process continued, it started to scan for SCSI devices and then generated a 1706 error- extended BIOS memory corrupted, system halted. I removed the card, the server started normally. When I was given the F10 prompt during the restart, I entered the utilities. Under configuration I came to a reboot screen, which stated that if I wanted to add a new card or what-not I should turn off the computer and do it now. Questiono I do just that? Turn off the power switch and unplug it? Then add the card and restart? Will it then boot to the utilities, so it can configure the card, or will it try to start again and get hung? Please advise. The documentation for the utilities is not clear on this. The end result of this is I hope to add an external hard drive.
Thanks,
Bill

 

[burtsbees]

Yes---with the new card installed, it looks like it tried using it as the new boot controller, and therefore found no SCSI ID's. Make sure that the BIOS did not change the boot controller (F9, maybe? Can't remember...)...

Burt

 

[bill1055]

Thank you, with the card removed, it will boot normally. But if I launch utilities, shut off the power, add the card, restart, will it boot directly to utilities, so I can configure the card? I know that if I try to boot normally it will stall-1706 error.

 

[burtsbees]

Try it---can't hurt...I have never installed anything that new in a 3000. It is possible you could be out of luck. Then again, as far as external storage that fast, you may want to consider a SATA drive with a USB 2.0 connection, and simply get a USB 2.0 PCI card, powering the server on without the hard drive plugged in so it doesn't try and scan it...

/

 

[bill1055]

So you feel that the USB card would not conflict with the array controller like the eSATA? I think I will still need to enter system utilities to configure the slot. Correct? The drive I have will do USB, and I can handle the speed issue. I just don't want to foul anything up. System halted messages turn my stomach...

 

[burtsbees]

When it boots, it scans SCSI devices, so boot the server with nothing plugged into the USB card, but the USB card installed---after it boots, since USB is PnP, just let it boot WITHOUT anything plugged into the USB, and after it loads the OS, THEN plug in the drive, see what happens. The worst thing that will happen would be that the system halts (won't screw anything up), and you're out $15 for a USB card, which you could sell on Ebay for $13...

Burt

 

[bill1055]

There may be another USB card available on Ebay... The card installed, the system recognized the card, the OS loaded. I powered up the USB drive, the server abended. I guess it is time to buy a new server. Thanks again for your input.
Bill

 

[burtsbees]

Yeah---the server was good "back in the day", the "day" being defined as Windows 3.1 days...lol

I actually have a slew of G1's that have been running solid. I especially like the PL 7000 and the ML530 G1.

This is a comparable server, a G2, that's actually a decent price, fully loaded like this one...

http://cgi.ebay.com/Compaq-HP-ProLi...ms=66:2|65:1|39:1|240:1318|301:0|293:1|294:50

Burt

 

[burtsbees]

And this, but only 4 hdd's...

http://cgi.ebay.com/HP-Proliant-DL5...ms=66:2|65:1|39:1|240:1309|301:1|293:1|294:50

Burt