Storage System causes BSOD on startup

[timkr]

A Compaq Proliant 1600 server w/ Smart Array 221 Controller (Slot 4) and 5 onboard 4.3Gb hard drives was working fine. RUnning NT Server 4.0 SP6.

I added another Smart Array 221 Controller card (Slot 6), with a SCSI cable to a Compaq Storage System 7x9.1Gb drives.

The new drives spin up and test ok. The new controller card is detected and self-tests fine. It detects the drives fine.

The SmartStart CD utility detects the unknown configuration, and assigns and writes the new drives as a RAID-5 array. Everything is normal.

When both units are powered on, the startup cycle gets to the blue screen that says "Build...." at the top. THen it flashes and does a warm boot. It keeps going in this rebooting cycle to this point if you let it.

When I leave the Storage System off, and power up the server, it gets to that point, and then continues with the normal "....." and then proceeds to the GUI for windows. Everything works fine, except I can't read those drives, even if I turn them on again.

Disk Administrator shows a drive there, but no other information. You cannot assign a drive letter.

I flashed the ROM on the two controllers to the most recent, and the System ROM to my smartstart cd, which it was already current - P8 (year 2000).

So it seems like NT is doing some kind of detection there and it crashes when the new Storage System is connected.

Any ideas anyone?

Tim

 

[fraxx]

The only thing that comes to mind is that the new SA221 has become the boot controller. Since there's no OS on the array, NT can't boot.
When the POST is done, see if you can see "Press F10 to enter system utilities" or something similar. From there you should be able to see and if necessary alter which SA221 is the boot controller.
/charles

 

[timkr]

Thank Charles,

I ended up doing a fresh install on NT Server with the hardware up and running. The install detected it and everything is working fine.

Thanks,
Tim