I'm not exactly sure how it was done. Pressing F8 at one point during the boot sequence get you into the configuration setup, but without any kind of speech of course. I spent most of the day on my knees, keeping out of the techie's way - and praying she would fix things. George. -----Original Message----- From: blind-sysadmins-bounces@lists.hodgsonfamily.org [mailto:blind-sysadmins-bounces@lists.hodgsonfamily.org] On Behalf Of Angelo Sonnesso Sent: 15 April 2008 15:54 To: Blind sysadmins list Subject: Re: [Blind-sysadmins] HP Servers Importance: High How did you turn off the ports in the BIOS? Angelo Sonnesso M.A. M.S. Social Worker for the Blind -----Original Message----- From: blind-sysadmins-bounces@lists.hodgsonfamily.org [mailto:blind-sysadmins-bounces@lists.hodgsonfamily.org] On Behalf Of George Bell Sent: Tuesday, April 15, 2008 7:07 AM To: Blind sysadmins list Subject: Re: [Blind-sysadmins] HP Servers Hi, I thought some of you might be interested in my following up this problem, which is now to some extent resolved. The solution may just prove of value to you one of these days. The problem was with an HP DL380 G3 server which was coming up with an "NMI Parity Check / Memory Parity error" when trying to install Windows Server 2000 or 2003. Andrew suggested upgrading the firmware, which I did. All manner of diagnostics provided by HP appeared to pass with flying colours. It seemed my next option was to try replacing the motherboard. Expensive, and not guaranteed to resolve the problem. But then a Linux enthusiast suggested trying to install Linux Debian on it, so last weekend, and to my great surprise, it installed. Gnome and KDE GUIs went on as well, and all appeared fine, except.... While the Debian system could see the Windows Enterprise 2003 Server Domain controller and workstations (even the Vista one!), nothing could see Debian. Cutting a long day's story short, it turned out that the two on-board gigabit network ports were at the root of the problem. (Remember, they too had passed HP's diagnostic tests). Examining the installation logs, Debian had actually seen the NMI error, and by-passed it. Having disabled the two ports in BIOS, we installed a PCI network card, and in minutes Debian was having two way conversations with the Domain. It is now working nicely as a file server. At least we now know for certain what the problem is or was, and finally I've decided to take the plunge into Linux, which in turn gives me a test bed for some Linux versions of Windows applications we already deal with. I am however a shade disappointed that HP's own diagnostics failed so miserably. And of course no thanks either to Microsoft's installer, which simply gave up with a blue screen of death. George Bell Managing Director Techno-Vision Systems Ltd 76 Bunting Road Ind. Est. NORTHAMPTON, NN2 6EE, UK. Tel: (01604) 792777 Fax: (01604) 792726 mailto:george@techno-vision.co.uk web: http://www.techno-vision.co.uk -----Original Message----- From: blind-sysadmins-bounces@lists.hodgsonfamily.org [mailto:blind-sysadmins-bounces@lists.hodgsonfamily.org] On Behalf Of Andrew Hodgson Sent: 11 March 2008 11:57 To: Blind sysadmins list Subject: Re: [Blind-sysadmins] HP Servers Hi, I would say do the following: Remove all arrays from the non working server. Go to the following site: http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareInd ex.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&prodNameId=3288130&prodTypeId=15351&pro dSeriesId=316529&swLang=8&taskId=135&swEnvOID=1110#7813 (sorry if cut and paste fails here). Download the latest firmware pack CD ISO and boot from it. It should upgrade several firmware components. You may need to do this from the Start Smart CD, read the instructions. Don't worry if the fans start spinning like crazy - they did on our single HP machine we have here in the office.
From the same link download the latest StartSmart CD, this will have the latest drivers on it. We have had no end of crashes/issues if technicians use later OS installation disks if the box is running old firmware, because these disks install drivers which depend on newer firmware.
Sorry if you already did this. Thanks. Andrew. -----Original Message----- From: blind-sysadmins-bounces@lists.hodgsonfamily.org on behalf of George Bell Sent: Mon 10/03/2008 22:46 To: Blind sysadmins list Subject: Re: [Blind-sysadmins] HP Servers Hi Andrew, Yes. One server is working. They are supposedly identical. We are also using the latest HP Smartstart CD. And to be honest, I have a feeling the local HP authorised guys here in Northampton are a sandwich short of a picnic. E.G. I gave them two 32 GB drives - a 10k rpm and a 15k rpm. They told me that due to the different rpms, I'd need matching drives, the 32 GB drives were no longer available, and indeed I'd have to spend £400+ on a single new drive. Drive speeds sounds logical, but...... "B-ll-cks!" I said, and pointed then to the SCSI Shop where one of the 32 GD drives cost me £95 ex VAT. Then after the NMI: error, they say the motherboard is probably gone and that's and arm and a leg. So I get my a-s into Google, and get a UK source where refurbished M/B will cost me less than £100. But I also Google to find that the error I am getting is not unusual, but as yet have not been able to get a final conclusion as to what it actually means. At the price I paid, I'd junk the bad server, but I'd plans to use it as a training unit for guys like you. Plus I'm p--sed off at the local HP service. George. -----Original Message----- From: blind-sysadmins-bounces@lists.hodgsonfamily.org [mailto:blind-sysadmins-bounces@lists.hodgsonfamily.org] On Behalf Of Andrew Hodgson Sent: Monday, March 10, 2008 10:20 PM To: Blind sysadmins list Subject: Re: [Blind-sysadmins] HP Servers Hi, So are you saying that one of the servers is working? Did you check that all the firmware has been updated? Dell do master update disks, and I have found these crucial, especially if downloading later versions of their version of the StartSmart CD, called OpenManage. Not sure whether HP do similar. Otherwise it will be a call to your reseller, especially if it is just one machine that is going wrong - they can usually get you to run very low level diagnostics, which gives specific error codes to show which component is acting up. Andrew. -----Original Message----- From: blind-sysadmins-bounces@lists.hodgsonfamily.org [mailto:blind-sysadmins-bounces@lists.hodgsonfamily.org] On Behalf Of George Bell Sent: 10 March 2008 22:16 To: Blind sysadmins list Subject: Re: [Blind-sysadmins] HP Servers Yes I did, Andrew. There are 2 x 512MB sticks in each. They were swapped with the working server. The message comes up in two places - and using the Smartstart CD. 1) With Windows Server 2000 - it blue screens when "Installing Hardware". 2) With Windows Server 2003 - it blue screens after the final re-boot. George. -----Original Message----- From: blind-sysadmins-bounces@lists.hodgsonfamily.org [mailto:blind-sysadmins-bounces@lists.hodgsonfamily.org] On Behalf Of Andrew Hodgson Sent: Monday, March 10, 2008 9:52 PM To: Blind sysadmins list Subject: Re: [Blind-sysadmins] HP Servers Hi, Did you check that the memory was the same size - i.e, you didn't install a 1GB stick then install a 512MB stick? Is this error appearing in the operating system, or before the OS starts? Did you install using the HP SmartStart CD, which installs a whole array of drivers which don't get installed for the backplane, array controller, etc? Thanks. Andrew. -----Original Message----- From: blind-sysadmins-bounces@lists.hodgsonfamily.org [mailto:blind-sysadmins-bounces@lists.hodgsonfamily.org] On Behalf Of George Bell Sent: 10 March 2008 21:10 To: Blind sysadmins list Subject: [Blind-sysadmins] HP Servers Has anyone any experience of HP Servers in terms of when anything goes wrong, such as follows: NMI Parity Check / Memory Parity error. Two identical servers. Memory swapped between the two, so that (hopefully) eliminates "Memory Parity error" These are two HP DL380 G3 Servers. 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