Installing on a HP DL380 G4 1

[mwiner]

moderators: I understand this is a cross post but I haven't gotten a response in the other forums and it is becoming a critical issue. Thank you for understanding


I am installing Win2003 on a HP DL380 G4 machine. For those of you that have installed Win2003 on this type of hardware can you please tell me if you were REQUIRED to press F6 during install to "Load third party SCSI drivers". I know that the this machine has the 6i SCSI RAID controller. But I am hoping that 2003 has support for this "out of the box".

I would try this myself but I don't have the hardware to test it on.

THANK YOU!!!

-Matt

 

[pmf71]

If you are not sure, get the latest drivers for this card and use F6 anyway to load the driver. This way you're asssured it will work.

 

[mwiner]

Thank you... I understand that.

I wish everything was just so simple.

I am creating an unattended CD and to not have to include these drivers would save A LOT of time and testing (of course the testing I cannot do because I don't have the hardware).

I know there are tons of people in here that install Win2003 on HP machines. All I need is somebody's firsthand experience at installing it on a DL360 G4 or DL380 G4.

Thanks!!!

 

[Jpoandl]

Yes, you can add the HP drivers to your automated build CD. MS says they don't support it but it can be done....and this process works for any raid driver...

Here's how:

http://greenmachine.msfnhosting.com/READING/addraid.htm

http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=13173

Joseph L. Poandl
MCSE 2003

If your company is in need of experts to examine technical problems/solutions, please contact

http://www.NJCOMPUTERNETWORKS.com

 

[mwiner]

I know I can add the driver and I know how to do it. I have even done it multiple times.

But thank you for the information.

But as you posted, it is not supported and it is a touchy subject and requires testing before I release the unattended CD. But it is a lot of testing (that I CANNOT do, because I don't have the hardware).

I just need to know if f6 is required for this hardware. If you do not know then please don't respond.

 

[Jpoandl]

uh...no 6i is not supported on the Windows 2003 CD. You NEED to press F6 bud. Also the NICs are not supported, you need to apply the 7.1a SSD's on this box after the build.

-late

Joseph L. Poandl
MCSE 2003

If your company is in need of experts to examine technical problems/solutions, please contact

http://www.NJCOMPUTERNETWORKS.com

 

[macfoxx]

You have to use SMART START CD toinstall any OS on proliant servers. It's contains drivers and patches for any OS (Windows, Netware, Linux).

 

[mlichstein]

smart start ++

You will just cause yourself a lot of grief if you try installing yourself. smart start makes it simple.

 

[mwiner]

Acutally I have been installing Windows for about 5 years with out using smart start and never once had a problem. I use the smart start to setup RIAD and it puts its diag partition on. Then that's it. I exit and install Windows via CD. In the past we would do a typical CD installation, then we used RIS for a while. Now just using a simple unattended CD install with the latest hotfixes automatically installed at t-13.
Then I apply the SSD once windows is up and running.

Works GREAT and havn't once had an issue.

But since smart start wasn't what my question was about... I digress.

I would like to thank Joseph for his post that directly answered my question.

 

[Jpoandl]

(Thank you Mwiner) I also design the Windows 2000/2003 server installations through the automated CD installation process. The big advantage here is that you can further install standard software and patches after the initial build is complete. It does work well... The negative side to it is that you have to manually add RAID drivers to the I386 which can be a bit time consuming (to test and validate).

I'm now looking at a new Microsoft technology to help with this process. It's called "Automated Deployment Services"

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/technologies/management/ads/default.mspx

(sorry to jump into this thread) but does anyone have any experience with this technology? I was wondering if it helps with the RAID driver issue?

-later




Joseph L. Poandl
MCSE 2003

If your company is in need of experts to examine technical problems/solutions, please contact

http://www.NJCOMPUTERNETWORKS.com

(Sales@njcomputernetworks.com)