While installing new HP BL460c Gen8’s (Xeon E5-2680 v2) we discovered some strange behavior while setting the HP Power Profile setting to “Maximum Performance”. It appears that this setting causes the ESXi 5.1 Installer to not see the Internal SD-Card as storage device anymore.
Default BIOS Settings give us this, which is good:
Now we only changing the Power Profile on the server to “Maximum Performance”
And now the ESXi Installer gives us this:
Also note that these error messages appear, which obviously are the reason why the SD-Card isn’t detected.
We’ve tried two BIOS versions (2014.02.10 and 2013.12.20) as well as two versions of the HP ESXi ISO’s:
VMware-ESXi-5.1.0-Update2-1483097-HP-5.66.28-Jun2014
VMware-ESXi-5.1.0-Update2-1483097-HP-5.64.18-Feb2014
Currently we have a case open with HP for this problem. To be continued..
Update 25 november: HP has released an iLO firmware Update (2.03) to address this problem which can be downloaded here
Full HP Service Pack for Proliant (SPP) Version can be found here. Mind the fact that you also need the “Maintenance Supplement Bundle” that is found on that same page.
Rogier
/ August 7, 2014Besides the error that shouldn’t be there: why not set it to custom, and put the ‘HP Power regulator’ to ‘OS control’ (or something similar). In that way ESXi can manage the power settings as far as I know.
Kenneth van Ditmarsch
/ August 11, 2014Customer standards dictate these settings as default.
brandon
/ August 12, 2014We’ve experienced similar weirdness with our BL460 deployments as well. Our current process involves updating the firmware using the latest SPP and then modifying BIOS settings per our standard. Some of these BIOS changes includes the power profile as well as disabling the array controller. ESX does not detect the SD after we touch these BIOS settings. So far, the simple fix is to just power off the blade and power on again. Our SD is immediately available after a power off/on. Reset and Cold boots did not restore access to the SD card…only a power off/on. The previously changes to BIOS settings remain intact and the server works as expected. We have a ticket open too. I’ll post back if we find discover anything new.
Kenneth van Ditmarsch
/ August 13, 2014Hi Brandon, Thanks!
This is some really good information you are giving me here. I indeed tried the Reset and Cold Reboot as different scenario’s but didn’t try a commplete Power Off as this supposed to be the “Cold Reboot”.
Could you give me the Ticket Number so we can tell HP that more people are experiencing the same issues and maybe let them prioritize things?
Thanks again,
Kenneth
ilamurugu (@ilamurugu)
/ August 20, 2014I faced the same issue, however I restart the PC- reset the BIOS with factory defaults, and able to get it worked. Problem later is the password, no upper and numbers should be allowed, even it accepts while installing, however after completing the installation, unable to get the password working. So gone with the normal password with no upper case and numbers, and Later I changed it
Henrik
/ August 21, 2014Hi.
I don’t think this has anything to do With BIOS changes. We boot Our BL460c G8 on SD-card too, and we always have to do a Complete Power Off to get the server to recognize the card. We run Vmware 5.5.
/Henrik
Philip
/ October 26, 2014Did you manage to progress this with HP at all? I’ve been experiencing the exact same problem, but will be submitting a ticket with HP tomorrow morning (Monday).
Philip
/ October 27, 2014Just had some quick feedback from HP technical support – their development team are aware of the issue and will be releasing an update (be it iLO or bios firmware) in mid-to-late November!
For now, it’s either a balanced power profile, new hard disks or boot from SAN. I think we’re going with a balanced power profile before updating in early December.
Hope that reassures everyone 🙂
Kenneth van Ditmarsch
/ October 27, 2014Thanks, I heard something about a new BIOS version as well but wasnt sure about the date 😉
afokkema
/ October 31, 2014We’ve experienced similar issues with our DL360p Gen8 as well. Let’s hope HP will fix this issue soon.
afokkema
/ November 3, 2014With vSphere 5.5 update 2 we see the same on all Gen8 (DL/BL). HP confirmed that there will be an update available mid November.
DZ1
/ November 6, 2014I had something similar happen. I had to ssh into the enclosure and then I ran “reset bay 1” or whichever bay you want. That will completely reset the e-fuse and take the blade down. After that, I powered the blade off, and when I turned it back on, it all worked.
mikeymike20
/ November 6, 2014must say – many thanks we have the same issue DL380e gen8. had to change from balanced to maxium performace for it to find the card again!
Philip
/ November 12, 2014Hi guys, HP got in contact with us this morning and provided a link to the new update. It’s not available to Windows operating systems as of yet, so you won’t be able to use it unless 2.03 is available for the OS you’re using.
This is for ESXi only and I’ve not seen it available for anything else yet.
http://h20566.www2.hp.com/portal/site/hpsc/template.PAGE/public/psi/swdDetails/?sp4ts.oid=5196166&spf_p.tpst=swdMain&spf_p.prp_swdMain=wsrp-navigationalState%3Didx%253D%257CswItem%253DMTX_c54ae620a05f401095e092ea51%257CswEnvOID%253D4115%257CitemLocale%253D%257CswLang%253D%257Cmode%253D5%257Caction%253DdriverDocument&javax.portlet.begCacheTok=com.vignette.cachetoken&javax.portlet.endCacheTok=com.vignette.cachetoken
Version:2.03 (10 Nov 2014) Fixes
Upgrade Requirement:
Recommended – HP recommends users update to this version at their earliest convenience.
________________________________________
• Booting from an SD card with ESXi could fail.
Thanks,
Philip
Arne Fokkema
/ February 24, 2015HP has released an advisory document. See http://h20566.www2.hp.com/hpsc/doc/public/display?docId=c04555714&jumpid=em_alerts_us-us_Feb15_xbu_all_all_2311152_208935_proliantserversstorageoptionsandaccessories_recommended_006_0 for more information.
Rudolf Pinter
/ May 6, 2015Well this didn’t lasted long. It works fine with ILO4 v2.03, but breaks again with v2.10 🙁
It’s worth to check list of fixed issues in 2.10. It’s unusually long list this time:
http://h20566.www2.hp.com/hpsc/swd/public/detail?swItemId=MTX_db1ec68895fa4ce58eb6708cbe#tab5
Severin Busk
/ May 22, 2015Luckily I found this thread, because I too experienced the SD card going missing when just now applying the HP SPP 2015.04.0 to a BL460c Gen8 server. I was not aware of this problem and, perhaps by coincidence, I altered the power setting to maximum performance in BIOS just prior to running an automated SPP install.
After ILO v2.10 was applied, along with numerous other updates, the SD card was nowhere to be found and the upsetting message of no bootable devices found kept reappearing in a loop with the system trying to PXE boot. This server running ESXI 5.1 build 1065491.
As a last resort (have had various problems with HP blade server prior also needing this “treatment”) I reset the server in the OA cli, trippings the server’s e-Fuse. When the server again was detected and automatically started, as per policy, ESXi boots again…
Scary, but true!
Just to clarify, I ONLY reset the server bay, there was no need to revert the BIOS setting back to balanced, the server is now configured for maximum performance.
Gideon Kane
/ May 27, 2015Just to add one more to this list….
I just updated to SPP 2015.04.0 on my BL460s and experienced the same issue. Glade I came across this site. I was just about to get HP on the phone.
humanperson
/ June 26, 2015had the same issue with iLO v2.10 and 460c Gen8’s and was befuddled; thinking OneView was the culprit. a quick search directed me here
i can also confirm that ssh’ing into the chassis and ejecting the blades with the server reset xx cmd works
Fernando Mérito
/ January 12, 2016Just try changing the “UEFI boot mode” to “legacy mode”. It will works… probed with 10 BL460c G9 =)
Kaushik
/ September 25, 2016We faced the same issue for BL460C Gen8, Changed the power mode from Balanced to Maximum performance and rebooted the host, 1st time it failed but rebooted the host 2nd time and worked perfectly. Thanks guys, this blog found to be helpful.