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 Post subject: USB install
PostPosted: Sat Feb 02, 2013 2:28 pm 
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Is there a way of installing the HPMSSRecovery software on to a USB stick for installing onto a EX470 server? My HDD crashed and had to replace it with a new one (same type that come with the server). I have tried to install from my pc to the server via the router, however, it does not show on the router. I cannot even ping it !!! I have even tried using an Ethernet switch to no avail on another pc running Windows XP Pro, still no luck. The USB stick seems to be the last resort. Any advice would be extremely appreciated.

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 Post subject: Re: USB install
PostPosted: Sun Feb 03, 2013 9:13 am 
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Hi SteffJay,

For the recovery to even start your EX470 must boot into its recovery mode. The real question here is if the server can boot into its recovery mode or not and that requires if to boot from its SMI Area. Best way I know of to test this out is to back out all the drives and remove any connected external USB and eSATA Devices leaving only the power cord and network cable attached to the server. Then turn the server on and monitor the health light after a minute or two it should start blinking Purple/Red. Also if you check the routers DHCP listing you should see a device starting with the name MININT followed by other things. If you see this then you will also see the MAC Address for the server and it would be a good idea to write that down because regardless of the servers name the MAC Address will always remain the same and will better help you identify the server on your network regardless of the name its has..

I have written about this many times over in the forums. Thing here is that without the server booting into its recovery mode you will never get the server to recover. The way around this is to place a copy of the SMI files on a Bootable USB Flash Drive and place that flash drive in the bottom rear USB Port.

Now above I had you remove all the drives and disconnect all external USB and eSATA Devices to verify that your server would boot into its recovery mode. If it does this then you need to test it again this time with all but the system drive connected and you can reconnect all the external devices but do not connect anything to the bottom rear USB Port then turn the server on and it should boot into its recovery mode.

If the server booting into its recovery mode on the first test but not the 2nd then one of your drives or devices is preventing the server from booting into its recovery mode and that would be a process of elimination an testing. Thing here is for a recovery to be successful WHS must see all your storage pool drives so its important to make sure all the storage pool drives are in good working order and any drive giving you an issue would require you to connect it to another computer and the best way is an external connection and running a CHKDSK on the drive(s) preventing the server from entering its recovery mode.

Let me know what you find out and lets see if we can get your server running before the Super Bowl starts.

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 Post subject: Re: USB install
PostPosted: Mon Feb 04, 2013 6:40 am 
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Hello Comp1962. Thanks for your quick reply. Super Bowl? Is that a giant oxtail type? Ok, for your information; I have noticed that there are two start up sequences without anything connected. The first; is how you have stated in your reply: Then turn the server on and monitor the health light after a minute or two it should start blinking Purple/Red., this does happen. However, i cannot see it in my router connection (all firewalls are turned off).

The second thing i noticed was; if i keep the reset pressed when the blinking Purple/Red is happening, it starts to go into PXE ? and i still cannot see it in the router. BTW, there are no drives connected (internally or externally) apart from the blank formatted C: drive, and even this was removed as suggested to test. I can boot up from a USB stick and start the recovery sequence, but i would dearly love to get it working as it should be.

What is confusing me, is the fact (according to my Linux distro, this partition IS boot-able. So, i can see no reason why it does not !!

I have FTP'd all of the files from the SMI backup onto the partition (so in theory) it should work.

I already know the MAC address by running Linux and enabling it through the router for access, that works fine.

Do you know what the USB partition is actually called/named? That might make a difference, as the files in the SMI might be looking for a spacific name to boot from.

Thanks in advance.

Steff.

Comp1962 wrote:
Hi SteffJay,

For the recovery to even start your EX470 must boot into its recovery mode. The real question here is if the server can boot into its recovery mode or not and that requires if to boot from its SMI Area. Best way I know of to test this out is to back out all the drives and remove any connected external USB and eSATA Devices leaving only the power cord and network cable attached to the server. Then turn the server on and monitor the health light after a minute or two it should start blinking Purple/Red. Also if you check the routers DHCP listing you should see a device starting with the name MININT followed by other things. If you see this then you will also see the MAC Address for the server and it would be a good idea to write that down because regardless of the servers name the MAC Address will always remain the same and will better help you identify the server on your network regardless of the name its has..

I have written about this many times over in the forums. Thing here is that without the server booting into its recovery mode you will never get the server to recover. The way around this is to place a copy of the SMI files on a Bootable USB Flash Drive and place that flash drive in the bottom rear USB Port.

Now above I had you remove all the drives and disconnect all external USB and eSATA Devices to verify that your server would boot into its recovery mode. If it does this then you need to test it again this time with all but the system drive connected and you can reconnect all the external devices but do not connect anything to the bottom rear USB Port then turn the server on and it should boot into its recovery mode.

If the server booting into its recovery mode on the first test but not the 2nd then one of your drives or devices is preventing the server from booting into its recovery mode and that would be a process of elimination an testing. Thing here is for a recovery to be successful WHS must see all your storage pool drives so its important to make sure all the storage pool drives are in good working order and any drive giving you an issue would require you to connect it to another computer and the best way is an external connection and running a CHKDSK on the drive(s) preventing the server from entering its recovery mode.

Let me know what you find out and lets see if we can get your server running before the Super Bowl starts.

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 Post subject: Re: USB install
PostPosted: Mon Feb 04, 2013 8:23 am 
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The SMI Files must be placed in the Root Directory of the Bootable USB Flash Drive. Here is a pic of what should be in the Root Directory:

Attachment:
SMI Files Root Directory.JPG
SMI Files Root Directory.JPG [ 22.57 KiB | Viewed 6541 times ]


What concerns me most at this moment is if the LAN Port is functioning. The LED in the front of your server might be on but it does not mean your LAN Port is functional. If you look at the actual LAN Port you should see a Solid Green and a Blinking Amber LED's.

You could also direct connect your server to another PC and attempt a recovery that way. This will by pass any issues that may exist on your network. If the recovery starts up then you know you have some network troubleshooting to do and if not then there are only two things to look at either the LAN Port has failed or the SMI is not working as it should. When the server boots off the SMI Files its loads the LAN Drivers. Its actually a version of WinPE.

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Migrated from WHS2011 to WS2012E: HIGHLANDER

~ Norco 4220 Enclosure
~ Gigabyte GA-990FXA-UD5
~ AMD Phenom II X4 995 3.2 GHz
~ 8 GB Corsair Vengeance DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800)
~ 3 Supermicro AOC-SASLP-MV8


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 Post subject: Re: USB install
PostPosted: Mon Feb 04, 2013 1:42 pm 
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The SMI files are in exactly the same place as shown in your pic, i.e. the root directory.

As for your suggestion; If you look at the actual LAN Port you should see a Solid Green and a Blinking Amber LED's, At then rear of the server (the Ethernet RJ45) is working as it should Solid Green and a Blinking Amber LED's. At the front, it is blinking Blue/Red alternately.

If i run my Linux distro, with no other attachments, this connects to the net, no problems at all.

I do not think it is a hardware issue. Apart from the SMI USB partition.

Comp1962 wrote:
The SMI Files must be placed in the Root Directory of the Bootable USB Flash Drive. Here is a pic of what should be in the Root Directory:

Attachment:
SMI Files Root Directory.JPG


What concerns me most at this moment is if the LAN Port is functioning. The LED in the front of your server might be on but it does not mean your LAN Port is functional. If you look at the actual LAN Port you should see a Solid Green and a Blinking Amber LED's.

You could also direct connect your server to another PC and attempt a recovery that way. This will by pass any issues that may exist on your network. If the recovery starts up then you know you have some network troubleshooting to do and if not then there are only two things to look at either the LAN Port has failed or the SMI is not working as it should. When the server boots off the SMI Files its loads the LAN Drivers. Its actually a version of WinPE.

_________________
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