Good Cheap Server - HP Proliant Microserver 4 BAY - OWNERS THREAD

[Deleted member 138126]

I'm having a PEBKAC moment here. I've physically added a SSD to my Microserver (GEN8), but it's not showing up automatically, so I've tried to go into the B120i setup by pressing F5 when the Microserver boots. But while the F5 keypress is acknowledged, ILO comes up with an error and asks me to press F8. If i press F8, I go into ILO setup and if I press F5 or nothing, the boot continues as it would if I had not pressed F5. All this happens if I use ILO or have keyboard, monitor, and trackball physically connected. Now, I've manually run SSA on the server and added the drive, but I'm wondering how I would get in if I didn't have an OS and SSA installed?

Also, I similarly cannot get into Intelligent Provisioning, which is going to make installing Server 2016 interesting.

What's the ILO error? F5 to go into the Array is basically a shortcut to the Intelligent Provisioning, so if that's not working, then F5 won't work either.

Download the latest IP ISO (there's a fairly recent one), and hopefully that will get you all sorted out.

To answer your question, Intelligent Provisioning is how you would do it. If it's not working, then that needs to be fixed.

 

[Quartz]

Download the latest IP ISO (there's a fairly recent one), and hopefully that will get you all sorted out.

I recently applied the SPP2017040.2017_0420.14 ISO.

 

[Deleted member 138126]

I recently applied the SPP2017040.2017_0420.14 ISO.

Not SPP, IP. =)

http://h20565.www2.hpe.com/hpsc/swd/public/readIndex?sp4ts.oid=1008862660&swLangOid=8&swEnvOid=4168

 

[Quartz]

No wonder I couldn't find it: it says Gen9, not Gen8!

 

[Deleted member 138126]

I just googled intelligent provisioning which takes you to the main IP page. Then went to download drivers link off that page, then selected Windows 2012 R2 (the OS is irrelevant as it's a bootable ISO).

 

[Quartz]

I've tried the Intelligent Provisioning and it hasn't helped. I'm now trying this script. It may be worth noting that I don't have - and never have had - a SD card installed.

Edit: this is the result I get:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Hewlett-Packard\HP Lights-Out Configuration Utility>hpqlo
cfg -s 127.0.0.1 -l c:\hpqcfg.log -f force-format.xml -v -u XXX -p XXX

HP Lights-Out Configuration Utility - HPQLOCFG v1.5.0.0 dated 28/9/2015

(c) Hewlett-Packard Company, 2015


Detecting iLO....
Negotiated cipher:256-bit Aes256 with 384-bit Sha384 and 256-bit 44550


Reconnecting to iLO. Please wait...
Negotiated cipher:256-bit Aes256 with 384-bit Sha384 and 256-bit 44550

Negotiated cipher:256-bit Aes256 with 384-bit Sha384 and 256-bit 44550

Negotiated cipher:256-bit Aes256 with 384-bit Sha384 and 256-bit 44550

Negotiated cipher:256-bit Aes256 with 384-bit Sha384 and 256-bit 44550

Negotiated cipher:256-bit Aes256 with 384-bit Sha384 and 256-bit 44550

Negotiated cipher:256-bit Aes256 with 384-bit Sha384 and 256-bit 44550

Negotiated cipher:256-bit Aes256 with 384-bit Sha384 and 256-bit 44550

Negotiated cipher:256-bit Aes256 with 384-bit Sha384 and 256-bit 44550

Negotiated cipher:256-bit Aes256 with 384-bit Sha384 and 256-bit 44550

Negotiated cipher:256-bit Aes256 with 384-bit Sha384 and 256-bit 44550

Negotiated cipher:256-bit Aes256 with 384-bit Sha384 and 256-bit 44550

Negotiated cipher:256-bit Aes256 with 384-bit Sha384 and 256-bit 44550


ERROR: Unable to connect or Detect iLO for: 127.0.0.1
Exception:Unable to read data from the transport connection: An existing connect
ion was forcibly closed by the remote host.

 

[Deleted member 138126]

Ah that’s good to know. The flash they refer to is the built-in flash where it stores the intelligent provisioning image. This xml script will format the flash, then you’ll have to re-flash the intelligent provisioning (by booting from the IP ISO). Let us know how you get on.

 

[Quartz]

I think I've solved it. I needed to use the IP address of the ILO port. Then a normal reboot. After that the error message has gone.

 

[PiKe]

I have one of these with 4tb plus another in the 5.25" bay and a 128gb SSD bolted under that.

I used to use it for unraid before I built a Xeon server at work with unraid on.

Any suggestions on what I can use it for now?

 

[StevieP]

I'm hopefully about to embark on my very first Microserver project and wondered if anyone could give me any pointers to achieve what I'm after?

Basically I'm currently running a Synology DS213 NAS with 2 x 2TB WD Red drives in there that houses my movie library and family photos/videos etc. What's started me thinking about building my own server/NAS is the fact that my particular Synology simply doesn't run Plex anymore (and certainly isn't powerful enough to do any transcoding!) and the kind of pre-built NAS's that can do this are pretty expensive! I'm looking to put a 4TB drive in (or possibly 2 and running in RAID1 in case of a failure) to subsequently replace my existing NAS.

With (very) limited knowledge of anything non-windows I'm quite drawn towards using XPEnology as I'm already familiar with the DSM UI - but one or two other threads have suggested looking at FreeNAS, Unraid, Open Media Vault or even just running a Linux based OS (of which I know pretty much nothing!)

I'm hoping to pick up a 2nd hand Gen8 Microserver that has had the CPU upgraded to a Core i3-3240 and 10GB of RAM - the passmark score for this CPU is coming out at 4309 ad from what I've read Plex needs a passmark of around 2000 in order to stream 1080p content comfortably - so I'm guessing this will be more than sufficient (can't imagine I'll ever need to stream more than one at a time!)

Anyway I've also got a 256GB SSD lying around that I'm hoping I can use to house whatever OS I end up using!

Any tips, info or just plain corrections to what I'm proposing is very welcome!

 

[PiKe]

unRaid is great but if your Synology did everything you needed, just install XPEnology.

 

[StevieP]

I am tempted to just go with XPEnology but can't help bit think I'm missingnout by not at least trying to have a mess around with Linux etc!

 

[Makhaira]

Currently have 4 drives in my N54L but want to get more space. Looks like there's all sort of faffing around required to get another 2 drives in there - what are people's experiences? I could ditch my existing drives and upgrade, but I'm aware that 2nd hand drives have minimal value.
Would have to be a pair of drives if I added to the N54L as I run everything mirrored under xPenology. Suggestions welcomed!

 

[Little_Crow]

<Snip>
Suggestions welcomed!

You feasibly could buy a new Microserver, use one of the NICs to run a crossover cable between them and convert your N54L into an ISCSI target. Essentially turning it into a SAN.
You'll have to decide whether that's a lot more faff than adding 2 extra drives, or a fun project that's worth your time

 

[Makhaira]

Hmm, don't really want a project to be honest! If it came to that I'd sell the whole lot and just go to a NAS with huge drives!

 

[scaryprowler]

Hi all! I'm after some Gen 8 advice please? I've been running with 16GB but the default proc is a bit slow. I dont want to go down the route of adding extra cooling if possible (stick with the 35W) - just something thats going to offer me some bang for buck. I use the system for ESXi (Windows server VMs).

i5 2390t (£50)

i3 3240 (£35)

E3 1220L (seems theres different versions)

Can anyone advise what I'd be best of with please? I'm not much of a hardware guy

Thanks in advance!

 

[StevieP]

I don't have any experience of either the Microserver or any of the CPU's listed but a quick Google would seem to suggest the cheaper i3 gets the best passmark score! (although I'm sure it depends on what you are using it for!)

 

[EssexBoy]

Currently have 4 drives in my N54L but want to get more space. Looks like there's all sort of faffing around required to get another 2 drives in there - what are people's experiences? I could ditch my existing drives and upgrade, but I'm aware that 2nd hand drives have minimal value.
Would have to be a pair of drives if I added to the N54L as I run everything mirrored under xPenology. Suggestions welcomed!

I have six in my 54 and it was not much work.

 

[Makhaira]

How does that work with 4 disk drive ports and one esata please?

 

[scaryprowler]

I don't have any experience of either the Microserver or any of the CPU's listed but a quick Google would seem to suggest the cheaper i3 gets the best passmark score! (although I'm sure it depends on what you are using it for!)

Thank you! Seems there's a "T" variant of that processor that's retains the 35W TDP whilst still giving a nice bump in performance! Cheers