Array controller failed. Any hope?

[Ram_Sevak at Dell.com]

Going by the messages dumped by the card firmware, it looks like the BIOS didn't hook INT13 to the boot HDD. This can be a BIOS/controller firmware problem and I think not related to the OS. Though it may sound clichéd but may be flashing the card firmware, BIOS (even if they are of the same version!), checking the cabling from card to disks and ensuring that ROMB is placed on the card might help.

Thanks
Ram


-----Original Message-----
From: linux-poweredge-bounces at dell.com [mailto:linux-poweredge-bounces at dell.com] On Behalf Of Zembower, Kevin
Sent: Friday, June 27, 2008 9:33 PM
To: linux-poweredge-Lists
Subject: Array controller failed. Any hope?

I just tried to reboot my Dell PE 2450, service tag 3DKF30B (I know, I
know. 8 year old server. Should have been retired...) after a kernel
update. I noticed that it didn't go down all the way. The last messages
I remember from the console were "All processes killed", "Preparing to
power down" and "Trying to sync RAID devices." That last message stayed
on the screen for 10 minutes without any disk activity lights, so I
thought it was either hung, or that this server doesn't power-off
correctly.

After 10 minutes, I turned the power off and tried to restart it. It
stalls on the first page of power-on diagnostics with:
  Waiting for Array Controller #0 to start...
  Fatal Error: Controller monitor failed
  Array Controller not started.
  Press any key to continue.

Pressing any key shows:
  <Ctrl><A> Disabled
  BIOS not installed
  Adaptec AIC-7899 ...
  No Boot device available.

I've reseated all the boards and cables, but no joy. Can anyone suggest
what else I might try? I don't think that this is related to the kernel
upgrade, because it never even loads anything off of the hard disk.

I'm going to place a call to Dell technical support next. They've been
kind to me before talking to me about problems on servers that are out
of warrantee (yeah, yeah, this isn't the first time something like this
has happened to me with an old server). Anything else I should try?

And can you believe it, it's the day before I go on vacation out of
state for 8 days. Somebody hates me...

Thanks for any advice or suggestions.

-Kevin 


Kevin Zembower
Internet Services Group manager
Center for Communication Programs
Bloomberg School of Public Health
Johns Hopkins University
111 Market Place, Suite 310
Baltimore, Maryland  21202
410-659-6139 


_______________________________________________
Linux-PowerEdge mailing list
Linux-PowerEdge at dell.com
http://lists.us.dell.com/mailman/listinfo/linux-poweredge
Please read the FAQ at http://lists.us.dell.com/faq