Hi All

Im attempting to get CentOS 4.1 to work on a HP Netserver LPr
This machine is a dual PIII 550 with two SCSI-2 drives.

I have used HP Net raid express to format the two drives - OK
I have not created any logical drives.
and I have checked the integrity of the CD media - OK

I can run the CentOS installer in graphic mode OK
It identified that I have three controllers requiring drivers
specifically:

Intel Ether Express /100 driver (el100)
Symbios53C896 (Sym53c85xx)
LSI MegaRaid Controller (megaraid_mbox)

There are no drivers in the distribution to support
the SCSI controllers.

So when I get to the (X windows) Install disk partition
screen I receive and error dialog advising that there are
no drives in the system to partition.

Question A :

Does any one know where I could get drivers for these
devices ? (I've checked HP - no luck there)

Question B :

Has anyone managed to get a Linux OS to operate on
this hardware using the exisiting installed SCSI controllers ?
(HP site infers that RH 6.2 and 7.0 have been installed
on these machines - but not by HP (?) )

All useful suggestions and advice welcome

All the best

Chris

PS: I've raised tis thread in the Linux hardware forum
because it relates to the NP Netserver LPr installed Raid
and network controllers. Not just to a specific Linux Distro.

Chris

01/12/2005

Update

Hi

First mistake was that I failed to create the logical drives on the
SCSI HDDs. I Configured the drives as RAID 5. A single
logical drive per physical drive.

RH 9.0 SMP works happily on this machine.
So the hardware is OK.

From a bit of surfing on the www I have established that
support for some older SCSI RAID controllers was dropped
in the step from RE3 to the next version.

The release notes for Centos 4.2 advise that there have been
modifications to the megaraid_mbox driver.

So I will attempt an install of Centos 4.2 on this machine
and see of that works.

I will post the results.

Regards

Chris

7th December 2005

A brief update on the pursuit

Hi All

A trial install of CentOS 4.2 is pending.

I have tried an install of Debian 3.1 (Sarge)
and I have had the same problem. The installer
does not recognise the presence of the SCSI
HDDs attached to the Netraid controller.

The Installer reaches the partition disks
stage and since it cannot find any HDDs
the installation cannot proceed.

I have received word that FC3 may work
a trial install of FC3 has been scheduled.

So far I have been able to install RH 9
accessing the SCSI drives.

The pursuit continues ....

Chris

Just tried a RHEL/CentOS 4.2 install on an lPR (with NetRaid) here. No disks found as per usual.

19th December 2005

OK - No good news
Summary of installations for HP Netserver LPr Dual PIII

Red Hat 9 SMP - OK
CentOS 4.0 - Installer does not see SCSI disks on HP NetRADI 4M controller
CentOS 4.2 - Ditto
Fedora Core 3 - Ditto
Debian 3.1 (Sarge) - Ditto
Slackware 10.1 - Ditto

Problem appears to be with megaraid_mbox not having support
for HP NetRAID 4M SCSI controller

Any useful suggestions ?

Anyone got this to work ?

Best regards

Chris

11th January 2006

Live issue.

Still looking for help

Chris

27th February 2006

I'm still looking for assistance.

I'm following some advice and am planning to install FedoraTest5.2
to investigate the problem further.

Any wise and useful advice ?

Regards

Chris

I'm afraid I gave up, put windows on it and found another machine for the Linux host

(closest I can come to wise words on the subject, I suspect the Linux universe has thoroughly abandoned this hardware)

I am having the same problem i just bought a hp netserver lpr and am trying to install centos 4.2/bluequartz on it and am having the same issues. I would please like some help.

The cause of the problem seems to lie in megaraid_mbox.

HP NetRAID 4M SCSI Controller support is not present.

Looks like I'm going to have to resort to using RH 9
for the rest of this server's lifespan.

Shame really.

2009/04/24

Conclusion

After a lot of mucking about, and researching it appears that support for the RAID controller in question (HP NetRAID 4M SCSI) and similar controllers has been dropped.

Shame really.
especially considering how many of these machines are out there as hobby platforms. (HP made enormous number of them).

In the end I decided to leave these servers running Red Hat 9.
Given their age and the capacity of the SCSI HDDs I am using these machines will probably run in this configuration until their eventual retirement to the scrap yard.

Chris