Boot into the boot manager via F11. You should be able to change the HDD boot order from there. I'm not sure why the system is booting from HDD 1 instead of HDD 0 by default.
Nice thought but not a solution. When I use F11 immediately after an installation, the default shows as the first disk (both are the same model so I'm going by the position in the list). But selecting that one results in the same failure. Using F11 and selecting the second disk causes a successful boot.
However, the machine does not remember that. Subsequent boots also fail unless I use F11 and select the second disk every time. The only permanent solution, so far, is the double boot after setup that I described above.
Nice thought but not a solution. When I use F11 immediately after an installation, the default shows as the first disk (both are the same model so I'm going by the position in the list). But selecting that one results in the same failure. Using F11 and selecting the second disk causes a successful boot.
It does not appear that the system is having issues or is improperly booting to the second drive. It sounds like the operating system is being installed to the second drive.
Based on the information you have provided I don't see a problem with the server. I would suggest that you troubleshoot your installation procedure to get the OS installed on disk 0. The drive enumeration within the operating system may be different than how the drives are enumerated on the controller.
"It does not appear that the system is having issues or is improperly booting to the second drive. It sounds like the operating system is being installed to the second drive."
That thought occurred to me. However, please recall the workaround procedure I described above. When I tell the BIOS to ignore the second disk, the machine boots. Therefore, the OS must be on the first disk. The boot fails because it can't find everything needed (some is on the second disk), but it starts and gets a long way. Before I disable the second disk (SATA port B in the BIOS), the machine won't boot at all.
When I tell the BIOS to ignore the second disk, the machine boots.
Maybe my reading comprehension is not functioning correctly today, or you might have written it incorrectly. It is my understanding that the system boots fine from the SECOND disk in the boot list; which means that you are installing the OS to the second disk.
Using F11 and selecting the second disk causes a successful boot.
Apparently I need a primer on disk numbering. I would assume that SATA port A would be connected to disk #1, port B to disk #2. I would also assume that the F11 display would show the disks in that order, with the one attached to port A on top. But since my two disks are the same model, its not easy to be sure.
I agree that the results are contradictory. The machine boots properly when the lower disk in the F11 display is selected. It also boots properly (almost) when SATA port B is disabled.
It does appear that there is some confusion on disk numbering and it may well be that the OS installation has interpreted the numbering incorrectly. But I know that it is simply going by what the BIOS tells it are the first and second disks.
In response to your previous post please refer to my earlier post:
Based on the information you have provided I don't see a problem with the server. I would suggest that you troubleshoot your installation procedure to get the OS installed on disk 0. The drive enumeration within the operating system may be different than how the drives are enumerated on the controller.
The enumeration is handled by the operating system.
The enumeration /may be/ handled by the OS, but that does not explain the contradictory results in the BIOS. My questions, implied above, are: How is it possible that the BIOS causes the boot to work when the lower entry in the F11 display is selected but also causes the boot to work when SATA port B is disabled? What is the relationship of SATA ports to the BIOS representation? Which of these two results does the BIOS give to the OS so that the OS can perform enumeration?
How is it possible that the BIOS causes the boot to work when the lower entry in the F11 display is selected but also causes the boot to work when SATA port B is disabled?
I don't know.
The F11 list does not correspond to the physical enumeration. The F11 one time boot menu is listed by device boot order. If you are choosing the second SATA device in the list to boot successfully then the boot loader is not installed properly on the first boot device.
The functionality of the server at this level is extremely basic. All you have to do to check the boot order of the SATA devices is to review the system BIOS settings. You should be able to review the SATA boot order by going to boot settings>Set Legacy HardDisk Drive Order. The drives should be listed as #00, #01, etc. 00 would correspond with slot A.
Either the boot order is not set to default or there is an issue with how the OS is being installed. Our PERC controllers will enumerate according to the physical installation in supported Linux distros. I do not believe the SATA chipset controller supports this feature.
Ah, you meant "Boot Settings" under F11. Yes, I have that screen. But please recall that my two disks are the same model. There is nothing here that helps me know what is going on.
This is an R210 II, BIOS version 2.7.0. There is no such option in the BIOS menu. Under "Boot Settings", the only two lines are, "Boot Mode" (BIOS) and "Boot Sequence Retry" (Disabled). I have been unable to find anything in the BIOS to control the boot order. Only disabling port B seems to have an effect.
Once I use the procedure described in the first post above, disabling port B, booting, re-enabling it, and booting again, the problem is permanently fixed for that machine. I can't try anything new until the next machine arrives. I've seen the issue on three machines thus far so I'm confident it will happen on future ones as well. But I can't say when I'll be asked to install the next one.
When I get the chance, I'll check F11 before installation and again immediately after. I'll let you know if anything changes.
I can see no way to change the SATA boot order, but it shows that it is trying the SATA ports in order SATA A, B, C, etc.
You can verify your boot order with your next system by disconnecting the HDDs. When the system is booting up it will list the SATA devices in order of attempt.
I still think this is an issue with the software RAID(LVM), and how it is placing the boot loader across the drives. I'm not very familiar with LVMs, but I would suggest reading up on issues encountered with LVMs. I would also check issues with MBR/UEFI BIOS modes.
I would suggest ruling out the LVM issue by performing a normal non-scripted installation without using LVM to see if it will boot properly that way. I highly doubt this is an issue with the boot order because if the boot order was wrong it would just go to the next device in the list.
I'll do some elaborate tests on the next system and reply then. Thanks.
FYI, LVM is the Linux Volume Manager. It's not RAID, just a way to allow a single filesystem to span multiple physical disks. In this case, it is used for the user data filesystem but not for the root filesystem nor for the boot sector. Both of those are recorded only on a single, presumably the first, disk.
Daniel My
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October 4th, 2014 15:00
Hello
Boot into the boot manager via F11. You should be able to change the HDD boot order from there. I'm not sure why the system is booting from HDD 1 instead of HDD 0 by default.
Thanks
compata
14 Posts
0
October 9th, 2014 16:00
Nice thought but not a solution. When I use F11 immediately after an installation, the default shows as the first disk (both are the same model so I'm going by the position in the list). But selecting that one results in the same failure. Using F11 and selecting the second disk causes a successful boot.
However, the machine does not remember that. Subsequent boots also fail unless I use F11 and select the second disk every time. The only permanent solution, so far, is the double boot after setup that I described above.
Daniel My
10 Elder
•
6.2K Posts
0
October 9th, 2014 16:00
It does not appear that the system is having issues or is improperly booting to the second drive. It sounds like the operating system is being installed to the second drive.
Based on the information you have provided I don't see a problem with the server. I would suggest that you troubleshoot your installation procedure to get the OS installed on disk 0. The drive enumeration within the operating system may be different than how the drives are enumerated on the controller.
Thanks
compata
14 Posts
0
October 9th, 2014 19:00
"It does not appear that the system is having issues or is improperly booting to the second drive. It sounds like the operating system is being installed to the second drive."
That thought occurred to me. However, please recall the workaround procedure I described above. When I tell the BIOS to ignore the second disk, the machine boots. Therefore, the OS must be on the first disk. The boot fails because it can't find everything needed (some is on the second disk), but it starts and gets a long way. Before I disable the second disk (SATA port B in the BIOS), the machine won't boot at all.
Daniel My
10 Elder
•
6.2K Posts
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October 10th, 2014 09:00
Maybe my reading comprehension is not functioning correctly today, or you might have written it incorrectly. It is my understanding that the system boots fine from the SECOND disk in the boot list; which means that you are installing the OS to the second disk.
compata
14 Posts
0
October 10th, 2014 11:00
Apparently I need a primer on disk numbering. I would assume that SATA port A would be connected to disk #1, port B to disk #2. I would also assume that the F11 display would show the disks in that order, with the one attached to port A on top. But since my two disks are the same model, its not easy to be sure.
I agree that the results are contradictory. The machine boots properly when the lower disk in the F11 display is selected. It also boots properly (almost) when SATA port B is disabled.
It does appear that there is some confusion on disk numbering and it may well be that the OS installation has interpreted the numbering incorrectly. But I know that it is simply going by what the BIOS tells it are the first and second disks.
compata
14 Posts
0
October 20th, 2014 15:00
A response would be appreciated.
Daniel My
10 Elder
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6.2K Posts
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October 22nd, 2014 06:00
Please specify what your question was.
In response to your previous post please refer to my earlier post:
The enumeration is handled by the operating system.
Thanks
compata
14 Posts
0
October 22nd, 2014 12:00
The enumeration /may be/ handled by the OS, but that does not explain the contradictory results in the BIOS. My questions, implied above, are: How is it possible that the BIOS causes the boot to work when the lower entry in the F11 display is selected but also causes the boot to work when SATA port B is disabled? What is the relationship of SATA ports to the BIOS representation? Which of these two results does the BIOS give to the OS so that the OS can perform enumeration?
Daniel My
10 Elder
•
6.2K Posts
0
October 22nd, 2014 16:00
I don't know.
The F11 list does not correspond to the physical enumeration. The F11 one time boot menu is listed by device boot order. If you are choosing the second SATA device in the list to boot successfully then the boot loader is not installed properly on the first boot device.
The functionality of the server at this level is extremely basic. All you have to do to check the boot order of the SATA devices is to review the system BIOS settings. You should be able to review the SATA boot order by going to boot settings>Set Legacy HardDisk Drive Order. The drives should be listed as #00, #01, etc. 00 would correspond with slot A.
Either the boot order is not set to default or there is an issue with how the OS is being installed. Our PERC controllers will enumerate according to the physical installation in supported Linux distros. I do not believe the SATA chipset controller supports this feature.
compata
14 Posts
0
October 23rd, 2014 17:00
Ah, you meant "Boot Settings" under F11. Yes, I have that screen. But please recall that my two disks are the same model. There is nothing here that helps me know what is going on.
compata
14 Posts
0
October 23rd, 2014 17:00
boot settings>Set Legacy HardDisk Drive Order.
This is an R210 II, BIOS version 2.7.0. There is no such option in the BIOS menu. Under "Boot Settings", the only two lines are, "Boot Mode" (BIOS) and "Boot Sequence Retry" (Disabled). I have been unable to find anything in the BIOS to control the boot order. Only disabling port B seems to have an effect.
compata
14 Posts
0
October 23rd, 2014 17:00
Once I use the procedure described in the first post above, disabling port B, booting, re-enabling it, and booting again, the problem is permanently fixed for that machine. I can't try anything new until the next machine arrives. I've seen the issue on three machines thus far so I'm confident it will happen on future ones as well. But I can't say when I'll be asked to install the next one.
When I get the chance, I'll check F11 before installation and again immediately after. I'll let you know if anything changes.
Daniel My
10 Elder
•
6.2K Posts
0
October 24th, 2014 10:00
I just checked an R210 II with BIOS 2.8
I can see no way to change the SATA boot order, but it shows that it is trying the SATA ports in order SATA A, B, C, etc.
You can verify your boot order with your next system by disconnecting the HDDs. When the system is booting up it will list the SATA devices in order of attempt.
I still think this is an issue with the software RAID(LVM), and how it is placing the boot loader across the drives. I'm not very familiar with LVMs, but I would suggest reading up on issues encountered with LVMs. I would also check issues with MBR/UEFI BIOS modes.
I would suggest ruling out the LVM issue by performing a normal non-scripted installation without using LVM to see if it will boot properly that way. I highly doubt this is an issue with the boot order because if the boot order was wrong it would just go to the next device in the list.
Thanks
compata
14 Posts
0
October 24th, 2014 11:00
I'll do some elaborate tests on the next system and reply then. Thanks.
FYI, LVM is the Linux Volume Manager. It's not RAID, just a way to allow a single filesystem to span multiple physical disks. In this case, it is used for the user data filesystem but not for the root filesystem nor for the boot sector. Both of those are recorded only on a single, presumably the first, disk.