XML Parser Error - OpenManage Server Administrator

jwm_tn,

Would you confirm a couple thigns for me. Specifically how many drives are installed, the raid controller being used, as well as if the server is up to date on BIOS, iDrac, and the raid controller? 

Let me know.

May have just found solution

Need to update firmware of these drives.

[EDITED]

My issue appears similar to https://www.dell.com/community/PowerEdge-Hardware-General/PowerEdge-R710-There-are-no-physical-disks-on-this-controller/td-p/7431668

but not exactly.

Found another in Chinese but Chrome translated https://www.dell.com/community/PowerEdge%E6%9C%8D%E5%8A%A1%E5%99%A8%E8%AE%A8%E8%AE%BA%E5%8C%BA/Dell-omsa/td-p/5969054 - appears to be almost the same issue.

Chris,

10 drives currently installed, 8 installed by Dell when server originally purchased in slots 0-7 and was attempting to put 8 more in - brand new, Dell drives same size, speed, model, etc. as the first 8 - bought from Amazon but they are Dell brand, new & sealed in anti-static bags.

My first thought was these things aren't new or foreign drives but no signs of any prior use and they look brand new. Installed the first drive then attempted to view the 1st drive in OMSA after inserting and this issue popped up...inserted the 2nd drive in slot 9 and still same issue. Both drives seated just fine and green lights. Honestly don't know if I've ever attempted to view physical disks in OMSA on this particular server before so can't say definitely if this issue just popped up with the new drives.  Have 3 other PowerEdge servers in use and no issues on them - all different models. 

BIOS 2.0.3 - release date 03/16/2016

RAID controller PERC H730P, firmware 25.4.0.0017, driver 6.603.07.00, storport 6.3.9600.18833

iDRAC8 2.30.30.30 (Build 50)

I don't recall updating any drivers or firmware after initial setup...typically rely on OMSA to notify me via e-mail when a driver is out of date via the Alert Management & execute an application that calls a script.  My next step was to make sure everything's up-to-date but this is a heavily used, production server 24/7 so my windows of downtime have to be scheduled & after hours. 

Here's the final few lines of output from omreport:

=========================

Entity: line 452: parser error : xmlParseCharRef: invalid xmlChar value 0
11S00FJ020Y4TKW7M0LH&#-1;&#-1;&#-1;&#-1;
^
Entity: line 452: parser error : CharRef: invalid decimal value
11S00FJ020Y4TKW7M0LH&#-1;&#-1;&#-1;&#-1;
^
Entity: line 452: parser error : xmlParseCharRef: invalid xmlChar value 0
11S00FJ020Y4TKW7M0LH&#-1;&#-1;&#-1;&#-1;
^
Error! XML Transformation failed

===========================

FYI, the caret symbol ^ lines up underneath the - after &# but not always the first one.  Included a screenshot.

Just seems like an XML formatting issue but I'm no expert on XML parsing.  I'm hoping it's something simple like I need to install some prerequisite - the RunPreReqChecks.exe /s doesn't seem to do anything, no .htm file in %temp% is generated.

Thanks for your help!

I'm going to say, "This one's on Dell!"  This is simply invalid characters coming from the hard drives that the XML parser can't handle - this issue was known in 2011 according to the screenshot from my last reply. I'm guessing "Vaibhav_Kumar () dell ! com" is/was a Dell tech since he had an @Anonymous.com address, he mentioned it was known issue and it was fixed back then by a HDD firmware update.  Yet it appears it was re-introduced in 2015/2016 in whatever firmware version my drives currently have that I'm now forced to schedule downtime + after hours work to hopefully resolve with another firmware update.

Apparently, this could easily be fixed if whoever wrote the code in OMSA would call a function so the XML parser replaces or strips out invalid characters.

Here's another thread I found back in 2012 - notice the screenshot from Alex has the exact same issue:

https://www.dell.com/community/PowerEdge-HDD-SCSI-RAID/Need-to-replace-drive-but-OpenManage-not-allowing-failing-drive/td-p/3883189

It is what it is...not cool Dell!

---

jwm_tn

Providing final update in case anyone else has this issue and hopefully Dell will pay attention as this seems like such an easy fix.  The firmware already loaded on these drives was version VT33 the latest available so I tried rolling back to VT32 & VT31.  Same issue.  Also tried in an older PowerEdge 2900 - same issue.

I may be wrong but I really believe these drives would work fine if Dell would just update the code in OMSA to fix the XML parser issue!  The firmware updates recognized the drives just fine.  The controller utility during P.O.S.T. worked too - I probably could create the RAID arrays in it and use the drives but without them being recognized in OMSA, I can't.  We depend on OMSA to notify us via e-mail in the Alerts if any issues such as a drive going bad - it's part of our BC and policy for SOC audits.  If I had the programming knowledge for XML, I'd just modify Dell's code in OMSA to fix but I don't have the time to learn or research to fix.

Luckily, the supplier on Amazon has provided an RMA...ordered the same drives from a different supplier yesterday - hope these work!