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I’ve just installed a perfect-running HP Smart Array P212 in my server. It comes with 2.72 firmware version.

My server runs vmware ESXi 6.0 and, after perform a firmware update to 6.64 version as explained in this link.

I perform the installation process correctly, bur after it the system asks to perform a reboot. I went out from ESXi shell and reboot the server.

But after it the system shows the message:

HP Smart Array P212 Controller Initializing... +x+ (the rotation mark)

And then it halts. Doesn’t proceed with the booting process.

I am disappointed, because we have some important data in the RAID disks.

I checked if it has the same behaviour with and without disks attached to the board, and it doesn`t change anything.

The status LED's don't show any error, with the heartbeat running ok and low CPU load (<25%).

When I remove the board from the server, it performs the boot normally.

Please someone help me what can I do to bring the RAID array back without losing data.

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  • Is that HP server? I had same issue several times with non-HP servers, but all these systems are booting after 10 mins.
    – GioMac
    Dec 11, 2015 at 5:00
  • The second link you mentioned lists ESXi 5.0 but not 6.0. Is that an issue? Presumeably, you can create a livecd of some sort [rolled back to an earlier vmware version that is known to work] to see if the raid data is still okay. Power cycle [as mentioned] is a good idea [mere reboot not always as good]. If it's vmware, can you try this without vmware (e.g. redhat, fedora, ubuntu livecd) to verify raid independently of vmware. If any livecd gives you access, you can use it to create a backup before further experimentation. Did vmware ever work against the raid controller? Dec 11, 2015 at 6:12
  • @CraigEstey, in the hpe page there are only the firmware update for 5.0, but it works in 6.0 too. The 5.5 and 6.0 versions of vmware are recent, but the linux shell of vmware is the same.
    – fzamin
    Dec 11, 2015 at 13:07
  • Can you access controller/disks using linux without vmware (e.g. redhat, centos, fedora, ubuntu)? A livecd install boot with shell should mount on /mnt/sysimage [does not write to array]. Next: Do this with raid conroller removed: Add spare disk to ordinary sata port. Install a system (regular linux distro or downgrade vmware--vmware new rev make be broken). That is now root filesystem. Add back raid as secondary disk(s). Take backup! Now you can afford to experiment. ordinary linux [distro] may work where new vmware doesn't. this would point finger at vmware new rev. Dec 11, 2015 at 19:49

1 Answer 1

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Please power the server off - Disconnect power. Then power it back on.

See if the system boots.

Also check your system's ILO/IML logs from the ILO interface.

Also, the HP Smart Array P212 isn't a standard issue RAID controller in most systems. Are you using an HP server? Please clarify.

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  • Thank you by your attention. The power cycling (off / disconnect power / on) was already done and don't solve. The initialization message are shown and, after the logical disk detection the screen goes blank and the system halts. Regarding the compatibility, before the firmware update the board was working very well, without any issues. We bought all parts from HP to build a non-standard server, but I think that is a firmware-related issue, not a compatibility question. Thank you again by your help.
    – fzamin
    Dec 11, 2015 at 13:04
  • @fzamin Is this an HP server?
    – ewwhite
    Dec 11, 2015 at 13:06
  • We just bought the controller to a non-standard server. As I mentioned before, I think that it isn't a compatibility issue, but firmware issue, because the board was working before the update.
    – fzamin
    Dec 11, 2015 at 13:12

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