HP Proliant Microserver N40L - Upgrade to 11.2 Beta 1 and 2 Fails

[Tony Self]

I have been running 11.1 on my HP ProLiant Microserver N40L for sometime to test out the new OS before upgrading my production server (HP ProLiant Microserver Gen8 running 9.10.2-U6).

I have tried upgrading to both 11.2 Beta 1 and Beta 2, but each time after apparently a successful upgrade, at reboot the boot loader is failing to find the kernel.

If I try and brand new install all I get is a white screen with a cursor flashing at the top.

I have no problem reinstalling 11.1-U5.

Is there something about the 11.2 installation that doesn't like my old HP N40L?

 

[dlavigne]

Please create a report at bugs.freenas.org and post the issue number here.

 

[Tony Self]

Thanks for the response. I will go through the upgrade process again tomorrow so I can make sure I can document exactly what happens. Is there anything you need to see from the 11.1-U5 configuration before I start the upgrade again?


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[dlavigne]

Nope. The debug will capture the hardware info and any errors in the update process.

 

[Tony Self]

Nope. The debug will capture the hardware info and any errors in the update process.

As I can't get into the UI after attempting the upgrade how am I able to provide a debug report?

 

[dlavigne]

Can you reboot back into your U5 instance from the boot menu?

 

[Tony Self]

Sorry for the delay in responding to this. I had been sidetracked on other stuff, but today I got back to trying the upgrade again. Here is how it went (As far as I am aware this is exactly what happened the previous two times, it's just that I took a much closer look at what was going on this time).

1. Went to System/Update and selected the 11.2 STABLE train.
2. Clicked Check Now
3. The system found the update and I clicked to proceed with the checkbox to install after downloading completed checked.
4. The update downloaded and performed the update and subsequently rebooted the system

5. Following the reboot the usual GRUB screen was displayed

6. Followed by "Booting 'Normal Bootup'"
7. Booting then proceeded. I have attached a few pictures of the key moments during the boot process.

8. The following image is the last screen before the system rebooted again. I don't know whether this is normal.

9. Following the reboot a screen appeared containing a "-" with a flashing cursor underneath.
10. After about a minute the "-" changed to a "\". This remained on screen for a further 15 minutes before the final screen appears.

11. This appears to be trying to boot from my main ZFS volume called "tank".
12. Unfortunately, I can not get back to 11.1-U5 on this boot disk, so I can't access any logs.

What should my next steps be?

Tony Self

 

[dlavigne]

Two things may have happened here:

1. the boot device died. Does installing to a new boot device result in a bootable system?

2. the update was interrupted and was incomplete. If you naviagate to the "Boot environment menu" in that 2nd screen, which environments are available?

I suspect #2 is the more likely cause as it's still showing the grub screen and 11.2 uses the bsd boot loader instead of grub.

 

[Tony Self]

Getting frustrated trying to get back to 11.1-U5. Going to leave it a while and come back with a fresh mind

 

[diskdiddler]

Tony, not sure what went wrong, sorry to hear it.

I can tell you as a Microserver owner, Beta 1 and 2 worked for me, I can also tell you, of late, the update process takes a VERY long time to boot. In my case I think it's at least 20 to 30 minutes. I just let it 'sit there' and it eventually comes up.


It might be worth 'burning' a new USB key of the OS and just booting from that, I (would like to think) you'll end up seeing the GUI working at least, confirming 11.2 is compatible with the N40 series.
(The N54 I have is barely any different)

 

[Tony Self]

I got 11.1-U5 up and running again and have now tried trying to install 11.2-Beta2 from a brand new Sandisk Ultra Fit 32GB USB 3.0 Flash Drive.
All I get is a grey screen with a white cursor flashing in the top left hand corner. It's been sitting there with no changed for over 45 minutes now. There appears to be a lot of network activity, but not much else going on.

Has anybody else had any luck installing 11.2 on a HP Proliant Microserver N40L?

 

[diskdiddler]

https://forums.freenas.org/index.php?threads/10gbe-maximizing-performace.69425/

Working for this guy.

 

[Tony Self]

I am completely puzzled by this. The USB flash drive I am booting from displays “BTX version is 1.02” on the screen when I try to boot it on my old Windows laptop, but on my N40L I just get a blank white screen.
I have only got 8GB of memory, where the guy you quoted has got 16GB. I can’t think what it doesn’t like about my setup.


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[KrisBee]

I am completely puzzled by this. The USB flash drive I am booting from displays “BTX version is 1.02” on the screen when I try to boot it on my old Windows laptop, but on my N40L I just get a blank white screen.
I have only got 8GB of memory, where the guy you quoted has got 16GB. I can’t think what it doesn’t like about my setup.


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BIOS settings/version? The "other guy" is using 5 HDDs. Don't you need modded firmware to do that with a N40L?

It would be interesting to know if a FreeBSD release 11.2 LiveCD boots in your N40L

 

[Tony Self]

BIOS settings/version? The "other guy" is using 5 HDDs. Don't you need modded firmware to do that with a N40L?

It would be interesting to know if a FreeBSD release 11.2 LiveCD boots in your N40L

I presume you mean using a brand new install, rather than upgrading from the previous version.

Yes, that's what I am doing. Brand new Sandisk Ultra Fit 32GB Flash drive flashed with the 11.2-Beta2 image using Etcher on my MacBook Pro. And this is not the first flash drive I have tried.

And I have tried the upgrade path from 11.1-U5 three times as well to no avail.

I can't see it being the BIOS settings/version. It happily boots into 11.1-U5 without any issue.

Have there been any major changes to the hardware prerequisites for 11.2?

 

[KrisBee]

I presume you mean using a brand new install, rather than upgrading from the previous version.

Yes, that's what I am doing. Brand new Sandisk Ultra Fit 32GB Flash drive flashed with the 11.2-Beta2 image using Etcher on my MacBook Pro. And this is not the first flash drive I have tried.

And I have tried the upgrade path from 11.1-U5 three times as well to no avail.

I can't see it being the BIOS settings/version. It happily boots into 11.1-U5 without any issue.

Have there been any major changes to the hardware prerequisites for 11.2?

I'm suggesting using a FreeBSD release 11.2 LiveCD, or its USB equivalent, so you at least know the 11.2 base boots on your hardware. Or, you could try to boot from a fresh install of Fn11.2 Beta2 on USB with no data drives in the N40L

 

[Tony Self]

I'm suggesting using a FreeBSD release 11.2 LiveCD, or its USB equivalent, so you at least know the 11.2 base boots on your hardware. Or, you could try to boot from a fresh install of Fn11.2 Beta2 on USB with no data drives in the N40L

Sorry for the delay. I have put together a FreeBSD release 11.2 LiveCD and managed to boot my HP N40L without a problem

I thought as I had successfully upgraded my 11.1 to the U6 build, that I would give another go at trying to upgrade to the 11.2 train.
However again it failed with exactly the same error I got previously.

I am a bit puzzled as to why the error messages are talking about failing to find the /boot/kernel/kernal on my tank volume, which is my main ZFS volume. Surely it should be looking for the boot/kernal on the USB boot drive.

Is their something I can try from the boot: prompt ?

 

[lotsofdan]

Just to add to this thread. I have a N40L microserver with 8GB RAM and I am experiencing the exact same issues as Tony. I downloaded 11.2 for a clean install and was met with a grey screen with flashing cursor in the top left. I confirmed checksum, i tried multiple usb drives to no avail. Tony's response regarding 11.1-U5 was equally valid and after downloading that I am successfully up and running. Definitely something amiss.

 

[KrisBee]

Time to report a bug? @lotsofdan Out of interest, what happens if you boot your N40L with your clean installed 11.2 after first removing any data drives.

 

[Tony Self]

I am glad it’s not just me (@lotsofdan).

I will try that now


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