Installation stops after a few seconds on a Microserver Gen10

[Chris W.]

Hello

I try to install FreeNAS 11 on a new HPE MicroServer Gen10.
The installations starts but after a few seconds it hangs. On my ML30 Gen9 there are no problems about this
The error is pci/pcib0 ACPI error 0x10.

Hardware:
- HPE Microserver Gen10
- CPU: Opteron X3421 soc
- RAM: 16 GB ECC
- Disk: 1 TB
- Installation media: usb
- System media: usb

Regards
Christian

 

[dlavigne]

What utility did you use to write the installation image?

 

[Chris W.]

I write the usb stick with

Code:

sudo dd if=FreeNAS-11.0-U2.iso of=/dev/rdisk3 bs=64k

on macOS 11

 

[Rafal Lukawiecki]

I think I have the same problem. I am unable to install/run FreeNAS 11.0 or FreeBSD 11.1 on my brand-new HPE MicroServer Gen10 containing an AMD Opteron X3421 with 16GB RAM (see specs). When installing either FreeBSD or FreeNAS the installer hangs just after it prints:

pci0: <ACPI PCI bus> on pcib0

Here is a literal screenshot of the VGA output:



I think this is caused by a problem with FreeBSD, as I get exactly the same issue when I try installing FreeBSD 11.1. I have created a thread on the FreeBSD forum with more details:

https://forums.freebsd.org/threads/61936/

I have spent some 6 hours on it and I have tried many alternative BIOS options: with UEFI and with legacy boot, with/without RAM bank interleaving, with/without RAM channel interleaving, and with forcing a specific memory clock as well as leaving that on auto, with/without CPU CPB, C6, and STAPM mode options, with/without PCI above 4G decoding mode, with/without UEFI networking, with/without USB XHCI and EHCI handoff options.

I have also tried installing using different USB sticks and I have checked the integrity of the installer images. I have also tried moving an already-installed FreeNAS/FreeBSD to this machine, and it also hangs at exactly the same place during the boot.

I would be grateful if anyone has any suggestions how to troubleshoot this.

 

[Chris W.]

Hi Rafel

Thanks, yes it is the same problem.
I tried also everything like legacy BIOS, different usb sticks, and so on.
The result is always the same, starting the installer stops at pci0 error.
For me looks like a problem with the new north and south bridges of the Opteron SOC.

 

[Rafal Lukawiecki]

Hi Rafel

Thanks, yes it is the same problem.
I tried also everything like legacy BIOS, different usb sticks, and so on.
The result is always the same, starting the installer stops at pci0 error.
For me looks like a problem with the new north and south bridges of the Opteron SOC.

Thank you, Chris. Have you updated the MicroServer Gen10 BIOS System ROM to version ZA10A290 released 23 Jun 2017? It is on hpe.com support site (http://h20566.www2.hpe.com/hpsc/swd/public/readIndex?sp4ts.oid=1009955119&swLangOid=8&swEnvOid=4237)

I am still waiting for my HPE account to be linked to the warranty on this server because they do not let you download BIOS without it. However, I am curious if you have already done that. Thank you.

 

[Rafal Lukawiecki]

I have just updated the BIOS on the HPE MicroServer Gen10 to the current one (HPE do not make getting that file easy). I am sorry to report that even with BIOS version ZA10A290 the above issue does not go away.

I have also logged it as a bug on FreeBSD Bugzilla, though I am not sure what effect this may have:

https://bugs.freebsd.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=221350

Unless I hear otherwise, I will be returning the server to the vendor and either replace with Gen8 E3 or a custom build based on a SuperMicro.

 

[pschatz100]

I am not an expert on Opterons, but I know of several software packages that don't run on them. Generally, hardware support for FreeBSD is less extensive than Linux, so I could well believe that it is an incompatibility between FreeBSD and Opteron.

 

[Arwen]

That's a shame about the AMD Opteron X3421. But that server has one additional wrinkle. Marvell SATA controllers tend to be less well supported on FreeBSD than MS-Windows.

Code:

Storage Controller - Embedded Marvell 88SE9230 PCIe to SATA 6Gb/s Controller
NOTE: Supports RAID 0/1/10 only. No FBWC support.

The hard drive mounting looks cute. Simply install special screws and no disk caddy needed. Less space that standard caddyless designs.

 

[Evertb1]

The hard drive mounting looks cute. Simply install special screws and no disk caddy needed. Less space that standard caddyless designs.

They haven't forgotten their Compaq legacy. Those screws remind me of the way drives were fastened in some of the old Compaq cases. :)

 

[Rafal Lukawiecki]

The hard drive mounting looks cute. Simply install special screws and no disk caddy needed. Less space that standard caddyless designs.

Indeed, in terms of the look and functionality of the HPE MicroServer case it fits my needs—and it has for a long time, since the N36L almost a decade ago. If you see my other thread where I am asking for hw recommendations (https://forums.freenas.org/index.php?threads/case-board-choice.56886) I hope to find a similar case in a SuperMicro SC721TQ-250B or a U-NAS NSC410, though the HDD fitting is not as elegant as in HPE. In any case, thank you for your comments.

 

[Chris W.]

I am very satisfied with the ML30 Gen9 with 6 TB disks, it works wonderful with some vm's. That's all what we need in our office.
I am not really fine with the Supermicro environment like the SC721, IXSystem does well with replacing the drive cage. I looked a while after a home server equipment and the Microserver Gen10 fits, is quiet and looks very well in my shelf with the PS1808 switch.
U-NAS NSC410 is not available in Germany, so my only problem is to run FreeNAS on this system. I prefer to keep my home free from MS Windows!

 

[Rafal Lukawiecki]

I am very satisfied with the ML30 Gen9 with 6 TB disks, it works wonderful with some vm's. That's all what we need in our office.
I am not really fine with the Supermicro environment like the SC721, IXSystem does well with replacing the drive cage. I looked a while after a home server equipment and the Microserver Gen10 fits, is quiet and looks very well in my shelf with the PS1808 switch.
U-NAS NSC410 is not available in Germany, so my only problem is to run FreeNAS on this system. I prefer to keep my home free from MS Windows!

Are you able to run FreeNAS on your MicroServer Gen10?

 

[Chris W.]

No, Linux is runnig with no problems.
Perhaps I try other products like omv or so. ClearOS or NethServer using for plex, view VM's and macOS backup looks for me as an overkill.

But I have also an HPe ML30 Gen9, here FreeNAS runs really well.

 

[Ghost231]

You can use vmWare raw disk access (vmware-rawdiskCreator in my case) to connect the main os disk to a virtual machine for the installation.
As somebody described the installed FreeNAS works like a charm.

Except the console access.

So use some kind of virtualisation or other machine to install and just insert the disk into the Microserver and use the network UI for the rest of the configuration.

 

[icu]

I'd like to buy the Microserver Gen10 X3216 to substitute ond QNAP NAS. My understanding is the only issue for FreeNAS on X3216 is the non-functional video output (VGA or any of display ports). Thus, if the video output is switched off, the Microserver Gen 10 works normally. Is this correct?

Not-working VGA is not big deal for me, because I don't plan to connect any display to the server.

 

[Inxsible]

I'd like to buy the Microserver Gen10 X3216 to substitute ond QNAP NAS. My understanding is the only issue for FreeNAS on X3216 is the non-functional video output (VGA or any of display ports). Thus, if the video output is switched off, the Microserver Gen 10 works normally. Is this correct?

Not-working VGA is not big deal for me, because I don't plan to connect any display to the server.

Does it have IPMI or iLO? If not, you'd need to attach the VGA for the installation at least.

 

[5Ub-Z3r0]

No light off management. You can install FreeNAS on a disk/usb drive on another PC and then use the disk in the Gen10, like I did.

 

[RxTheData]

There are some updates on the FreeBSD thread about this issue :

https://bugs.freebsd.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=221350

 

[Bob Bishop]

Hi, I've added a patch and a workaround at https://bugs.freebsd.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=221350