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I have a DL380 G5 running Windows Server 2008 R2 that just had two update bundles applied to it and as a result I have several crucial components that no longer work. The update bundles that were applied were --

  1. HP ProLiant Server Firmware 2014.04.0
  2. HP Windows Server 2008 R2 x64 Software 2014.04.0

I can't really come up with a common thread to figure out which driver/firmware update would have caused this problem. I've tried rolling back or re-updating the drivers for some of the devices (i.e. HP NC373i) and it made no difference. I'll attach a grainy screenshot of a smattering of the components exhibiting the issues and would love to hear some of your suggestions for chasing this down.

enter image description here

UPDATE: This a vicious little issue but I think I may have found some info that'll help me solve it. I'll update this when I have a chance.

UPDATE 2: Although the issue I found (linked in the first UPDATE) was caused by something similar, this did not end up being my exact issue. All of the components listed in Device Manager with the yellow caution sign display the message "Windows cannot initialize the device driver for this hardware (Code 37)". No amount of uninstalling/reinstalling of drivers makes a bit of difference. I beginning to think that this hardware is literally trashed from these firmware updates. I'm quite desperate at this point, so feel free to throw any ideas my way.

UPDATE 3: This server appears to be trashed. I did a full motherboard swap figuring that I had a bad firmware flash or something and I see the exact same components exhibiting issues with the new board. I force applied the latest HP SPP drivers and there was no change. If no one else has any ideas, I guess I'm out of luck.

MDMoore313
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pk.
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    How did you update firmware? Have you tried this with the [HP Service Pack for ProLiant bootable DVD](http://h17007.www1.hp.com/us/en/enterprise/servers/products/service_pack/spp/index.aspx)? – ewwhite Jun 25 '14 at 05:28
  • My updates were deployed from the HP catalog in SCUP 2011 using WSUS. The naming conventions have me confused, but the exact files deployed were `hppucb-proliantfw-2014.04.0.2.exe` and `hppucb-ws2008r2-x64-2014.04.0.2.exe` which were downloaded from [link](ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/softlib/puc). I'm going to give that bootable DVD a shot and I'll let you know how it goes. – pk. Jun 25 '14 at 13:39
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    Yeah, I have NO clue what those downloads are. Please stick to the updates from the DVD .ISO or from HP's support site [for your specific server](http://h20565.www2.hp.com/portal/site/hpsc/template.PAGE/public/psi/swdHome/?sp4ts.oid=3288134&spf_p.tpst=swdMain&spf_p.prp_swdMain=wsrp-navigationalState%3DswEnvOID%253D4064%257CswLang%253D%257Caction%253DlistDriver&javax.portlet.begCacheTok=com.vignette.cachetoken&javax.portlet.endCacheTok=com.vignette.cachetoken). – ewwhite Jun 25 '14 at 13:49
  • heh, good old SCUP. Have you tried uninstalling the drivers (checking the box for deleting the driver software when it prompts you) and reinstalling from a credible source? Corrupted drivers aren't the end of the world, and your update likely had drivers that were improperly installed. – MDMoore313 Jul 10 '14 at 12:22
  • Can you show us what the errors on the Device Manager items are? – ewwhite Jul 10 '14 at 13:26

3 Answers3

5

Firmware is not the problem here. HP firmware rarely bricks a server; especially that model. Your issue here is the cocktail of drivers loaded on the system.

I'd recommend using the HP Service Pack for ProLiant DVD (and the Smart Update Manager) to install system drivers, or just cherry-pick and download components directly from the support site for your OS...

Also, look through and uninstall any suspect network drivers.

I've had this situation once on a Windows 2003 server. I removed all installed HP drivers by hand, then applied the proper updates from the HP Update Manager.

ewwhite
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  • I force installed all of the drivers that were included on the latest HP SPP DVD but there was no change. All of the components exhibiting the issue in Device Manager throw the same error -- __Windows cannot initialize the device driver for this hardware (Code 37)__. – pk. Jul 11 '14 at 13:48
  • Did you remove the existing drivers first? – ewwhite Jul 11 '14 at 13:49
  • Yeah, I uninstalled all of the problematic components (including the CPU cores, which actually seems like it should have caused problems) and deleted the drivers when prompted. – pk. Jul 11 '14 at 13:51
2

This may be a long shot, but ensure the "Plug and Play" service is started on the server. If it's not, from what I've read it could cause odd issues like you're experiencing.

Otherwise, the firmware probably trashed the drivers on the server. You can attempt to uninstall/reinstall using the server DVD media (use the "Have Disk..." option) or do a repair install which will reset everything.

Nathan C
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  • +1 for PnP and reinstalling drivers. – MDMoore313 Jul 10 '14 at 12:24
  • I already reinstalled the OS, so I can't try this, but the PNP service did seem functional. I had been using a USB thumb drive to transfer new drivers over while troubleshooting since my DVD-ROM drive wasn't working. – pk. Jul 11 '14 at 13:47
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Did you make a system restore point? Normally Windows updates automatically make restore points before updates. Check it by doing this:

Go to control panel,
Search "Create a Restore Point"
Click whatever comes up
A window should pop up and somewhere it should say "System Restore" in a button or link format. Click it.
System Restore should pop up. Follow the steps to get to the most recent restore point. Click the restore point, then click next. (None of your personal files will be lost, but any programs installed after the restore point will be removed. If nothing comes up when you get to the restore point selection, there should be a checkbox to view older restore points. Select that.) Let your computer restore, and you should be set!

tombull89
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Find Me In The Woods
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    This adds very little apart from an overly verbose guess! I don't think I've known anybody use System Restore on a server, either. – Dan Jul 10 '14 at 11:09
  • I have had to use it when my Kaspersky Internet Security and Antivirus (Now I use Avast!) Was, ironically, a virus. – Find Me In The Woods Jul 10 '14 at 11:11
  • And is "This adds very little apart from an overly verbose guess!" A good thing? – Find Me In The Woods Jul 10 '14 at 11:11
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    So, you know this is the site for *Professional* System Administrators...? – Dan Jul 10 '14 at 11:17
  • Okay, look. If you guys are gonna make fun of me and doubt me all the time, have it your way! I wan't to help people in the best way I possibly can! We all should if we are on this site! I know computers! They have been my passion since I was 6! For god's sake I helped someone recreate there entire EFI partition and gave them 2 gb worth of files and folders to get his computer to boot. _I KNOW HOW TO DO THINGS AROUND HERE!!!_ If all your gonna do is call me a novice and insult me, Do that! I have my own place and so do you! now _LEAVE ME ALONE!_ – Find Me In The Woods Jul 10 '14 at 11:27
  • I got the .exe and am scanning it right now. – Find Me In The Woods Jul 10 '14 at 11:29
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    @user280244 I'm sorry that you feel upset. I think that you do have some valuable experience and could be a good help, but on http://superuser.com instead of serverfault. – Jenny D Jul 10 '14 at 12:17
  • What little/miniscule value this answer adds is overwhelmed by the fact that it's wrong - a system restore point isn't going to do anything against a firmware update, which is one of the packages the OP said he installed. – HopelessN00b Jul 10 '14 at 12:46
  • @HopelessN00b are you sure? Any system updates (applications, firmware, drivers, etc.) are restored back to a previous state. I looked it up. HP support center made me get an infected driver along with firmware for the driver, forcing me to perform a system restore. All of my files stayed the same, but my system was completely reverted (I take screenshots at a system restore point creation). And Jenny D, That was aimed for Dan, not everyone. I'm kinda used to people doubting me. – Find Me In The Woods Jul 10 '14 at 12:59