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Kadercon
Contributor
Contributor

Kill HP Proliant fan noise in ESXi

I have installed the HP ESXi ISO on a HP Proliant ML370 G3.

I do want to kill that awfull fan noise. Normaly CPQASM or the HPASM package in Linux/ESX will do that (part of the proliant support pack).

There is no console on ESXi. Is there another way to implement HPASM/CPQASM on ESXi?

Perhaps as a manual update on the VI update tool? (Haven't found that update though). Or is ther a manual way on the mainboard to kill the noise?

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19 Replies
Dave_Mishchenko
Immortal
Immortal

Welcome to the VMware Community forums. Take a look at this thread on HP's site regarding the BIOS settings - http://forums11.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?threadId=442747.

With ESXi hardware monitoring is done with CIM and thus

1) HP would need to create the CIM providers to monitor hardware (which they do)

2) And you would need to get ESXi Embedded from them or download the HP ESXi version from VMware that is labelled - ESX Server 3i Installable with HP Insight Management providers.

That said, it may be the case that the CIM providers would not work with your G3 as the G5 are the other family supported on ESXi in the MS series.

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einstein-a-go-g
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

I've just taken delivery of two new HP DL360 G5s, with ESXi integrated (well, the green usb 2gb flash drives came later!), and the FANs are still running at high speed, I don't know how long these fans can run at high speed before failing, I thought as it was the OEM version of ESXi, that they would have the management agents, to reset them to low speed, just like conventional Smartstart drivers on Windows Server platform.

When using the 3i integrated on DL585 G1 (not supported on HCL) I noticed/observe the same, fans are running at high speed, but the difference is there is no Configuration/Heath Status in Virtual Centre, this is in a air conditioned data centre, which is probably too cold (it's about 10 degrees C air temperature). I know that when the temperature increases the fans will speed up, but the external temps according to G5 sensors are 14 degreesC, and processor temps are 30 degreesC.

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Kadercon
Contributor
Contributor

I have downloaded the HP version of ESXi. This is the version wich is running now.

The health status int the VI cliënt is empty. This ML370 G3 is running in my basement and it tries to imitate the sound of a landing Boeing 747. Smiley Wink

Perhaps HP should supply a package cache for the VI updater.

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einstein-a-go-g
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

my understanding is, the the HP OEM components include the hardware support for the server, as can be seen from the health status in vi client, if you have no health status, your server is not supported.

these OEM components should reduce the fan speeds! In the oem tar ball on the flash drives in ESXi, there are modules for CPU, Fans, Power Supplies, Bios and Memory

oem-providerRegister from oem.tgz

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einstein-a-go-g
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

contents of the oem-providerRegister

  1. SMXBaseServer provider class registration file for SFCB

#

provider: SMXBaseServer

location: SMXBaseServerProvider

type: instance

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXBaseServer

location: SMXBaseServerProvider

type: instance

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXBaseServer

location: SMXBaseServerProvider

type: instance association

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXBaseServer

location: SMXBaseServerProvider

type: instance association

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXBaseServer

location: SMXBaseServerProvider

type: instance

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXBaseServer

location: SMXBaseServerProvider

type: instance association

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXBaseServer

location: SMXBaseServerProvider

type: indication

group: smx

namespace:root/hpq

#

provider: SMXBaseServer

location: SMXBaseServerProvider

type: instance method

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

  1. SMXCPU provider class registration file for SFCB

#

provider: SMXCPU

location: SMXCPUProvider

type: instance

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXCPU

location: SMXCPUProvider

type: instance association

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXCPU

location: SMXCPUProvider

type: instance

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXCPU

location: SMXCPUProvider

type: instance association

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXCPU

location: SMXCPUProvider

type: instance

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXCPU

location: SMXCPUProvider

type: instance association

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXCPU

location: SMXCPUProvider

type: instance

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXCPU

location: SMXCPUProvider

type: instance association

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXCPU

location: SMXCPUProvider

type: instance

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXCPU

location: SMXCPUProvider

type: instance association

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXCPU

location: SMXCPUProvider

type: instance

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXCPU

location: SMXCPUProvider

type: instance

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXCPU

location: SMXCPUProvider

type: instance association

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXCPU

location: SMXCPUProvider

type: instance association

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXCPU

location: SMXCPUProvider

type: instance association

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXCPU

location: SMXCPUProvider

type: instance method

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXCPU

location: SMXCPUProvider

type: indication

group: smx

namespace:root/hpq

#

provider: SMXCPU

location: SMXCPUProvider

type: instance

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXCPU

location: SMXCPUProvider

type: instance association

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXCPU

location: SMXCPUProvider

type: instance association

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

  1. SMXExecutive provider class registration file for SFCB

#

provider: SMXExecutive

location: SMXExecutiveProvider

type: instance

namespace: interop

#

#[SMX_AutoStartGenesisRootInterop]

  1. provider: SMXExecutive

  2. location: SMXExecutiveProvider

  3. type: instance

  4. namespace: root/interop

#

  1. SMXFan provider class registration file for SFCB

#

provider: SMXFan

location: SMXFanProvider

type: instance

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXFan

location: SMXFanProvider

type: instance

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXFan

location: SMXFanProvider

type: instance

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

#[SMX_FanConfigurationCapacity]

  1. provider: SMXFan

  2. location: SMXFanProvider

  3. type: instance

  4. group: smx

  5. namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXFan

location: SMXFanProvider

type: instance

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXFan

location: SMXFanProvider

type: instance

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXFan

location: SMXFanProvider

type: instance association

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXFan

location: SMXFanProvider

type: instance association

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXFan

location: SMXFanProvider

type: instance association

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXFan

location: SMXFanProvider

type: instance association

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

#[SMX_FanElementCapacity]

  1. provider: SMXFan

  2. location: SMXFanProvider

  3. type: instance association

  4. group: smx

  5. namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXFan

location: SMXFanProvider

type: instance association

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXFan

location: SMXFanProvider

type: instance association

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXFan

location: SMXFanProvider

type: instance association

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXFan

location: SMXFanProvider

type: instance association

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXFan

location: SMXFanProvider

type: instance method

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXFan

location: SMXFanProvider

type: indication

group: smx

namespace:root/hpq

#

  1. SMXMemory provider class registration file for SFCB

#

provider: SMXMemory

location: SMXMemoryProvider

type: instance

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXMemory

location: SMXMemoryProvider

type: instance association

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXMemory

location: SMXMemoryProvider

type: instance

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXMemory

location: SMXMemoryProvider

type: instance

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXMemory

location: SMXMemoryProvider

type: instance

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXMemory

location: SMXMemoryProvider

type: instance association

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXMemory

location: SMXMemoryProvider

type: instance

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXMemory

location: SMXMemoryProvider

type: instance association

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXMemory

location: SMXMemoryProvider

type: instance association

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXMemory

location: SMXMemoryProvider

type: instance association

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXMemory

location: SMXMemoryProvider

type: instance association

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXMemory

location: SMXMemoryProvider

type: instance

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXMemory

location: SMXMemoryProvider

type: instance association

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXMemory

location: SMXMemoryProvider

type: instance

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXMemory

location: SMXMemoryProvider

type: instance association

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXMemory

location: SMXMemoryProvider

type: instance association

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXMemory

location: SMXMemoryProvider

type: instance method

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXMemory

location: SMXMemoryProvider

type: indication

group: smx

namespace:root/hpq

  1. SMXPowerSupply provider class registration file for SFCB

#

provider: SMXPowerSupply

location: SMXPowerSupplyProvider

type: instance

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXPowerSupply

location: SMXPowerSupplyProvider

type: instance

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXPowerSupply

location: SMXPowerSupplyProvider

type: instance

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

#[SMX_PowerSupplyConfigurationCapacity]

  1. provider: SMXPowerSupply

  2. location: SMXPowerSupplyProvider

  3. type: instance

  4. group: smx

  5. namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXPowerSupply

location: SMXPowerSupplyProvider

type: instance

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXPowerSupply

location: SMXPowerSupplyProvider

type: instance

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXPowerSupply

location: SMXPowerSupplyProvider

type: instance association

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXPowerSupply

location: SMXPowerSupplyProvider

type: instance association

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXPowerSupply

location: SMXPowerSupplyProvider

type: instance association

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXPowerSupply

location: SMXPowerSupplyProvider

type: instance association

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

#[SMX_PowerSupplyElementCapacity]

  1. provider: SMXPowerSupply

  2. location: SMXPowerSupplyProvider

  3. type: instance association

  4. group: smx

  5. namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXPowerSupply

location: SMXPowerSupplyProvider

type: instance association

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXPowerSupply

location: SMXPowerSupplyProvider

type: instance association

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXPowerSupply

location: SMXPowerSupplyProvider

type: instance association

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXPowerSupply

location: SMXPowerSupplyProvider

type: instance association

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXPowerSupply

location: SMXPowerSupplyProvider

type: instance method

group: smx

namespace: root/hpq

#

provider: SMXPowerSupply

location: SMXPowerSupplyProvider

type: indication

group: smx

namespace:root/hpq

#

  1. SMXProfileRegistration provider class registration file for SFCB

#

provider: SMXProfileRegistration

location: SMXProfileRegistrationProvider

type: instance

group: smx

namespace: interop

#

provider: SMXProfileRegistration

location: SMXProfileRegistrationProvider

type: instance association

group: smx

namespace: interop

#

provider: SMXProfileRegistration

location: SMXProfileRegistrationProvider

type: instance association

group: smx

namespace: interop

#

provider: SMXProfileRegistration

location: SMXProfileRegistrationProvider

type: instance association

group: smx

namespace: interop

#

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ocremel
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

You should report the problem to HP. They may then update their code in the future for that.

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einstein-a-go-g
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

have you tried logging anything to HP these days!!!!

this appears fixed in the latest ESXi U2 update

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Mr_Gimper
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

... or download the HP ESXi version from VMware that is labelled - ESX Server 3i Installable with HP Insight Management providers.

Is this a free download? if so, do you have a link?

Cheers

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Dave_Mishchenko
Immortal
Immortal

When you sign up for the free ESXi license, you only have the right to download ESXi 3.5 Update 2. But if you sign up for an Virtual Infrastructure eval, you can download ESX / EXSi and you can then get to the ESXi 3.5 Update 1 downloads which includes the HP copy. Install that, then patch it to update 2.

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Mr_Gimper
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Thanks, my employer is a VMware partner so I'm sure I can get it.

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Mr_Gimper
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

OK I have downloaded the HP version. Obviously I need to write the .dd out to the USB stick. How do I then patch this stick to U2 ?

Cheers

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Engelsman
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Hey Mr Gimper,

I have installted the HP Version for ESXi 3.5 Update 1 as well (the .dd version that should be written to USB).

After that i used Update Manager to upgrade to Update 2.

If you dont have Virtual Center with Update Manager check Dave Mishchenko's site to do it manually.

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Mr_Gimper
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Nice one, appreciate that.

Not got round to update manager yet. As a side issue, does update manager grab patches that are between releases. i.e. anything between U2 and U3 (when it comes out) ?

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Dave_Mishchenko
Immortal
Immortal

It'll get all the patches between updates. The patches have so far all included firmware updates which in essense are a complete replacement of the ESXi version that runs on the host (a new firmware is installed to the alternate boot bank and the subsequent reboot boots from that and the old firmware boot bank becomes the new altternate). Thus if you patch an update 1 system up to update 2, you don't have to worry about the patches released between those versions.

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Mr_Gimper
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Thanks again Dave. Bookmarked your site Smiley Happy

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Mr_Gimper
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Hmmmm ok....

Wrote the HP U1 image to USB and booted. Booted fine, although U1 didn't detect the ML's internal NIC.

Did initial config of IP etc.

Used the remoteinstall to upgrade to U2 firmware, tools, and VI Client. Processes went through fine.

Reboot and after startup has completed, I get a pink screen error.

Rebooted several times, and same problem.

Glad I backed up my initial USB... just writing it back to the stick.

Bummer Smiley Sad

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Mr_Gimper
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Back running on my old config. Must have been one of the HP Agents which caused it to throw a pink one.

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ocremel
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

You can rollback without reinstalling. After rebooting from the pink screen, hit shirt-r on the bootloader screen and you'll be back to the previous version.

You can also disable OEM extensions if you suspect them. In VI client, advanced config, boot, oem, untick box. If you cannot even boot, on bootloader screen, hit shift-o, then type nooem, then use VI client to make it stick (options passed to the bootloader are not preserved for next boot).

We always appreciate if you can file reports for pink screens, even just posting the screenshot here is a good thing.

Thanks.

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Anders_Gregerse
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

Those fans can run a loooong time before failing (based on experience). Our ESX hosts is is HP DL385's without any CIM installed and the fan's have been running at high speed for at couple of years now.

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