(And Install Windows Server 2016 in HPE ProLiant ML30 Gen9)
By: JohnStutsman
Figure 1 – HPE ProLiant ML30 Gen9 with Tower Bezel Assembly removed and both EMI shield’s removed. MB994SP-4SB-1 rests in static mat in front.
After finishing up work on my ML10v2 I wanted to move back to the HPE ProLiant ML30 Gen9 and begin testing to eventually configure it as a workhorse in my home lab. First I wanted a way to be able to easily add 2.5” drives (from thin SSD’s but including up to the 15mm VelociRaptor’s – what’s a home lab without VelociRaptor’s I always say J). The ML30 Gen 9 (Product No. 830893) has 6 SATA III (6Gb/s) ports with 4 (ports 1 -4) to the LFF hot-swap cage via a mini-SAS cable from the System Board and ports 5 & 6 available as SATA III (6Gb/s) on the System Board all controlled by the embedded B140i on the system board. While I only had 2 extra SATA ports I also wanted some future expandability if I decided to move to an add-on controller card. I felt that the Icy Dock 4-in-1 ToughArmor MB994SP-4SB-1 would best fit my “want’s”.
Figure 2 – Front view of Icy Dock ToughArmor MB994SP-4SB-1, fits in an external half height 5.25” bay holding 4 x 2.5” SATA III (6Gb/s) SSD’s or HDD’s up to 15mm high with hot swap capability. Each drive bay has LED indication of drive power (green) & activity (amber)
Figure 3– View of Icy Dock ToughArmor MB994SP-4SB-1 with the 4 x 2.5” SATA III (6Gb/s) hot-swap drive trays extended. Note that they are all metal construction with a very solid feel. Also note the anti-vibration design.
Figure 4 – Bottom view of a single 2.5” SATA III (6Gb/s) hot-swap drive tray for the Icy Dock ToughArmor MB994SP-4SB-1. Each drive can be secured with 4 screws (supplied by Icy Dock) making for a very solid configuration.
Figure 5 – Rear view of the Icy Dock ToughArmor MB994SP-4SB-1. Each drive has its own SATA III (6 Gb/s) port. The power is supplied via the Molex connector on the lower left and the two 40mm fans are controlled by the on/off switch above the Power Connector. I would certainly want the fans “on” if I fill the ToughArmor with 15mm high VelociRaptors to keep my “Raptors” cool but even if I fill the ToughArmor with SSD’s I plan to have the fans “on” to provide more air circulation inside the ML30 Gen9. Currently, I’m planning to only connect SATA Ports 1 & 2 and save 3 & 4 for future expansion. SATA Ports 1 & 2 will be connected to SATA III (6 Gb/s) Ports 5 & 6 located on the ML30 Gen9 System Board.
Figure 6 – This specification chart I copied from Icy Dock’s web page for the ToughArmor MB994SP-4SB-1 The major item missing from this chart is that each drive tray will accommodate 2.5” drives up to 15mm thick. 15mm is the thickness of a VelociRaptor without its cool pack for 3.5” drive spaces. The “Data Sheet” for the MB994SP-4SB-1 in Figure 7 below does reference the drive height that the drive tray will accommodate.
Figure 7 – Icy Dock’s “Data Sheet” that I downloaded from their web page for the ToughArmor MB994SP-4SB-1.
Figure 8 – HPE ProLiant ML30 Gen9 with Tower Bezel Assembly removed and both EMI shield’s removed. MB994SP-4SB-1 rests on static mat in front. The two 18 SATA III cables that I attached to SATA III Ports 5 & 6 on the System Board extend out of the front of the ML30 Gen9 case.
Video of installation of the MB994SP-4SB-1.
Video 1 – Install MB994SP-4SB-1 in HPE ProLiant ML30 Gen9
Updating Firmware, installing Windows Server 2016, Updating Drivers
After the installation of the ToughArmor MB994SP-4SB-1 I used iLO4 to remote into my ML30 Gen9 and began to install Windows Server 2016 manually (i.e. without using IP) in the following general steps:
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Download Service Pack for ProLiant (SPP) from Hewlett Packard Enterprise Support Center – Drivers & Software – the current version is 2016.10.0 (24 Oct 2016) – check also threads about SPP at HSS Forum MS Gen8
- Load the SPP ISO in remote desktop of iLO4
- Boot the ML30 Gen9 – with no drives in the ML30 Gen9 in my case – and let SPP run automatically and update all firmware
- Shut down the ML30 Gen9
Figure 9 – After running SPP’s ISO the firmware of the ML30 Gen9 is up to date.
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Next: I loaded the Samsung 840 Pro 256GB into drive 1 of the Icy Dock ToughArmor MB994SP-4SB-1
- Go to the Hewlett Packard Enterprise Support Center – Drivers & Software – and download the file cp028631.exe that is the Dynamic Smart Array B140i Controller Driver for 64-bit Microsoft Windows Server 2012/2016 Editions (This is the same driver I plan to use for a manual installation of Windows 10 64-bit Pro sometime later in the ML30 Gen9) – the current version is 62.12.0.64 (24 Oct 2016)
- Extract the files in cp028631.exe and load those into a file folder that I then attach/load in remote desktop of iLO4 (during Windows install this will be the folder I browse to so that Windows can pull in the driver and see the Samsung 840 Pro)
- Load the Windows Server 2016 ISO in remote desktop of iLO4
- Boot the ML30 Gen9
- During boot go into IP and select SSA (Smart Storage Administrator)
- In SSA I set up the Samsung 840 Pro as a single drive RAID0 to be used as my OS drive
- Exit SSA & IP and Restart the ML30 Gen9
- Proceed with the normal Windows install
- After Windows is installed and updated – reattach SPP ISO in remote desktop of iLO4
- In the Windows desktop go to the SPP ISO in File Explorer and Execute the Batch file for HPSUM – I chose the automatic update
- After running HPSUM (and rebooting) the HPE software shown in Figure 10 below was installed. Enjoy!
Figure 10 – Software installed by HPSUM in Windows Server 2016
Figure 11 – This shows my Samsung 840 Pro (my OS drive) set up in a single drive RAID0 in the B140i using SSA
Figure 12 – Temperatures in the ML30 Gen9 via iLO4. BIOS is set on optimal cooling and my single System Fan is running at 6% and the two 40mm fans on the MB994SP-4SB-1 are turned on.
Figure 13 – Basic information showing Windows Server loaded onto my HPE ProLiant ML30 Gen9 running from a single SSD RAID0 in bay 1 of the Icy Dock ToughArmor MB994SP-4SB-1
Figure 14 – Icy Dock MB994SP-4SB-1 ToughArmor installed in the HPE ProLiant ML30Gen9
I really like the MB994SP-4SB-1 in the ML30 Gen9 and the installation of Windows Server 2016 while updating the firmware and drivers with SPP and HPSUM was relatively trouble free.
In the As-Built that follows I list how this ML30 Gen9 is loaded. Be sure to check out more on this at ML10 and ML10v2 Forum and Icy Dock MB994SP-4SB-1 ToughArmor in HPE ProLiant ML30 Gen9.
As-Built (I named my Computer: Serenity)
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HPE ProLiant ML30 Gen9 (Product No. 830893)
- Xeon E3-1240v5 (SkyLake LGA 1151)
- 8GB ECC RAM (Expandable to 64GB)
- OS: Windows Server 2016 – Logical Drive 01 (Samsung 840 Pro 256GB – RAID0 B140i Dynamic Smart Array
- B140i Dynamic Smart Array (4*3.5” Drive Tray Caddies for Main Drive-Cage Assembly)
- Icy Dock MB994SP-4SB-1; with/ 2*18” SATA III (6 Gb/s) cables attached to Bays 1 & 2; Molex to Molex & Fan Y-Connector Cable; Samsung 840 Pro 256GB in Bay 1;
Please join us in the HomeServerShow Forums to discuss this and many other interesting topics.
References:
Check HSS Forum Post: Other HSS ML30 Blog Postings: http://homeservershow.com/tag/ML30
HSS HP ProLiant ML30 Forum postings (In HSS Forum ML10 & ML10v2): http://homeservershow.com/forums/index.php?/forum/98-ml10-and-ml10v2/
HP MicroServer Gen8 – Service Pack for ProLiant – 24th Oct 2016 http://homeservershow.com/forums/index.php?/topic/12034-hp-microserver-gen8-service-pack-for-proliant-24th-oct-2016/
Icy Dock “ToughArmor” MB994SP-4SB-1 http://www.icydock.com/goods.php?id=142
Scsi4me.com 3.5” Drive Tray Caddy 4 HP ProLiant ML350e ML310e SL250s Gen8 Gen9 G9 651314-001 http://www.ebay.com/itm/231001449171
HPE ProLiant ML30 Gen9 Server QuickSpecs http://h20195.www2.hp.com/v2/GetDocument.aspx?docname=c04834998&doctype=quickspecs&doclang=EN_US&searchquery=&cc=us&lc=en
HPE ProLiant ML30 Gen9 Server “Maintenance and Service Guide”; Part Number: 825545-002; November 2016; Edition: 2 => http://h20565.www2.hpe.com/hpsc/doc/public/display?sp4ts.oid=1008556812&docLocale=en_US&docId=emr_na-c04905980 Or go to => http://h20565.www2.hpe.com/portal/site/hpsc/public/psi/home/?sp4ts.oid=1008556812&ac.admitted=1489520211680.125225703.1851288163#manuals
Check out my HPE ML30 Gen9 Play-List:
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