HP replaced SmartStart CDs in latest Gen8 servers. HP has embedded SmartStart in a Flash memory of the server System board. This new feature is called as HP Intelligent Provisioning. Older HP SmartStart CDs are not compatible with Gen8 server and if you want to install OS or access any HP tools, then you need to use the HP Intelligent provisioning. Intelligent Provisioning includes all the the tools available with HP SmartStart CD plus more features.
HP Intelligent Provisioning can be accessed by pressing F10 key at the server boot. When you press the F10 key, the server will boot from the embedded Flash chip which contains all the tools. Intelligent Provisioning allows you to perform assisted installation Windows, Red hat Linux, Suse Linux, VMware ESX and ESXi on HP Gen8 Servers. HP Intelligent Provisioning also contains Array Configuration utility, Lights-out configuration Utility, System Erase, Insight Diagnostics etc.
Now comes the questions, can I reinstall HP Intelligent Provisioning in my Gen8 server? How do I update if a latest version of HP Intelligent Provisioning is released by HP. What do I do, if HP Intelligent Provisioning is corrupted. So, here in this article, I will explain how to reinstall or update HP Intelligent Provisioning on your Gen8 Server.
Steps to re-install/update Intelligent Provisioning:
- Download Intelligent Provisioning Recovery Media from HP.com
- Boot the server from the Intelligent Provisioning recovery media and re-install/update it.
Let us go ahead and check how to upgrade or re-install Intelligent Provisioning. The entire procedure is explained in detail. Please follow the steps carefully. If you come across any issues, please leave a comment on this page 
Download Intelligent Provisioning Recovery Media from HP.com
1. Go to HP driver & download page of your HP Gen8 Server.
2. Select an Operating System (Example: Windows 2008 R2)
3. Scroll down and click on “HP Intelligent Provisioning recovery media” link as shown below.
4. Click on Download button. It will take you below provided screen.
5. Click Download button to download the HP Intelligent Provisioning recovery media.
Note: Once you download HP Intelligent Provisioning recovery media file from HP.com, it will be a .ZIP file. Please extract the .ZIP file to a folder and you will find an ISO file. Please use this ISO file to boot the server by using iLO or burn the ISO file to a DVD media and boot the server from DVD.
Boot the server from the Intelligent Provisioning recovery media
To re-install or upgrade HP Intelligent Provisioning on your Gen8 server, you need to boot the server from the HP Intelligent Provisioning recovery media. This is an offline method. You may use iLO Virtual media to mount the ISO or burn the HP Intelligent Provisioning recovery media ISO to a DVD and boot the server from it. Before you start performing below provided steps ensure that HP Intelligent Provisioning recovery media is mounted through iLO Virtual Media or burn the HP Intelligent Provisioning recovery media ISO file to a DVD media and place it in the CD/DVD drive of your HP Gen8 Server.
1. Turn ON your HP Gen8 Server.
2. During Server POST, please press F11 key to display Boot Menu.
3. Now you will be presented with Boot Menu as shown below.
4. Press 1 on keyboard to boot from the CD\DVD (iLO Virtual Media or DVD drive)
5. Server will boot from HP Intelligent Provisioning recovery media. Please wait
6. Now select Interactive method to update/reinstall Intelligent Provisioning.
7. Your HP Gen8 server will continue booting from the HP Intelligent Provisioning recovery media.
8. At below said screen, click on “Reinstall Intelligent Provisioning” button,
9. Now it will start flashing Intelligent Provisioning. Please wait until process is complete
10. HP Intelligent Provisioning re-installation/upgrade is complete (See below provided screenshot)
11. Congratulation. You have successfully reinstalled HP Intelligent Provisioning on your Gen8 Server.
ProLiant Gen8 SL servers does not support OS installation by using Intelligent Provisioning. You have to manually install Operating system in your SL series Gen8 Servers.
You May Also Like:
Stay Connected with Us:
 |
 |
 |
Subscribe via Email
|
Dear Siru,
Thank you so much for the Explanation, well explained.
I have one doubt regarding RAID 1, if we have two HDD in Raid -1 Array, and Windows OS
running. Due to some problems If OS crashed, OS will continue to run ot it stop working.
My Question is in RAID-1 (Mirroring) we get redundancy for operation system like
Redundancy for Hardware failure.
Thank you SIRU.
If OS is crashed, then it means its crashed in both HDDs. Remember, RAID 1 is mirroring, both HDD have same files, same data.
Hi Siru,
How can i select the raid1 controller in bios selection
Hi, I was on vacation for three weeks, sorry for the delay.
There is a Boot controller order option in BIOS. You can use this settings to select desired RAID controller as your boot controller.
Hope it helps
SiRu
Hi,
I followed the tutorial to update the Intelligent Provisioning of version 1.10 to version 1.40.
The process ended normally but when I restart the server and enter the Intelligent Provisioning version is still 1.10.
Do you have any tips for me??
Sorry for my English (Google Translator) …
Can you share me the link from where you have downloaded the .ISO file of Intelligent Provisioning 1.40? This issue never happened with me, if it happens then it means flash process is corrupted and updated version of IP is not stored in 4 GB NAND flash memory (on system board).
I downloaded the version 1.40 the following link:
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareIndex.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&prodNameId=5272973&prodTypeId=0&prodSeriesId=5260584&swLang=8&taskId=135&swEnvOID=4139#7813
The direct download link is: ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/softlib2/software1/cd/p1955801964/v80057/HPIP140.2013_0208.147.iso
I did the integrity check (MD5 checksum) before recording the image on the DVD.
Does the NAND flash memory is write protected?? I searched and found nothing about it ..
Thank you for support.
NAND FLASH is not write protected.. It should allow us to flash it. May i know how many times did you try flashing? Because i never seen the flash is not getting updated.
Can you use this Iso file and mount using ilo virtual media. Then flash again. Just to be sure.
If still does not work, pls let me know.. I will check manually by flashing our server.
Siru,
The problem is that the version 1.40 is a update of version 1.30. We must first upgrade to version 1.30 and then do the update for 1:40 …. HP TROLL….
Sorry for my English (Google Translator)
Thank you for updating I am sure this will be useful to our reader.
Could you tell me where did you find this information. I could not find this information in any documentation. Or did the HP support informed you about this trick?
Regards
SiRu
I also found nothing in the documentation from HP.
So I called HP support staff.
Dear SiRu
I have the same problem as described by Helder J. Marchiore.
I have a new server, still without OS, the BIOS was upgraded ok.
But i cant Reinstall Intelligent Provisioning 1.4 version (the server has 1.1 version)
I never see the screen: http://www.tricksguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Boot-Menu-of-HP-Intelligent-Provisioning.jpg
Any sugestion please?
Thanks
JL
Can you tell me whether you boot from the downloaded Intelligent Provisioning 1.4 ISO file? I do not think so.
Hi SiRu
Problem solved!
Allow me to report the solution for others that can came across with the same problem.
After such frustation, i decided to contact the local HP support (very good) and they advised me to use a USB Key instead of the burned DVD.
I created the USB Key using the program:
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareDescription.jsp?swItem=MTX-40e268a99cc243a299352b7b20&lang=en&cc=us&mode=3&
plus the ISO file that i was using with the DVD
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareIndex.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&prodNameId=5272973&prodTypeId=0&prodSeriesId=5260584&swLang=8&taskId=135&swEnvOID=4139#7813
Booting from the USB key solved the problem.
Now i’m going for the “Firmware Update” option before installing the OS.
Thank you very much for your quick answer and concern.
Regards
JL
Thank you very much for updating us with the solution that worked for you. I am sure other readers will appreciate this. Thanks again.
I had a problem with updating to version 1.40 too. In my case the server ML310e Gen8 already had version 1.30 of Intelligent Provisioning.
First I tried updating directly from maintenance option “Firmware Update” of Intelligent Provisioning, but the process was freezed at “Step 2 of 2″.
After that I burned DVD with version 1.40 and tried updating from DVD. In this case updating process completed successfully without any errors, but Intelligent Provisioning still was at version 1.30 after reboot. I tried updating from DVD couple more times, but result was the same – no errors during updating, but no new version after reboot too.
Finally I mounted ISO file (same file, which I burned into DVD) as virtual media in iLO Remote Console, booted server from it and successfully updated Intelligent Provisioning to version 1.40.
Glad you were able to resolve it by updating IP through ILO virtual media