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[lpn]

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Updated 2011-09-27

VERSION 1.0.6 RELEASED

• Please uninstall any previous version before installation.
  
• You also need to install the Intel RST driver that replaces the standard SATA driver. Check the readme.txt for more information. If you do not install the Intel RST driver the disk lights will not work.
  
• Read the readme.txt file to understand the light states and how to modify them.

Dowload link: HpMssServiceSetup_v1.0.6

What's new

• Support for Acer H341 and H342. Please do some tests and report any issues.
  
• Disk light status can be changed in the configuration file. This is particularly useful for users of DrivePool, DriveBender, RAID arrays and drives without shares when the user does not want a blinking aqua LED.
  
• Removed some uncessary DLL's from the setup.

Tested compatible hardware

HP: EX48x, EX49x, X510, X310, X311, X312
Acer: H340, H341, H342
Lenovo: D400

Not compatible

HP: EX47x (AMD based hardware)

Known limitations and FAQ

Blinking disk LED

This is normal under the following circumstances:

• the disk does not have any shares on it (WHS shares created in the Dashboard)
  
• the disk is not assigned as a backup disk
  
• the disk is mirrored
  
• the disk is assigned to Stablebit DrivePool, DriveBender or a RAID array

Workaround: edit the configuration file "C:\Program Files\HP MediaSmart Server\HpMssService.exe.config" to use a fixed Aqua LED. The instructions are in the file.

Windows OS compatibility

Only Windows Home Server 2011 has been tested. Should also be compatible with Windows Small Business Server 2011 Essentials and Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 Essentials.

GPT partitioned disks not propely detected

There is an issue in the WMI Win32_DiskDrive class, GPT disks do not have a signature and this is the only way I can match a disk status change with a physical disk. A solution should be found for the next version.

To come...

The next version will be based on the Microsoft Virtual Disk Service (VDS) which recognizes RAID arrays and GPT partitions. The other advantage is that it would also be compatible with vanilla Windows Server 2008 R1/R2 and probably the future Windows 8 Server.

The next version should also be hardware agnostic by renaming the service and DLLs since Acer and Lenovo hardware are supported.

Health support should also come later. WHS health notifications will be supported and I also plan on monitoring fan, temperatures and voltages.

Make it a "real" add-in.

[Alexander]

I would be very interested in such a driver!

[lpn]

Hi Alexander,

I'm happy to see that at least one person is interested in this driver! I will not make the driver public unless I see more people are interested. I will send you a message to discuss how I can send you the driver when it is ready.

For now, I have a working driver on my machine but:

1) I need to finish the installer, more specifically the driver installation portion of the installer.

2) I have to obtain a signing code certificate for my company in order to sign the driver, otherwise it will not load.

I will keep you informed when all is ready.

Louis

[VanSkalen]

I would also be interested in such a driver if one is available.

[lpn]

Here's the latest news. I now have a signing certificate and the driver loads without having to put the server in test mode. Last thing I have to finish for the beta release is the installer. I hope to finish this next week-end. I will contact both of you to send you the driver when ready.

[Terry (WGS)]

Hi Louis

I think this will definitely be popular - over time, an increasing number of people will upgrade their MediaSmart Servers. Bear in mind, the majority of owners interested in doing so can't actually buy the software yet...

Good luck with it - drop me a PM when it's ready and we'll give it a plug on the front page.
Terry

[JakobBindslet]

I'm very interested in such a driver.

[jamesquintin]

Plus 1 for me!

Q

[paaland]

I'd too be very interested. I have a EX475 running WHS 2011 and I'd really like to cooperate with you to make it work on this model as well.

[lpn]

Here's the latest update. I worked a lot this week-end on this application. I now have a working setup and I am doing some testing to clear out the issues I find. I had a lot of work to get this working properly after a resume from sleep. I am almost finished, be patient.

Concerning the request from paaland, getting this to work on EX47x, I'm afraid this will be difficult. The low level code is based on the Linux code from Chris Byrne which can be found here https://bitbucket.or...erverd/overview. I did not do the reverse engineering myself. I could probably get this to work on an Acer EasyStore H340 with this code, but for other hardware I do not have any knowledge on how to access the registers to handle the LEDs. Even the EX49x does not use the same chip for I/O though it has the same Intel ICH9, so there is a small chance that this code could work with no or little work, but then again not having the hardware I cannot do this. There is no guarantee that the LEDs are connected to the same registers as the EX48x. Concerning the EX47x it would be even harder as it is not Intel based.

The only chance to get this working on EX47x and EX49x (and maybe other) hardware is if someone can give me information on how to access the LEDs. There might be some information on the Internet, especially developers who tried to get this working under Linux.

For beta testing, I would like to distribute the application to the 4 people above who replied positive to the driver if they are interested. Please send me a private message with your e-mail address, I will send you the driver probably by the end of the week or beginning of next week. If you accept I will need your feedback to know if the driver works well. I will then let Terry know the driver is ready for public distribution.

Louis

[jmargel]

Hi There,

I have an acer H341 and would be more than appreciative if you could release a led driver for that model. I know quite a few people have been looking for this. I do some application programming, but have not done any driver coding, but if you need my help I would be more than willing. Also have a technet sub. so if you need any help there, just let me know!

lpn, on 16 May 2011 - 08:41 AM, said:

Here's the latest update. I worked a lot this week-end on this application. I now have a working setup and I am doing some testing to clear out the issues I find. I had a lot of work to get this working properly after a resume from sleep. I am almost finished, be patient.

Concerning the request from paaland, getting this to work on EX47x, I'm afraid this will be difficult. The low level code is based on the Linux code from Chris Byrne which can be found here https://bitbucket.or...erverd/overview. I did not do the reverse engineering myself. I could probably get this to work on an Acer EasyStore H340 with this code, but for other hardware I do not have any knowledge on how to access the registers to handle the LEDs. Even the EX49x does not use the same chip for I/O though it has the same Intel ICH9, so there is a small chance that this code could work with no or little work, but then again not having the hardware I cannot do this. There is no guarantee that the LEDs are connected to the same registers as the EX48x. Concerning the EX47x it would be even harder as it is not Intel based.

The only chance to get this working on EX47x and EX49x (and maybe other) hardware is if someone can give me information on how to access the LEDs. There might be some information on the Internet, especially developers who tried to get this working under Linux.

For beta testing, I would like to distribute the application to the 4 people above who replied positive to the driver if they are interested. Please send me a private message with your e-mail address, I will send you the driver probably by the end of the week or beginning of next week. If you accept I will need your feedback to know if the driver works well. I will then let Terry know the driver is ready for public distribution.

Louis

[jloeffler]

lpn, on 14 April 2011 - 07:13 AM, said:

Hi all,

I would like to know if there are people out there interested in a lights driver for their HP EX85x server under WHS 2011. As some of you know, when upgrading your EX48x server to WHS 2011 your HDD lights stay off and the system light blinks all the time. I am currently writing a driver to replicate the LED management as it was with the original HP software.

I would like to know if other users are interseted in this driver to see if I should make it publicly available. One of the issues I will have will be to get a signing certificate because you cannot install unsigned drivers on WHS 2011, unless putting the server in a special test mode which is what I am doing at the moment for my tests.

Louis

[jloeffler]

I would LOVE to see my light work with WHS 2011 !!

[ZipTBM]

+1 The lights would be a great add! I have an EX495, will it work with mine?

[Klode]

Hi Louis, I have an Acer EasyStore H340 and I'm interested into trying your driver. There is some infos here and reverse engineering here. I hope this can help you. Just let me know if I can help you with something.

Thanks,

Claude

[lpn]

Klode, on 07 June 2011 - 11:49 AM, said:

Hi Louis, I have an Acer EasyStore H340 and I'm interested into trying your driver. There is some infos here and reverse engineering here. I hope this can help you. Just let me know if I can help you with something.

Thanks,

Claude

Hello Claude,

I might be able to get this working on an Acer H340 because the LED driver code I found has the code to manage the H340. As soon as the EX48x version is validated I will try to send you a version for test.

Louis

[lpn]

I now have a final version which I proposed to some people for testing. So far only one person told me they tried it and the first results are not positive. The health management light stopped blinking but the HD LEDs are not working. I am waiting from this person the log file in order to figure out why it works on my server but not on his.

I would appreciate if the other people to which I send the link to download the application could let me know their results. I can only get this to work with the help of testers!

[Klode]

lpn, on 08 June 2011 - 08:37 PM, said:

Hello Claude,

I might be able to get this working on an Acer H340 because the LED driver code I found has the code to manage the H340. As soon as the EX48x version is validated I will try to send you a version for test.

Louis

Thank you, I really appreciate your work! If you need any help in the meantime, just PM me.

Claude

[Mr_Smartepants]

I'm interested. I'm planning on migrating my EX495 to WHS2011 but haven't yet.

[BHBL]

I am totally interested in getting the Acer H340 lights working as I now have WHS 2011 running on it...