How to fix a failed HP Network Configuration Utility Upgrade

This has been bugging me for ages and I finally have a step by step guide which actually works.

You need a RILO board or to be standing in front of the HP server of course.


NCU upgrade / fix to 8.1 (version 2)

All of this needs to be done from the RILO board.

1. Stop and Disable Microsoft Exchange System Attendant service
2. Load a CMD prompt
3. Type “ipconfig /all >c:\ips.txt” to record the current IP info.
- if gigabit and emea, record static route settings.
4. Type "set devmgr_show_nonpresent_devices=1"
5. cd\winnt\System32
6. start devmgmt.msc
7. Remove any Network Adapters that show up in the Device Manager
- The system will ask you to reboot after each one.. click NO.
8. Go to C:\CPQSYSTEM\pnpdrvs and delete any files beginning with n100, n1000,
cpqnet, cpqteam, q57
9. Go to C:\Winnt\inf and delete any files beginning with n100, n1000, cpqnet,
cpqteam, q57
10. Delete oem*.* from c:\winnt\inf
11. Enable verbose Setupapi logging by creating and populating the following registry value
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup
Value Name: LogLevel
Data Type: REG_DWORD
Value: FFFF
12. Rename the current setupapi.log
13. Reboot and allow PnP detection to detect and attempt to install the device using Microsoft in the box driver.
14. Assign the right IP address to the primary NIC (onboard).
15. RUN full HP SSD to update\install the NIC drivers & NCU utility from the Build3 directory.. (D:\server build\hp\ssd)
15.5 Reboot and relogin via the RILO.
16. Configure the NIC teaming according to WI (CITWI-0187) and Assign the production IP address to the Team ( recorded in c:\ips.txt)
- 100 / Full duplex, fault tolerant etc.
17. Reconfigure Gigabit card if present (recorded in c:\ips.txt)
- reset metrics as per standard
- reset routing and remote access
17.5 Rename all NICS as per the build 3 document.
17.7 Do an ipconfig /registerdns and nbtstat –RR to flush the dhcp settings and register correct settings.
18. Set Microsoft Exchange system Attendant to automatic
19. Reset Setupapi logging by creating and populating the following registry value
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup
Value Name: LogLevel
Data Type: REG_DWORD
Value: 0

20. Reboot
21. Login via mstsc /console and check all is ok.