Too Much, Too Fast, a bit of humble pie!

March 14, 2022

Last year I had collected a large amount of computer equipment from my years in IT, I had tons of laptops and laptop parts, everything was older than 8 years or so. So I conducted a purge, I keep one machine that had a DB, and got rid of everything else. I was left with one 17inch HP laptop that I can use for gaming.

When I decided to start training for Cyber, I went out and started purchasing laptops and servers on the used market. Thinking that I was doing the right thing, I was going to build my own lab! I am here to tell you don’t do this on impulse! Look at the gear and what your going to do and really understand the path you want to follow.

HP DL120 G7 Server – Humble Pie & Lessons Learned the Hardway.

I have been working with hardware for users, I have used everything. At this point in my career, I have forgotten, more than most people learn. This is where the humble pie comes in and lessons learned the hard way. I see this HP DL120 G7, 500GB HD, and 12 Gb Ram, I think this is perfect for running a Ubuntu KVM Type 1 Hypervisor.

I start the day by setting up the RAID on the server and start installing the Ubuntu server around midday following along with the LinkedIn Learning Course “Building an Ubuntu Server”, while I don’t really need to rely on the video training normally, as I have done 1000’s of installs of OS. But I watched to see how the course was, and see if I could learn something new. While following along the CLI hardware commands, I notice that Ubuntu only sees 4GB of the 12 GB RAM.

I reboot the server, and the BIOS sees the 12GB. I boot back into Ubuntu Server and only 4GB again. Reseating the RAM and rebooting has no effect at all. I swapped the ram around and now I am getting RAM errors and warnings. I set everything back to the way it came and started googling. Well sure enough Ubuntu requires MATCHED RAM Sticks, in the server. Now I remember this from the early days, I forgotten this. Ok not a problem, I need to upgrade the RAM for the VM’s anyway!

HP DL120 G7 Memory

HP if memory serves me right is very finicky with memory. A quick google search and this machine take DDR3 – ECC Ram – at 1333! No problem, I hope on Craigs List and grab a 64GB kit for $100.00 bucks. While I know this machine can only Support 32GB, and this is overkill, take what I need and I can sell the Rest!!

Excited I get home, I rip open the server and install 32GB. Fire up the server, and I have the HP LONG BEEP error. Over the next few hours, I test and swap every stick and they are all erroring. I put back the 8GB of the original 12, and I am still getting the error. I put back in in the two 2 GB sticks in the right slots and the server is booting now.

Ok what gives. I start reading the user manual again, this time in depth. I know this board should support 8GB sticks for a total of 32. but why was this giving me the error? I Purchased a 64 GB kit of DDR3 – 10600R, that’s what the server had in it when I got the server. Well, I only looked at the 2 of the 4 sticks that came with the server. The 4GB were indeed 10600R but the other two sticks, the 2GB ones were 10600E.

I am thinking that maybe this is just a BIOS issue, so start the flash of the bios, I update the iLO 1st! Everything is ok at this point, I then go to update the BOIS, and I can only do that in Windows. If Short I grab a 2k8 iso from my old MS account, only to find that MSDN and VLS are all changed. I am losing access to my VLS with my email in about 30 days, so I have to download all my iso now!

Well, the next day, I have all my ISO’s and ok I start to put Windows 2k8 on this machine. HP iLO is very limited without an active license, in short, I grab the iLo trial license, I then release, I can’t install windows at the os does see the drives, I then have to go out and get the HP to install ISO, and we restart for the million time!

At some point, I reset the BOIS, and blew out the RAID, so now the machine doesn’t see the 500GB hard drives, reading the manual again now trying to figure out how to fix this.. For some reason, I reread the memory section.

BLOODY HELL, Chief O’Brien

So there I am, frustrated as hell. Pissed off as hell. Swearing up a storm, What should have been a 4-hour project was now a 4-day project!!! I am reading the manual over for a hundred time! I read the memory section yet, again.. There in black and white is – The server will support 32GB of 10600E, the server does not support registered memory of 10600R!!!

I now have 80 GB of 10600R, 500GB of Server Drives, and 5 days wasted in this setup!!!!

Read the Blood Manual first!!!!

Well, I have a major case of humble pie. In my haste to set up my cyber lab and get to the actual training, I rushed and took the shortcut. This everything I did, is what I laugh at others for doing. I know better than this, when getting servers for work, I make sure to review every stupid document, I get and verify configurations, setups, manuals, everything with a fine-tooth comb. Stupid me, the anxiety, the impatient me, got the best of me. I thought I knew better than to read and I learned a very expensive lesson. for the money I spent in the one server, I could have put it into the RAM of my primary laptop, and run everything on Oracle Virtual Box, but I was impatient and I let the anxiety win.

Lessons Learned!

I learned a very valuable lesson again, no matter how experienced you are anxiety is a major issue. Later in this blog, I am going to talk about Mental Health and my experience with it. This is a topic that everyone needs to be open to and to have the spotlight on. It’s a major concern in every aspect of life and in every career!

I have a HP Zbook, Gaming computers, for less than that HP server I could have just upgraded the RAM and run all the VM’s I needed to start.

Patients, While looking to fix my HP mistake, I noticed on craigslist a VMWare Type 1 Hypervisor with 32 GB Ram for 40 Bucks. I just picked that up. I know Hyper-V and VMWare VSphare pretty well already. This is why I wanted to start with Ubuntu with KVM as well.

While learning Ubuntu with KVM would be great to know, most of the world uses VMWare, so being able to see this in my lab to test the vulnerabilities seemed like a better idea, than Ubuntu with KVM at this point..

Getting Started in CyberSecurity – The right way.

My tips for someone starting out in cybersecurity or IT. Look at the machine you’re currently using!!! Most Laptops today can run Oracle’s Virtual Box, go to crucial (.)com and download the free memory scanner, and see if you can upgrade the RAM in your laptop. MAX this out if you can, or get what you can afford. You can get away with 16 gb RAM if you only running one or two VM’s. Linux and Windows can run with 4GB Ram if your running headless. Start here.

After you started with knowing the Virtual Box try branching, into larger and larger ram and OSs when you get some more experience when getting a 2nd laptop to run live Kali or Parrot OS. A used business-class computer can be found for a few hundred, if you’re using Linux you don’t need, a brand new machine, most will run with 8 gb of ram and 128GB HD…

Good Luck, Take your time slow and steady will win the marathon, it’s not how fast you get there. With IT its all about getting there and the experiences you pickup!