Help! BIOS update failed to reboot DL165 G5

[Kevin Heatwole]

I'm going to upgrade the processors in my DL165 G5 and my dealer recommended that before I do anything I should upgrade all firmware to the latest.

The BMC was running version 3.01 and the BIOS was O13 series version 2008.08.15. When I looked at the update BIOS page, I saw that the latest version requires 3.11 BMC firmware so I made a USB Key and upgraded to 3.11. The system rebooted and all was fine.

Next, I returned to the HP download page and saw that the latest BIOS was 2010.02.26, BUT DID NOT NOTICE THE IMPORTANT NOTE THAT I HAD TO ALREADY BE RUNNING A MORE RECENT BIOS TO UPGRADE.

So, I upgraded to 2010.02.26. All looked good for the upgrade, but when I got the screen to power cycle to reboot, the reboot sent nothing to the console (no nice HP graphic while it POSTs). I rechecked the web and then noticed the important note and I should have upgraded to 2009.11.03 first (if the note is to be believed).

So, I am stuck with a system that the green power light goes on (and stays on), but it won't even start to boot (no output on the concole).

I looked at the documentation and it says I can recovery the firmware, but putting the 2009.11.03 boot rom on a USB Floppy and calling the file AMIBOOT.ROM. I went out and bought a floppy drive and put the file on it, but the system doesn't even begin to access the USB Floppy (just the green power light on and some other lights on the motherboard/P400 controller light up).

I then saw that there is some "crisis recovery jumper" somewhere on the motherboard that the Maintenance and Service manual is supposed to tell you where it is, but doesn't. I do see a 2-pin jumper labeled P26 on the motherboard that is supposed to set the Chasis ID1 or ID2. It says to open up the server and jump pins 2 and 3, attach the floppy, and connect power. Then, it should access the floppy. But, nothing happens when I change this P26 jumper. Maybe this isn't the "crisis recovery jumper"?

So, I am stuck. Can anyone help? The system is really a D2D2503i/EH945A Backup server but is just a DL165 G5 with some extra parts (including the P400 controller with BBWC).

I've tried all sorts of other things, but so far, nothing is responsive. I can get to the BMC through the web interface, but nothing looks odd and there doesn't seem to be anyway to flash the BIOS through the web interface. I can telnet to the BMC but I don't know any commands to this. I am new to HP servers, and just want to get the BIOS reflashed and working again.

[Kevin Heatwole]

BTW, I did search the web for advice how to recover AMI BIOS. It said that if the floppy isn't accessed with the AMIBOOT.ROM file on it, then I should press CTRL-HOME as soon as possible after power is applied to the server.

Nothing I do seems to get a response from the floppy. So, I'm still thinking that maybe the "crisis recovery jumper" is somewhere I'm not seeing and when I find it, I can reflash this BIOS.

[Kevin Heatwole]

I'm about to give up on this. Nothing I try seems to work.

The documentation for the DL165 G5 says there is a 2 pin jumper at P9 on the motherboard. But, P9 is just a couple soldiers. I found jumpers at P20, P26, P27, and P28. None of them changed to get any activity on the USB Floppy.

The documentation also mentions an HP Crisis Recovery Floppy, but I couldn't find any such animal in all the web (there was reference to Phoenix BIOS recovery floppy, but never for the AMI BIOS.

The BIOS chip itself is soldiered to the motherboard (why would they do that to a part that might need to be replaced?).

Anyway, I've tried everything I can think of. The documentation gives hope that you can just put the ROM on a floppy and it will pick it up. I guess my BIOS isn't messed up enough to get it to look for the floppy. Indeed all lights are green except that the system status light on the motherboard is blinking green (like it would during power up, but it never stops blinking green).

Any ideas at all?

[Popadic]

Same for me

[Matt Palmer_2]

Hi,

I dont have a DL165 G5, but on the 360s and 380s there is a redundant ROM on the board(not sure if the 165 offers the same?)

Maybe you could enable the 'other' ROM if there is one and try a recovery from there?

HTH

Matt

[Matt Palmer_2]

Hi,

just another thought. I know you said you get no console. - Have you tried to hit the console using the iLO port? might be you can reset through there?

thanks

Matt

[Popadic]

The problem is that there is no documentation on where is this jumper.
The Server Maintenance and Service Guide document is wrong.
:(

[ServerSoft]

If you cannot find any solution to this, I've used aqstech.com for server bios repair in the past. They're good.

[Gene Fox]

Did you ever find a solution to this problem? It seems I am now in the same boat.

[Kevin Heatwole]

No solution yet. My DL165 G5 is just a big paper weight.

I'm sure there probably is some way to trigger the ROM to reload the BIOS, but I couldn't figure it out and the documentation is inconsistent at best on how to recover from disaster.