MSA1000: Error Message #30

[Zahar]

Yesterday I unpacked and installed in rack fully loaded MSA1000 (two 2/8 SAN-switches, two controllers with 2x256MB BBWC, 14 HDDs).

When I launched it, after several initialization messages I received an error on right-controller (Error #30... something about I2C cache read error on PIC 0 and PIC 1) and red led is lighting. Left controller showed no messages at all (even no initialization messages). Redundancy led was always off.

Any ideas?

[Uwe Zessin]

The maintenance and service guide says about error 30:

""The MSA has a number of internal devices that are accessed via an I2C hardware bus. One of these devices failed when attempting to read from it. Certain I2C devices are considered critical and will result in a failure of the array controller while others may result in some loss of functionality (such as lost display messages).

Should the issue persist, contact HP support.""

[Zahar]

Yes, I'd read about this error in manual, but I have no idea what is "PIC 0" or "PIC 1". I found no mention about such thing in 'google' or 'itrc' forums.

The other thing is strange - it is absolutely new device. I just unpacked it and mounted in the rack (even all switches, controller and drives has been already inside). I can't believe HP is such not serious.

BTW: The other thing in one of 10 servers that where shipped together with this MSA one memory module was 'dead'.

hmmm

[Uwe Zessin]

"PIC" is a trademark of http://www.microchip.com/
Maybe it means somthing like "Programmable Interface Controller".

In the MSA1000 context, I guess it is a single-chip microcontroller to drive the I2C bus(es), but as an end-user you can ignore this stuff.

Either it works, then you don't need to care. Or it does not, in which case you open a call with your service provider to fix the box.

[James Muell]

Did you try reseating and/or swap slots for the controllers, and same for the memory chips etc?

[Zahar]

1. When I remove secondary (faulty) controller - no errors appear. MSA boots normally.

2. When I swap controllers - the result also swaps: the 'faulty' controller shows nothing on OCP, while 'healthy' controller boots normally with the same error.

3. When I connect via console to primary (healthy) controller - I can manage it w/o any problems, but 'show other_controller' command tells me that secondary controller is no accessible.

4. When I boot MSA with secondary (faulty) connected to console - I can see some messages like "... booting ...", later I see error that firmware is corrupted.

Finally: The firmware version is the same on both controllers. But I can't understand why 'faulty' controller doesn't restore its firmware from backup-rom or from 'healthy' controller.

Any ideas?

[James Muell · Accepted solution]

What FW version are the controller showing?

It sounds like you have a bad controller, and will have to RMA it back to HP.

The other tests you didn't mention trying are swapping the memory in the good controller into the bad controller and booting with it only.

I had a bad controller before in a new system.
When you get tired of messing with it, Call them and they should next day you the replacement controller. Be sure to tell them which FW you are using. GL. jm

[Uwe Zessin]

Want a honest answer?

Don't waste your time to debug this.
Apparently you have located a defective controller.
That is enough than anyone can expect from you.

Ask for a replacement part.

[Zahar]

I don't remember firmware exactly...
I suppose it was v4.48 b.423 A

Tomorrow I'll try to swap cache modules. If it has no effect, I'll request replacement.

Thanks for all