DL140 G2 dead after BIOS update

[Mr.Stig]

I tried to update the BIOS on my DL140 G2, but doing the upgrade it failed and the server hang on a gray screen. After about 20 min. I shutdown the server and now it will not boot. I have not had any video output since. I’ve tried to boot from a USB floppy , from a bootable USB-key, from CD. Nothing happens. I then tried to connect to the ILO100 using my browser but the BMC requires username and password (admin/admin does not work). When I power on the server, all the fans spin up to max, but there is no beep tones and nothing on the screen. The BMC heartbeat LED flashes, but the POST LEDs do not light up. It seems like the server doesn’t get the kick to start the POST routine?!
Any help will be appreciated, because right now I only have a piece of junk.

[Mark Matthews · Accepted solution]

Hello Mr Stig,

Please follow the below instructions for Disaster Recovery procedures.

IMPORTANT: If System ROM is Corrupted

If the system ROM is corrupted on the target server because the ROMPaq ROM restoration procedure was interrupted, the initial ROMPaq attempt may have affected the contents of the ROMPaq diskette. It is recommended that a new ROMPaq diskette be created.





NOTE: The Compaq SmartStart and Support Software CD 4.80 or later includes Diskette Builder software that facilitates the creation of ROMPaq diskettes. Unlike the System ROMPaq Utility, the ROMpaq Disaster Recovery procedure does not allow for saving the original System ROM image by writing to diskette. Write operations to the diskette are not performed by ROMpaq Disaster Recovery procedure.

Older ProLiant System Models

Power down the server that contains the system ROM that needs to be restored.

Open the server chassis and record the default positions of the switches on the server's Configuration Maintenance Switch Pack. If possible, obtain the revision level of the System ROM firmware originally loaded. This information can be obtained from an INSPECT or Survey Report.

Set configuration switches 1, 4, 5, and 6 on systems with 6 switches, or switches 1,2,3 and 4 on systems with 4 switches on the system maintenance switch block to the ON position. Setting these switches to the ON position enables Disaster Recovery Mode on older ProLiant servers.



NOTE: Refer to the serverâ s documentation and hood labels for the location of the configuration switches.

Insert the ROMPaq diskette into the diskette drive.

Power up the target server. The keyboard, mouse, and monitor will all be inactive.

When the server has powered up, the server will make two long beeps to indicate that it is in Disaster Recovery Mode. For systems with the Integrated Management Display, check the IMD display for: "Insert ROMPAQ diskette".

Insert the System ROMPaq diskette in the server's diskette drive. Check the IMD display for: "ROMPAQ flashing ROM". Then, the server will read the ROMPaq diskette for the latest ROM image and will proceed to flash the system ROM on the target server. Flashing the System ROM should take a few minutes to complete. The procedure will take longer to complete on servers with Redundant ROMs since it is flashing two images; the primary and redundant.

Listen for a sequence of ascending (increasing) tone beeps after flashing is complete. Check for a message in the IMD that will indicate a successful operation is completed. The diskette drive may appear to still be in use, but the procedure is complete per the IMD messages and ascending tone beeps.

If the flashing fails, check for a message in the IMD display indicating the failure, and listen for a series of descending beeps will be generated. A second attempt should be made just in case the procedure should complete on that iteration. A quick series of beeps indicates successful completion of the system ROM recovery process.

When the disaster recovery process has successfully completed:

Remove the ROMPaq diskette from the drive and power down the server.
Return configuration switches 1, 4, 5, and 6 to their original positions.
Reassemble the server chassis.
Power up the server as usual.
If the Disaster Recovery procedure can not be completed and before dispatching the System or Peripheral Board depending on the server, components like the first bank of memory, the processors and associated hardware such as PPMs, Processor Power Modules, and Terminator Boards, and the power supplies should be eliminated as much as possible to causing or masking the problem. Remember to remove unnecessary and redundant hardware from the server that is not required to complete POST. Some of these components include multiple banks of memory, multiple processors, any PCI device, and redundant power supplies and PPMs. These extra components become available as on-site spares.


Thanks
Mark...

[Mr.Stig]

Hi Mark
Thank you for the reply. I tried it .. but it didnâ t work!
I switched all 4 switches to on, made a new fresh floppy, removed any extra Ram, harddrive, keyboard and so on, but the server does not make a sound!!! No beeps, no reading from floppy, no action at all.

[Mark Matthews]

Hello, sorry to hear that did not work.
This is the standard Disaster Recovery procedure for all Proliant servers.

Are there any fault lights on the system board at all. Around the mem slots etc..?

I have successfully done this before, and it can take a long time for the initial 'two long beeps' to appear.
I would wait a while for the beeps, then insert the floppy.

If it still doesnt work the only thing I can say is that the ROM is probably too corrupted to repair, and in this case Im afraid the system board will need replacing.

[Mr.Stig]

Hello Mark
What is "...a long time" in your world? 1 min., 10 min., 1 hour or ?
There are no fault lights on the system board - only the green BMC heartbeat LED that flashes.
Switch 1 is for boot block enable, switch 2 is to clear and reset CMOS to default settings, switch 3 and 4 is not in use. Is it the BMC that triggers the POST process or ...? Since I don't get any beep tones or any activity on keyboard, Cd-rom, video or USB devices, my theory is that the server is not getting any start-order. But this start-order is not generated by the BIOS, since the POST process takes place before the BIOS... - am I right? What about the ILO100 port. Is it possible to generate a start-request from the port? Or can I press a button combination during power on, to activate the POST process. Is there any "reset to default"-button on the systemboard?
I simply cant understand how the failed BIOS upgrade could have this fatal consequence. What happened since the beep tones are lost? What process checks the system and generates the tones? Can this process connect to the floppy device on a USB port and register the new BIOS?

[Mr.Stig]

Marks solution was perfekt and very useful. Unfortunately the servers ROM was destroyed so much that it was not possible to bring it back to live. If the server doesn’t beep, there is now way that you can fix it. So now I bought a new server.