Firmware Update issue

[MontyMagic]

Hi,

I recently applied the Service Pack for proliant servers 2014 release using the unattended setup on a DL580 G5 server.  I believed I had already updated all items, but wanted to flash some new drives that I had installed.

Unfortunately I left the two onboard NICs teamed (using the windows 2012 r2 teaming).  The service pack incorrectly recognized the hardware and updated the NIC cards from NC373i to Broadcom5708C NetXtreme II GigE.

Now I do not have any NIC cards registered in device manager, but have the two Broadcom5708C NetXtreme II GigE listed under system.  (see attached screenshot)

I have removed the team, but I am unable to flash the NIC cards using what I believe to be the correct driver as the install process does not find any hardware.  I have also tried booting to the Service Pack for proliant servers 2014 release and seeing if I can "Force" and update but the local inventory search does not find any NIC Cards and therefore the NIC updates are not listed for me to select.

Does anybody have any solutions for how I may resolve this issue and correctly reflash the NIC Cards to NC373i so that system recognises them correctly.

I look forward to receiving any assistance that you may be able to offer, I believe I have tried everything that I can think of...:(

Many Thanks in advance.

Monty

[waaronb]

Check in the device manager/advanced tab for those network cards and see what hardware/vendor ID's are showing up.

On a DL380 G5 I have with the NC373i, I get:
PCI_164C14E4 SUBSYS_7038103C

I've never heard of being able to flash the firmware on these in such a way that it alters the vendor ID... the Broadcom flash merely updates whatever it needs.

If I had to guess, I'd say that on Windows Server 2012 R2, it's using some built-in drivers maybe, and that's what's showing up? Or it installed some other driver where that hardware ID is considered equivalent (same driver file) as the Broadcom 5708. That actually may be true...

What happens if you install the cp*.exe file for the NC373i manually? Does it give you any error?

I think the latest for the Broadcom multifunction cards is cp021772.exe (7.8.50.0). Note that the download pages for G5 servers don't really include Server 2012 options, but it should be the same multifunction driver from the G6/G7 models.

Also note that 7.8.50.0 seems to be working fine for Hyper-V, unlike it's predecessor which caused issues, 7.8.6.0. There's a whole thread on here about that little stinker and the Hyper-V issues in particular.

[MontyMagic]

Hi,

Thank you very much for taking the time to offer your thoughts and assistance.

I had a look under device manager as suggested, and included hidden devices, the two NC373i cards show up as hidden, when I go to properties for the card it says they are not connected.

This will account for why I cannot update the firmware or the drivers using the HP CPXXXXX.exe downloads as it reports that the hardware isnt present.

I have included a revised screenshot to show where it sees these cards, do you have any idea why it thinks they are disconnected, and what I can do / update to get the system to correctly see them as connected.

I look forward to receiving any suggestions you may have.

Mark

[SprinkleJames]

I think you're dealing with a bad NIC firmware update. See here for more discussion. Hopefully HP will put out an advisory and an official fix soon.

[waaronb]

Ouch, that sounds like a nasty problem. I wonder if it's because it's updating the CCM when running unattended. I've installed the Broadcom firmware manually, and when it asked about the CCM I just said "No" because I don't think the older NIC's use or support that. Just a guess.

Now I'm glad I didn't do that part and just stuck with the ones where there was already some old version to be updated. I even looked around at the time on Broadcom's site to see what that CCM was and I didn't find anything, so I decided not to tempt fate by messing with it.

[MontyMagic]

I can't find a solution and am spending too much time on it, so have decommisioned the on bard NICs and purchased a NIC Card to go in that machine.

Hopefully this will work and bring it back online.

Thanks for all your help.

ps if anyone finds a solution I would love to try and get the onboard NICs working again.