ML330 switches for emergency bios upgrade

[Lars Oimoen]

Hello.
I've got a Proliant ML330 (first generation) that I need to flash with a new bios, but I'm failing. Have found out that switch 3 on the SW2 block on the motherboard enables emergency floppy-seek. I switch it on and the machine gives on long and three short beeps, then pauses maybe a second and give two new beeps before it starts reading the floppy. After some time the floppy stops, and one LED on the motherboard (D20) starts blinking fast.

Power down, set switch 3 back to OFF, but apparently no new bios.

The machine has a "feature board" with a block of 8 switches. I've found that other machines needs to have 1,4,5,6 switches set in ON position in order to flash the bios. I've tried setting them at the feature board, but makes no difference. Also tried setting all four switches on SW2 to ON, in order to clear password and erase nvram.

If anyone can advice me on what switches I have to turn ON in order to flash the bios I would be very grateful, since I don't know if it's the switches, floppies or floppy-drives that's the problem. I've been trying different diskettes and floppy-drives, so I think it's got to do with the switch-settings.

Thanks.

Lars.

[James ~ Happy Dude]

Hello Lars,

Why all this Trouble ?

Download Firmware maintenance CD 7.9 & boot from it;
http://h18023.www1.hp.com/support/files/server/us/download/27783.html

It will take care of firmware For all the components in the server;

Regards,
James.

[Lars Oimoen]

The problem is that an attempt to update the bios crashed, and the machine isn't booting at all...

Lars.

[Blazhev_1]

Hi,

from :

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/DocumentIndex.jsp?contentType=SupportManual〈=en&cc=us&docIndexId=179911&taskId=101&prodTypeId=15351&prodSeriesId=254931

you can download the Setup and Installation Guide and check page 122 - System Configuration Switch (SW2). When you set switch 2 to on and power up the server, the configuration info will be cleared.
In your case the problem is with the ROM, so like you said switch 3 to on and see page 124. You can then copy : http://h18023.www1.hp.com/support/files/server/us/download/17215.html to a diskette and boot the server with the floppy in it, why position 3 is 'on' . If this steps don't help, don't have other ideas...

When you enter emergency mode do you see something or there is black screen always?

Regards,
Pac

[Lars Oimoen]

From the page you linked, I download http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bc/docs/support/SupportManual/c01130080/c01130080.pdf but it only has 99 pages (the server is first generation), and the "switches" pages just say "Reserved" on the interesting switches. What I really want to know is if I need to change any of the feature-board switches in addition to the third switch on SW3.

There's nothing on the display when entering emergency-mode. Is that good or bad? ;)

Thanks again.

Lars.

[chongkan]

Recovering from a Failed System ROM Upgrade
During the ROM upgrade process, the whole process must complete for the ROM upgrade to be successful.


WARNING: If an error such as a power failure, operating system lockup, or some other catastrophic event occurs during the system ROM upgrade process, the ROM upgrade will not complete and the system ROM image on the target server will be corrupted. Should this occur, the server will not operate correctly and ROM disaster recovery procedures must be implemented to regain server functionality.

IMPORTANT: Supported Servers
While ROMPaq disaster recovery is supported on all ProLiant server models, each server has unique and specfic directions for exicuting the Disaster Recovery Procedure. Older models require powering down, opening the chassis, and locating the system maintenance switch block on the serverâ s system board. Specfic switches have to be set and very from server model to server model. Newer models do not require setting any system board switches. For the server specific information, warnings and procedures, please refer to the serverâ s Setup and Installation user guide for details.

Follow these steps to perform ROMPaq disaster recovery on any Compaq server that has a corrupted ROM image:

Obtain the latest ROMPaq version for the target server.

The ROMPaq files can be obtained in several ways. See Question 5 below in the "Questions and Answers" section for sources where the ROMPaq files can be obtained.

Create the ROMPaq diskette that will be used to restore the serverâ s system ROM.

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

[chongkan]

This is to setup the alerts for this topics..

[Lars Oimoen]

Thanks, I've read it, but doesn't get any further.
"Specfic switches have to be set and very from server model to server model" - this is one point where I wonder if I have to set any switches on the Feature Bord in addition to switch 3 on SW2? Can anyone tell me that the eight switches on that board does? switch one diables VGA, the rest only says "Reserved" in the docs I've found.

I _think_ the blinking of the D20 led indicates unsuccessful update, since if I insert a disk without the rompaq, it will try to read it, and when I remove the diskette, the D20 starts blinking.

It seems to me as the machine is actually reading in the new bios from the diskette, but is unable to write it properly.

I'm now quite sure it's not the floppies or floppydrives that's the problem. Have created different diskettes on different hardware, just to make sure it's not a faulty floppydrive playing me a trick.
Alos minimised the hardware: one memorychip in bank1, the Feature board and floppy remaining.

Thanks again for any suggestions.