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ML370 and 101-I/O ROM Error

 
Bryan Lucas_4
New Member

ML370 and 101-I/O ROM Error

This weekend I rebooted one of our ML370's and it came up with a 101-I/O ROM Error. I found in some previous revision history notes on the HP website that this seemed to be a known issue and that a BIOS upgrade would fix it. I downloaded the latest BIOS, ran the softpaq which built a bootable floppy with the new BIOS on it. Yet, the floppy would not boot in the ML370 as it wouldn't even POST, it dies right after detecting the CPU's. I even flipped the switch on the motherboard to enable floppy booting (SW4 i think) but that didn't help. So, I just swapped the scsi drives with an older ML370 I had laying around and went about my way.

Here's my question though:
1. We have several other ML370 G1's in production, should we be concerned enough about this error that we risk flashing the BIOS on all these older units?
2. Is there any way to fix the ML370 that is currently having this problem?
6 REPLIES 6
HGN
Honored Contributor

Re: ML370 and 101-I/O ROM Error

Hi

It definitely looks like an issue upgrading the BIOS considering the fact the servers are in production. This may also be a one time occurance but the best people to answer would be HP.
To fix the current problem is to try with another set of downloaded BIOS on to a floppy but if that does not work the reason is during flashing the first time it did not go thro properly which I think is getting the motherboard replaced since I HP does not do BIOS level replacement.

Rgds

HGN
Bryan Lucas_4
New Member

Re: ML370 and 101-I/O ROM Error

I only attempted three boots with the BIOS boot Floppy in the server. All three times I watched the floppy light indicator and it never booted off the floppy. The server literally, flashes the Memory count in the top left corner, then says the "one processor found Intel Pentium III blah blah blah" line and then immediately gives the I/O ROM Error. There's no boot, F10 type opportunities, no attempt to read the floppy or CDROM, no attempt to initialize the array controllers, it just hangs bad.

Thanks!
Brian_Murdoch
Honored Contributor

Re: ML370 and 101-I/O ROM Error

Bryan,

101 ROM I/O errors are generally caused by a PCI device. When the system POSTS, it passes control to devices in the PCI slots so that they can go through their ROM procedures (Examples are the banners produced by Adaptec controllers and Compaq Smart Array controllers etc. during POST) If there is a problem with one of the PCI devices, you get this error. It has been seen with Smart Array controllers and other third party devices, so it could be anything.

Start by remving ALL PCI devices and power up the server. If you don't get the 101 ROM I/O error you know that one of the devices you have removed is causing it.
Insert them one by one and check again. It won't take long to find the culprit. Generally the device causing it can't be fixed by firmware etc. so it will have to be replaced.

I hope this helps.

Brian
Bryan Lucas_4
New Member

Re: ML370 and 101-I/O ROM Error

Thanks, I had read that somewhere I found on Google, so I pulled the only PCI device on the system (a FC card to connect to a CPQ TL895 DLT backup system) and that didn't help. We're using the on-board array controller, there's no extra controller.

I didn't try disabling that controller, I suppose that's an option somewhere? I could then add a spare SmartArray 3200 to the system perhaps? Any idea how to disable the on-board controller?
Brian_Murdoch
Honored Contributor

Re: ML370 and 101-I/O ROM Error

Bryan,

If its a Generation 1 ML370 (Original model with speeds of 1GHz and below), the raid controller is a ROC (Raid on Chip) model.
It is physically slotted into the system board beside the CMOS battery. You can remove it by pressing the clips at the side and popping it off the system board.

It would be unusual for this to be causing a ROM I/O error so I suggest you make sure the PCI riser card is properly seated.
Put the flat of your hand across the riser and give it a good hard push to make sure that the gold pins insert fully into the slot in the system board which accepts it.

Good luck.

Brian
Bryan Lucas_3
New Member

Re: ML370 and 101-I/O ROM Error

I finally got around to fixing this as I simply used another spare ML370 to solve the problem.

Removing the ROC solved the problem. They run about $40 on the street so I'm just going to get another one.