HP P2000 ISCSI firmware update failed, controllers dead?

[H. Hansen]

Hi, 

I have a P2000 disk array with 2 BK829A, G3 iSCSI MSA controllers which i tried to firmware update. 

It seemed like everything was OK during the upgrade, but when the P2000 rebooted it never came back online. 

In the webinterface just states: 

 Warning
The system is currently unavailable

And keep being that way eventhough i waited for 2 days... Its blinking on the green OK LED every 3 seconds or so. 

I also tried with SSH and, i can log in but i cant do anything since it says the system is not ready. 

Are there any tricks to "reset" these controllers? I've tried reseating them like several posts says, but it does not help. 

The controllers are of course out of service, so i cant get them exchanged. 

I can see there is also a SAS connection, maybe its worth a try connecting it with SAS to a workstation and maybe get to reinstall the firmware that way? 

Hope someone knows what to do :) 

Thanks. 

[Greybeard]

Try connecting a serial cable and interrupting the boot, this will allow you to get to an option for re-flashing the binary file using X-modem or Kermit etc. I used Hyperterm.

[H. Hansen]

A serial cable? You mean the mini USB cli cable or? There is also a standard usb port (HOST) 

And how do you interrrupt? I usually use Putty... 

[Greybeard]

Yes, the mini USB (same as a playstation controller cable :)  This requires the HP MSA USB serial driver as it is a serial connection mapped to the USB. During POST there is a message for the intrrupt but it's been a while and I can't remember exactly what it says, Not sure if PuTTY has a file transfer option though, that's why I used Hyperterm as it's in the menu. The driver should be on the CD that came with the MSA, some screenshots and connection details are on this site http://www.petenetlive.com/KB/Article/0000569.htm

[H. Hansen]

Hehe, yes, i've tried using the USB cable several times, it was also how i set up the IP addresses for the controllers when i bought them. 

But it does not display any messages during post? I have to connect to it after it have started, but maybe thats also because of putty. 

I've also tried the FTP option without luck. 

I will try with hyperterm if i can get it to run on my workstation where the P2000 shelf is currently attached. 

Btw. SAS is working without any issues from the controllers so they arent totally dead. 

I will let you know the outcome. 

[H. Hansen]

I've tried it with hyperterminal now, and it wont connect to the controller before it is started, so i dont see any POST messages, i try to connect and it just says that COM3 is not available and keeps doing that until the controller is started, and then its too late to see any post messages. 

How do you connect before the USB/Serial is started? 

[Torsten.]

I just looked at a MSA2040 and you get only a login prompt at the serial line when the controller has finished boot. No earlier messages at all (unlike the G1 and G2 did, there you can see it).

I would try to power off, remove all disks and start up with a single controller to see if you can get a prompt.

[H. Hansen]

Hi Torsten, 

I've tried that already, I can login using telnet, SMU is not working of course. 

But i've been able to do that all the time, but anything that has something to do with the SC fails. 

I get this message for an example: 

# restart sc
Error: The Storage Controller is not ready for the operation.

I've read somewhere that the controllers could be reprogrammed by HP, do you know anything about that? 

Right now i have the controllers out of the P2000 array, and started them by connecting a 12V power supply to the internal Molex plug inside the controllers. (Yes i know you arent supposed to open them but they are out of service anyways)

There are also a SC Reset and a MC Reset button inside the controllers but the SC reset does not really do anything. 

Thanks.