Third A5158A crashes N4000 Server

[Fedon Kadifeli]

We have an N4000 Server with two A5158A FC cards running fine. When we try to install a third A5158A FC card, the system crashes at the startup script "Configure HP Fibre Channel interfaces".

If we try to start the system in single-user mode and then try to do an ioscan the system crashes again. We tested this (third) card in slot 3 and slot 9 with the same results.

Full hardware configuration of the system is:

8 CPUs, 8GB memory, 4 A3738A 100BT net. ad. (at slots 6, 5, 12 and 11), 1 A4926A 1000BT net. ad. (at slot 9), 2 A5158A FC ad. (at slots 1 and 7), two 18GB disks, one DVD-ROM and DDS-3 drive and lan0 at Core I/O. Operating system is 11.00 with latest patches.

Are there any N4000 users with 3 or more A5158A FC adapters installed and running without problem? Can you give information about the slots they are installed?

[Andrew Rutter · Accepted solution]

hi,

It should work as the system actuallly supports 12 A5158A cards in a single system.

Check the firmware level at PDC.

the latest version is 43.43 from here

http://www5.itrc.hp.com/service/patch/patchDetail.do?BC=patch.breadcrumb.main|patch.breadcrumb.search|&patchid=PF_CPIW4343&context=firmware:cpu

There were issues with the A5158A's in the earlier revisions, maybe the fix is in here.

Other than that the card could be faulty. Is there any errors in the gsp and other logs? also was the card installed while the system was live with OLAR or did you down the server?
The card should be seen at pdc level in the io menu if its ok.

If it is try booting into ODE and run the iotest on the card.

Andy

[Fedon Kadifeli]

Thank you for your reply. I upgraded PDC to version 43.43 (it was version 41.02). We will try once more to install the card.

[Florian Heigl (new acc)]

I remember reading a thread on issues with FC adapters in specific slots of N-Class systems.

My memory on it is very dim, but You might want to just try another slot as a last resort.

Also You don't write that Your PDC firmware is also at the latest level, so an update here might be reasonable, too.

It solved similar problems with a (much older) A3740A on my (much slower) A180C.

Florian

[Fedon Kadifeli]

Unfortunately even after the PDC update the card didn't work. We moved it from slot #3 (0/12) to slot #4 (0/8) and it worked. We could not understand why, but it is working right now on slot #4.

[Jeff Schussele]

Hi Fedon,

That's odd because only slots 1 & 2 are "Turbo" slots & all others are "Twin Turbo".
Either one cam accomodate FC HBAs - but of course you'll get better performance if you're not in 1 or 2.
I would suspect that it just wasn't quite seated properly in #3 & when you moved it, it was seated well that time.

My 2 cents,
Jeff

[Florian Heigl (new acc)]

Glad it helped, I didn't yet find the thread again.

[generic_1]

Is your N fully populated with power supplies? Just curious.

If you have some downtime in the future you might want to consider having hp come check that slot too, unless you already confirmed its working ok.

[timmy b.]

Hello, Fedon.

Some info for you:

The A5158A card is a 33Mhz/64Bit adapter. The adapter has a single port, which operates at 1 Gb speed, in 2X PCI slot. It supports 64 bit at 33MHZ. If in a 66Mhz slot, the PCI channel will still only operate at 33MHz. (This means it will run at full speed in any slot, 1 - 12.)

The A5158A was discontinued on January 1st, 2003, and was replaced by the A6795A 2gb FC adapter. It was the A6795A that experienced the problem with slot numbering. Some installations required the card to be located into even numbered slots. This was an issue with the PCI backplane Elroy chip. I don't recall ever hearing about this problem happening on the A5158A, but since it IS a FC card, it's possible.

By putting the card into slot 4 you should have a good, solid resolution to your problem.

I hope this helps!

Good Luck - Tim

[Fedon Kadifeli]

Jeff,

Yes, there are three power supplies. HP itself tried to install the card. It is now working on slot 4. HP cannot comment on why it didn't work on slot 3.

Timmy,

Thanks for the information; but note that there are two more A5158A's at slots 1 and 7!