Upgrading firmware on GS140

[Cass Witkowski]

I'm trying to remember how to upgrade the firmware on the Alpha GS140.

From my mememory, which is decidedly rusty, I thought that after you upgrade the console firmware you had to then rebuild the eeproms on each CPU.

I.e:
>>> SET CPU 1,
>>> build -e
Repeat for each CPU

However, from reading the latest firmware release notes for the GS140 it is not exactly clear if and when I need to use the build -e or the build -n commands.


Does anyone have a good detail set of instructions for this firmware upgrade? Is my memory truly shot?

Thanks

Cass

[John Abbott_2]

Hi Cass, it's been a while for me too. Latest firmware 6.6

http://ftp.digital.com/pub/Digital/Alpha/firmware/readmes/gs140.html

All the gory details are on 2-12 + 2-13

Regards
John.

[Cass Witkowski]

Yes I read this and it is very unclear just what needs to be down or what may need to be done.

Do I need to do a BUILD -e on each CPU?
or only if I have a problem?

Do I need to do a BUILD -n?

The instructions are ambiguous at best

[John Abbott_2 · Accepted solution]

Hi Cass, this is how I read it...

build -e is only required IF your EEPROM settings become corrupt. So just note the output from

>>> show *
>>> show eeprom manufacturing

(>>> set cpu n & show eeprom manufacturing for each cpu module in your system)

and compare after the firmware upgrade. If nothing has changed, you don't need to issue a build -e

It is advised that a

>>> build -n

is issued.

Oddly, I now find myself in a position that I've now got to do this Friday week on a 4 cpu GS140/700 system... so if you want to wait...

Regards
John.

[Cass Witkowski]

John,

So how did the firmware upgrade go?

Don the Build -n command is that performed on each CPU?

[John Abbott_2]

Hi Cass, no problems - thanks (no build -e).

Talking to the engineer, if your firmware upgrade jumps a few versions you're more than likely to need to follow the build -e step. It's wise to record the information needed to complete the build -e as it's still possible that something "wonderful" could happen that results in it having to be applied.

Best of luck
John.

[Cass Witkowski]

I've also talked to HP support.

They said that newer versions of the firmware no longer require setting the CPU and building the eeproms. The newer version does that automatically.

They still recommend both the build -e and build -n

I'm going to test it out here to see how it goes.