conrep issue - cannot enable Legacy USB BIOS option - DL360 Gen 7

[DrFirestone]

I have been trying to get the Legacy USB support enabled via conrep so that I can access BIOS since my DL360 G7 does not have PS/2 ports, only USB...

While running the standard conrep -s command I receive the following output:

conrep -s -f saveconfig.dat
conrep 5.6.0.0 - HPE Scripting Toolkit Configuration Replication Program
(c) Copyright 2013,2017 Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP

System Type: ProLiant DL360 G7
ROM Date : 05/21/2018
ROM Family : P68
Processor Manufacturer : Intel

XML System Configuration: conrep.xml
Hardware Configuration: saveconfig.dat
Global Restriction: [3.40 ] OK

Platform check:
: [ProLiant DL120 G7 ] no match
: [ProLiant ML110 G7 ] no match
: [ProLiant DL3 ] match
: [ProLiant ML3 ] no match
: [ProLiant DL5 ] no match
: [ProLiant ML5 ] no match
: [ProLiant DL7 ] no match
: [ProLiant DL9 ] no match
: [ProLiant BL ] no match
: [ProLiant XW ] no match
: [ProLiant WS ] no match
: [ProLiant SE ] no match
: [ProLiant SL4 ] no match
: [ProLiant SL3 ] no match
: [ProLiant SL2 ] no match
: [ProLiant DL160 Gen8 ] no match
: [ProLiant SL160 Gen8 ] no match
: [ProLiant SL140 ] no match
: [ProLiant WS460c Gen8 WS Blade] no match
: [ProLiant MicroServer Gen8] no match
: [StoreEasy ] no match
: [FlexServer ] no match
: [FlexStorage ] no match
: [3PAR ] no match
: [ProLiant ML10 ] no match
: [Gen9 ] no match
: [ProLiant XL ] no match
: [SE2160w Server ] no match
: [C1030h ] no match
: [UIS ] no match
: [Apollo ] no match
: [EC200a ] no match
: [TM200 ] no match

It then returns to the command prompt (no return code 0) and generates no output file...

After many trials I discovered that I managed to generate a file while using the -x option combined with some of the xml files from the conrep_xml folder, for example:

conrep -s -f downloaded1.dat -x C:\hpe\conrep_xml\conrepDL160G6-SL160zG6_20100723.xml
conrep 5.6.0.0 - HPE Scripting Toolkit Configuration Replication Program
(c) Copyright 2013,2017 Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP

System Type: ProLiant DL360 G7
ROM Date : 05/21/2018
ROM Family : P68
Processor Manufacturer : Intel

XML System Configuration: C:\hpe\conrep_xml\conrepDL160G6-SL160zG6_20100723.xml
Hardware Configuration: downloaded1.dat

Saving configuration data to downloaded1.dat

Conrep Return Code: 0

The resulting file does not contain anything that related to Legacy USB support though..

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!--generated by conrep version 5.6.0.0-->
<Conrep version="5.6.0.0" originating_platform="ProLiant DL360 G7" originating_family="P68" originating_romdate="05/21/2018" originating_processor_manufacturer="Intel">
<Section name="POST_F1_Prompt">Enabled</Section>
<Section name="C1E_Support">Disabled</Section>
<Section name="Hardware_Prefetcher">Disabled</Section>
<Section name="Adjacent_Cache_Line_Prefetch">Disabled</Section>
<Section name="Intel_Virtualization_Tech">Enabled</Section>
<Section name="Execute-Disable_Bit_Capability">Disabled</Section>
<Section name="Intel_HT_Technology">Disabled</Section>
<Section name="Active_Processor_Cores">All</Section>
<Section name="A20M">Enabled</Section>
<Section name="Intel_SpeedStep_tech">Enabled</Section>
<Section name="Intel_TurboMode_tech">Enabled</Section>
<Section name="Intel_C_STATE_tech">Disabled</Section>
<Section name="C_State_package_limit_setting">Auto</Section>
<Section name="QPI_Links_Speed">Full-Speed</Section>
<Section name="QPI_L0s_and_L1">Disabled</Section>
<Section name="Advanced_Memory_Protection">Advanced ECC Only</Section>
<Section name="Node_Interleaving">Disabled</Section>
<Section name="Demand_Scrubbing">Disabled</Section>
<Section name="Patrol_Scrubbing">Disabled</Section>
<Section name="Embedded_Serial_Port_Address">Disabled</Section>
<Section name="USB_2.0_Controller">Enabled</Section>
<Section name="USB_2.0_Controller_mode">Hispeed</Section>
<Section name="BIOS_EHCI_Hand_Off">Disabled</Section>
<Section name="Hotplug_USB_FDD_Support">Auto</Section>
<Section name="VGA_Control">Always Enabled</Section>
<Section name="Embedded_NIC_Port_1_PXE">Enabled</Section>
<Section name="Embedded_NIC_Port_2_PXE">Enabled</Section>
<Section name="Wake_ON_LAN">Disabled</Section>
<Section name="SATA1_Controller_mode">Disabled</Section>
<Section name="SATA2_Controller_mode">Disabled</Section>
<Section name="Active_State_Power_Management">Enabled</Section>
<Section name="PCI_Express_Gen2">Gen 1</Section>
<Section name="IPMI_WatchDog_Timer">Disabled</Section>
<Section name="Serial_Port_Assignment">System</Section>
<Section name="Serial_Port_Connection_Mode">Direct</Section>
<Section name="TCG/TPM_SUPPORT">YES</Section>
<Section name="Quick_Boot">Enabled</Section>
<Section name="Quiet_Boot">Disabled</Section>
<Section name="NumLock">Disabled</Section>
<Section name="USB_Device_Boot_Priority">High</Section>
<Section name="Memory_Interleaving">Full Interleaving</Section>
<Section name="BIOS_Serial_Console">Enabled</Section>
<Section name="Serial_Port_Mode">19200 8,n,1</Section>
<Section name="Redirection_After_BIOS_POST">Always</Section>
<Section name="Terminal_Type">VT-UTF8</Section>
<Section name="VT-UTF8_Combo_Key_Support">Enabled</Section>
<Section name="Sredir_Memory_Display_Delay">No Delay</Section>
<Section name="Drive_Write_Cache">Enabled</Section>
<Section name="Seial_Port_Interrupt_setting">Edge trigger</Section>
<Section name="Restore_on_AC_Power_Loss">Last State</Section>
<Section name="QPI_Optimization">Optimized for Memory</Section>
<Section name="Power_Supply_Redundancy_Mode">Balanced</Section>
<Section name="Memory_Speed_with_2DPC">1066MHz@1.35V</Section>
<Section name="Intel_VT-d">Disabled</Section>
<Section name="DCU_Prefetcher">Disabled</Section>
<Section name="Data_Reuse">Disabled</Section>
<Section name="ECMOS_Updated_Flag">Updated</Section>
</Conrep>

I tested the <Section name="BIOS_Serial_Console">Disabled</Section> and modified it to <Section name="BIOS_Serial_Console">Enabled</Section>, then used the conrep -l , rebooted, redownloaded the file again and as shown above the serial console option remains Enabled, but the Virtual Serial Port seem not to be active...

</>hpiLO-> vsp

status=2
status_tag=COMMAND PROCESSING FAILED
error_tag=COMMAND ERROR-UNSPECIFIED
Wed Nov 20 19:53:38 2024

Virtual Serial Port is not enabled. Use the server RBSU to configure.

</>hpiLO-> textcons

Starting Text Console.
Press 'Esc (' to return to the CLI Session.
Monitor is in graphics mode or an unsupported text mode.

</>hpiLO->

I know for a fact that the Virtual Serial Port was indeed disabled in BIOS, hence tried to Enable it via conrep - I also tried textcons to access the bios settings during startup and it gives the unsupported text mode message - so I am stuck with not being able to access the bios settings whatever route I take...

Any help would be truly appreciated!

[shiva_jr]

Hi @DrFirestone ,
    This post may help you even the Model is different.   Please try and confirm if it works or not.

Regards,
Shiva_JR

[DrFirestone]

Hi Shiva,

Thanks for the reply. Before I remove the CMOS battery I'd be glad if someone could confirm this won't affect the disk array settings and result in data loss...

I've read before on some forums about the CMOS battery solution, but so far could not get a definite answer whether this will or won't affect the disk array configuration settings...

Again, thanks in advance for anyone responding to my message!

[shiva_jr · Accepted solution]

HI @DrFirestone ,
    As I know, it won't affect the RAID and disk's data. 
Regards,
Shiva_JR

[DrFirestone]

Hi @shiva_jr ,

I pulled out the CMOS battery from its socket on the mainboard and put back a fresh one after about an hour later - happy to report that the disk array setting are not affected by this and data is intact. The RBSU settings were all cleared and the Legacy USB functionality returned   Hopefuly this information will come in handy to someone in case they lock themselves out with no access to the BIOS in DL360 G7.

The conrep mystery likely is going to remain unsolved, I still wonder what was the reason I could not get it to work properly with my server.

Thanks again!