Help! BIOS update failed to reboot DL165 G5

[Travis Truax]

Well, I just got a replacement board on Ebay for 1/3 the price HP parts wanted. Then I had the nail-biting experience of having to go through the BIOS updates on the resurrected server. I flashed it with EVERY version in between, and the BMC updates also, so that was:
v2008.08.15 (existing)
v2008.10.23
v2008.12.12
v2009.04.03
BMC v3.11 (takes a while - maybe 10min)
v2009.08.04
v2009.11.03
v2010.02.26
v2010.06.30
BMC v.3.20 (another 10min)
Then I used the "normal" Firmware update disc to update the NICs and Array Controller.

You might be able to skip some of the BIOS versions, but considering it is a one shot deal, I wouldn't suggest it!

Other notes:

After some of the updates I had quirky issues where the server kept rebooting without making it all the way through POST (which was scary after hosing one mobo already) but it turned out to be related to the P410 array controller I had installed. Just take the card out temporarily if you have a similar issue.

The HP USB KEY utility for the older BIOS updates doesn't support large (>2GB) USB keys, so you will have to dig up an ancient one to use, since they hardly sell anything under 4GB these days.

I called HP just to verify that my BIOS update plan was sound, and they had no clue about this issue on any DLXXX models. He did however mention that he knew of a similar problem with some servers is their Blade line! His only suggestion was to at least perform every-other update. He said this is what they tell their Blade customers with this problem. Ugh. It's like HP's BIOS updates are Russian roulette, and their tech support says "Try spinning the cylinder real fast, and rub a nerd for good luck."

[M. Meckel]

I recall an support engineer at our local datacenter talking about the DL1xx line.

Essential he said, the DL1xx line servers aren't even HP servers as they are cheap 3rd party servers where HP just sticks the fancy logo onto.

It seems nothing has changed since the DL140 days.

[Mikkel Hesselberg]

Same just happened for me...
Any news?

[Travis Truax]

Sorry dude. That server is toast.

Any self-respecting nerd would probably not accept that answer without "trying some stuff" for themselves....but I really, really think it's a waste of time. The only hope is flashing the bios externally (which is difficult enough as it is) - but so far nobody has even located a header on this board!

Get a replacement board on Ebay if you need to stick with that model, or get a better quality server instead.

Travis-

[Patrick OGrady]

I do the same mistake then you and i finish to find a way to save my MB!. I have a couple of dl165 g5 server. I bring another board to a local store to unsoldered the bios chip of a working one and flash it with a universal programmer on the chip with the bad flash and it's save my day! if you want the dump of the chip let me know. I order a couple of extra sst chip in case...

[Travis Truax]

Nice job Patrick- I for one am not scared of soldering, (my job usually includes something that needs it every week or two...) and you had little to lose working on the dead mobo, but you're a brave soul to take the iron to a working board!

I would never have suggested that as an option to anyone considering how difficult it can be to desolder components from a PC mobo. The multiple layered boards really make that type of work very risky.

Since HP provides the BIOS downloads online anyway, I doubt there are any legal issues with posting the image on this thread. You may save others where HP has failed them.

It may also be helpful to let the other posters know what model of eeprom writer you used.

Thanks-

[Patrick OGrady]

After some experiment , i find a way to solve the problem on the cheap... First you need a universal Programmer with plcc 32 socket. If you not have one buy the nano bios programmer on ebay it's sold for 9.99$ US + shipping. You can ask him another bios chip the model is SST 49LF080A 33-4C-NHE. Now you can unsoldering the chip yourself or go to any electronic repair shop that can do it for u... After that i found that not all rom from hp contain de full package. Download the rom i post in this thread unrar the file in it. Is the last update of the bios before u need to upgrade the BMC... Flash this rom on the chip resoldering the chip on the board and voila! it's work again

[Kevin Heatwole]

Wow!!! Finally some hope.

Could I avoid having to remove the BIOS chip and solder a new one in by using this reverse socket?

http://cafe.daum.net/tualatin/J11z/234

Looks to me that with this reverse socket, you can temporarily replace the BIOS flash chip just to get the server to boot, and then you can flash the old BIOS chip and hopefully recover.

If this has hope, then which of the alternatives for attaching the reverse socket do we have in this case?

I know next to nothing about hardware, but is the chip on our dead mobos a FWH / LPC chip or a Legacy Flashrom? Would we need to cut a pin or could we get lucky and not have to do any soldering/pin cutting?

[Patrick OGrady]

yeah i see the reverse socket but i was feeling more safe to unsoldering the chip... So i didn't try it. I cannot give you any advice about...

[pashe]

Thank you for your post. I have the same problem with DL185 G5. I used your file for rom flashing, but server shutdon after fan 4 and 5 error message. Help me please to find correct rom image for DL185 G5.

[Duke3d]

I had the same problem with our DL185 G5, you just need to insert the DL185 raisercard and the server will boot up as DL185 and without FAN error!

Regards

[JoeMuc2012]

Thanks Patrick, that worked perfectly!

I took the challenge of unsoldering the BIOS chip, then placing a socket there in case it goes wrong the next time, and re-flashing the BIOS with the file you provided. Looks really good so far.

To all who feel they'd like to try, be sure to have an EPROM programming device that supports LPC. My old one didn't, so I had to buy another one that I can highly recommend now: the Batronix Barlino II. It's "made in Germany" all over, nice small metal case, USB-powered, and comes with drivers for all flavours of operating systems, even for 64-bit! Plus, the software delivered with it has a very nice GUI and couldn't be much easier to understand.

That 120 EUR investment saved a customer's company 900 EUR for a new G5 board!

[SamChieftan]

Hi Everybody; Another one bites the dust. I have a DL185 G5 that was running fine, but the fans were staying on high, so I went to the Wonderful HP website, downloaded the BIOS, followed the instructions by creating a folder on the box and running the setup from inside the Windows OS. As soon as it rebooted, the fans came on high, the monitor remained black, and the power button does not work.  I am a Microsoft Systems Engineer for about 18 years, and I have updated a ton of BIOSes on MANY HP Proliant boxes.  This box is my personal one that I run all my virtual machines and store my files on. I have NEVER had a machine that I could not get back working, but I am at wits end on this one.  I looked on ebay and the cheapest motherboard was $650.00.  I have tried the SW4 button, and built the recovery USB tried all the normal routes all to no avail.  I am not too sure if this HP site is monitored, but it would be nice to get some help. 

To all the people that have and have NOT been able to get this fixed what is our course of options? Is there REALLY no way for us to fix an HP Proliant server from performing a BIOS upgrade from their website. What am I missing here?

To those people who DID get it fixed with the desoldering, would it be too much to please ask to detail the necessary steps and list of tools items etc that we would need?  

Any help would be greatly appreciated

Thanks in advance everyone! Greatly appreciated.

[JoeMuc2012]

@Sam: sorry to hear that. Well, you can find details about my recent post here. Hope that might help you.

The BIOS repair is a pretty delicate process. You should be quite familiar with soldering, and you may need to purchase some equipment because it cannot be done with a simple soldering iron. Even with the right equipment, the board (the solder pads in particular) won't give you too many shots for mounting a socket or the new BIOS chip.

I exercised with an old hard disk from my Amiga collection, one that would not be too much of a loss if I accidentally destroyed it. The PCB contained a PLCC32 chip, equal form factor to the one on the HP board. Thanks to my good old A3000, I could verify that unsoldering and placing it back there did not cause trouble. I recommend you to do the same and give it a go on any piece of hardware that is dead already or no longer in use.

I'd love to offer you to repair your board but shipping it half around the world twice is probably more expensive than purchasing a stock mainboard in the US...

[Juniorz]

Hi gents,

having the same problem with a DL185 G5. So, i have ordered BX 32P Barlino Prommer, a couple of PLCC32 SMD Sockets for "easy re-bricking" and some tools get that sorted properly.

Does anybody has already expiriences with doing that on a a DL185 and where i can get a flash replacement if the old one is broken ?

Thx & regards

Lord H.Richard of Kerry (this signature is because i really need to get SOMETHING positive out of this fiasco ....)

[Juniorz]

@Sam

Try this on YouTube

"Microchips Tuning How to Desolder and Solder PLCC32 chip"

Very good Tutorial.

regards

JuniorZ

[Mr_Darkman]

I offer no solution.

We are replacing 20 DL185 G5's over a long period of time.

A few months ago three were freed up and we decided to reuse them

First server bios flash = brick and phone call to HP.

HP assured us there was probably a power glitch during flashing

second server bios flash = brick and another call to HP.

HP assured us we had a corrupted download bios exe, and gave us a new "exe".

third server bios flash = brick and another call to HP. 

Three engineer vists with new motherbaords.

last week. 

Three more servers became available, but i notciced a new BIOS download !!!!

fourth server bios flash = brick and another call to HP.

HP assured us it was probely a power glitch during flashing. I told them all about the three previous servers, but they could not have cared less, it was like it was irrelevant to the call.

fifth server bios flash did not happen. The engineer told me he is getting three calls per week with failed bios flashes.

[shuxclams]

Add another to the list of dead DL165 G5's. I havent had an issue like this in well over 10 years, but it has me pretty mad that this hasnt been resolved or addressed.