Instructions for clearing NVRAM

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I am looking for instructions on clearing NVRAM. I was told that I may get an error message in reference to my NVRAM after I installed a new processor in my 8000.

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a block of 32K of memory. This memory is Non-Volatile meaning that when power is removed from the server, the information stored in NVRAM is maintained and will still be available after the server is powered back on. This is accomplished with an internal or external battery in the identical manner that CMOS is saved in a PC. If the battery charge is depleted, the contents of NVRAM will be lost. Batteries are designed to last approximately 5+ years or the lifetime of the server. If NVRAM is ever lost due to depleted or defective battery/circuits, then running the System Configuration Utility will restore it if there are not any problems with the hardware.

There are 4 banks of 8K each in NVRAM. See the table below.

Bank 0 holds the EISA NVRAM and Environmental Variables, or EV?s. The EISA NVRAM starts from the bottom and goes up. The EV?s start at the top of Bank 0 and go down. As the EV?s grow, it doesn?t effect EISA NVRAM.

Per the table below, there is an empty 8K block of memory between Banks 0 and 1.

Banks 1 and 2 hold System Events such as those reported by CIM and RIB.

Bank 3 holds the Integrated Remote Console for those servers equipped with one.

NVRAM Configuration
Bank 3
Integrated Remote Console
8K

Bank 2
System Events
8K

Bank 1
System Events
8K

Blank
8K

Bank 0
Environmental Variables
8K

EISA NVRAM
8K




To erase the EVs and NVRAM, ERASE zeroes out the entire NVRAM area, all four banks, except on the older units where it zeroes out just the first bank.

The serial number is stored in Bank 0. ERASE reads the serial number, writes all 0's to NVRAM, and then writes the serial number back to Bank 0.

Bank 1 and 2 are used for the System Event logs. They can be edited using a program called Eventlog.

Bank 3 is used for the Integrated Remote Console. It is protected meaning it can not be viewed by any program without authorization.

The CMOS area consists of 64 bytes. The only thing ERASE erases here is time/date and the CMOS invalid bit. Note: It does not clear all of CMOS and only clears the invalid bit.

CMOS is not located in NVRAM and is a separate component.

The following two tables provide a flow chart each describing the decision process used by the ERASE Utility for Smart Array Controllers and non-Smart Array Controllers when performing disk related operations.: M&P Data - Monitoring and Performance Data used by CIM to manage pre-failure warranty events and by the Field for maintenance.

There are two items that makes the two flow charts above different.

The first is the Logical drive on the Smart Controller. Logical drives can exist on Smart controllers. This is to say that logical drives can span multiple physical drives.
The second difference is no check for M&P data (Monitor and Performance) on the Smart Controller. This is because Smart Controllers mask the first 1088 sectors of a drive for RIS (Reserved Information Sector). The ACU (Array Configuration Utility) makes this area into a partition of type 12 (the same as our System Configuration Partition). There is no reason to check for M&P partition information on a Smart Controller because it won?t be visible.
To check for it, the drive has to be installed on a regular SCSI controller. In this document, IDE is handled the same as SCSI. Erase handles the two exactly the same. The only difference is that they are handled through a different interface, IDE as opposed to SCSI.

What is M&P data? M&P data is monitor and performance data for the drive. It is kept in a partition on the drive that is called the RIS (Reserved Information Sector). It is created on Smart Controllers if it doesn?t exist. If it does exist already, it is just updated on Smart Controllers. The M&P data is not used on SCSI or IDE controllers. On SCSI/IDE drives, if it exists, it exists in

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Please read the entire set of instructions prior to performing the steps.

Clearing NV-RAM

To clear NV-RAM through the System Configuration Utility. This is NOT data destructive.

1.) Boot to the System Configuration Utility (F10 prompt at POST)
2.) Press Ctrl + A at the main menu. A Window will pop-up stating Advanced Mode Enabled, OK. You can not do this if you do not see that pop-up Window indicating your in Advanced Mode.
3.) Select System Configuration
4.) Select Configure Hardware
5.) Select Review & Modify
6.) Select View & Edit Details
7.) A new section will be on the menu called ADVANCED FEATURES, this is NOT the F7 key at the bottom of the screen. Using the arrow keys, go down the menu until you come to that section.
8.) In the Advanced Features section is an option to Clear or Erase Non-Volatile Memory, select that option and hit enter. It will prompt you if your sure that is what you want to do. Answer Yes each time. It will then clear NV-RAM and indicate that you must reboot the server and reconfigure.

If you have an Array Controller in the server, you will need either the SmartStart CD or the System Configuration Utility Diskettes at this point. Boot the server up, go into the System Configuration Utility again, it will automatically configure or prompt you to use the BACKUP.SCI file, DO NOT USE the Backup file, it is possibly corrupted as well. Reconfigure the server making sure the Array Controller with the drives attached is set to CONTROLLER ORDER 1. Save and exit. On reboot, the controller will pick up the array configuration off the drives.