Analysis of Disappearing ServeRAID M5110e Adapter on x3650 M4

Missing ServeRAID M5110e SAS/SATA Controller — Updating the Programmable System-on-Chip firmware with the Lenovo ToolsCenter Bootable Media Creator Software (IBM / Lenovo System x3650 M4)

1 Important

You cannot apply Programmable System-on-Chip in either Linux or Windows operating systems. Programmable System-on-Chip code is only supported in a BOMC environment.

2 Affected Servers

The following servers are affected by this code update:

IBM System x3650 M4, MT 7915
Lenovo System x3650 M4

3 Preface

This document explains on how to update the Programmable System-on-Chip – in short PSoC - firmware in order to resolve the missing onboard ServeRAID M5110e SAS/SATA controller after restarting the host server.

This document explains the steps using the Windows based Lenovo ToolsCenter Bootable Media Creator software package – in short BoMC.

4 Issue and Code package

After a system restart, the onboard ServeRAID M5110e SAS/SATA Controller may disappear from the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) or in Human Interface Infrastructure (HII) utility on a System x3650 M4, causing access to the local disks to be lost.

For further details refer to Retain tip H213425 per support bulletinMIGR-5096525 available via:

http://www.ibm.com/support/entry/portal/docdisplay?lndocid=MIGR-5096525

On IBM FixCentral – http://www.ibm.com/support/fixcentral/ – the only code update package available is ibm_fw_psoc3_m5110e-36_linux_32-64.

Analysis of M5110e RAID Controller Disappearance on x3650 M4

No other operating systems (OS) are supported.

The code package can only be installed by using the Lenovo ToolsCenter Bootable Media Creator software package. The reason for this is that the ServeRAID card must be disconnected from the OS running on the internal disk drives.

5 Software needed

In order to update the PSoC firmware of the IBM / Lenovo System x3650 M4 one of the following BoMC software packages is required:

BoMC for Windows
BoMC for Linux

For the currently available BoMC packages see support documentlnvo-bomclocated at

http://www.ibm.com/support/entry/portal/docdisplay?lndocid=lnvo-bomc

The BoMC documentation is available in support documentLNVO-BOMCUG located at

http://www.ibm.com/support/entry/portal/docdisplay?lndocid=LNVO-BOMCUG

In later chapters a procedure is discussed for only updating the PSoC firmware.

6 Creating the Update ISO image with BoMC

This chapter details how to download all code updates for the IBM / Lenovo System x3650 M4 using the Windows BoMC.

1. Launch the BoMC tool, in this case lnvgy_utl_bomc_10.0_windows_i386

2. Read and accept the Software License Agreement

3. Only Code Updates are to be installed

4. Ensure that all the latest code updates are downloaded

5. Set the correct HTTP Proxy Settings

6. Select only the x3650M4 as target system

7. Select the Target Directory into which the code packages are downloaded by BoMC

8. For Media Format it is recommended to create an ISO image file which then can be burned later.

9. It is also possible to directly write to a CD/DVD medium, a USB Memory Key or into a PXE file that can be transferred to the target server(s). The target media needs to be blank.

Notes: • The hardware devices – DVD/CD writer with blank media inserted or USB memory key – must be attached to the system prior to launching BoMC as else these media will not be recognised
- All downloads for the System x3650 M4 server will require a DVD due to the size of the code packages
- ISO Images can be mounted remotely to the System x3650 M4 server when the Feature on Demand Key for full remote Management is installed, the IBM Integrated Management Module Advanced Upgrade software feature for remote presence. See also

http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/abstracts/tips0850.html, table 22

10.Unattended Mode is not desired as else the PSoC can not be updated Note: If the Integrated Management Module Advanced Upgrade software feature has not been installed then either an internal System x3650 M4 DVD drive or USB DVD drive is required

11.Confirm the selected choices

12.Wait until all code has been downloaded and the ISO image file or media is created as selected

13.Once all has been completed, click the "Finish" button

If an ISO image has been created burn it now.

7 Update the System x3650 M4 server

1. Boot the System x3650 M4 off the created media, e.g. DVD

2. On the Welcome screen click on Updates

3. The media will indicate for which system the updates are and the update process is initiated by clicking "click here to start update"

4. Accept Software License Agreement

5. The update utility will start checking which code updates are to be applied

6. Once the comparison has completed, a list of applicable updates will be displayed. In order to verify the list of updates it is recommended to stop the count down by clicking onto the clock next to "click here to stop"

Notes: • All updates that are recognised automatically and are necessary will be automatically selected, e.g. if the IBM uEFI Flash Update was required there will be a tick in the box left to it
- The update utility cannot recognise whether the PSoC update has to be applied. Because of this this specific update has to be selected manually as shown in the above and below graphics. If it is not selected it will not be applied. This means that the PSoC code update can be applied repeatedly to the same sever

If the count down clock has been stopped, the update has to be initiated manually – else the update utility will commence the update automatically including the PSoC update
7. After the update has been completed click on "Finish" and follow any instructions to complete the update process, exit the update media , remove the update media if necessary and reboot the System x3650 M4 server

8 Updating only PSoC firmware with BoMC

This chapter discusses how to only update the PSoC without updating any other System x3650 M4 code using the BoMC software.

8.1 Code packages needed

In order to create the update package – CD / DVD, USB Memory, PXE, ISO image – the following code packages have to be downloaded:

8.2 Downloading the software

All packages listed in Chapter "8.1 Code packages needed" are available via IBM FixCentral, a direct download link is provided in Chapter "8.1 Code packages needed".

Note: It is important that all files are downloaded as else the creation of the update medium and the update itself may not work at all.

Before each download ensure that prequesite and co-requesite fixes are included in the download.

8.2.1 Download the MCP common image

8.2.2 Download the UpdateXpress System Pack Installer

8.2.3 Download the Firmware Update for SR M5100e PSoC3

8.3 Directory structure for downloads

In order for the BoMC software to create the downloaded code packages need to be placed into a specific directory structure. For example if all code is located in the directory C:\7915PSOC then the downloaded files are to be placed into this directory as follows:

C:\7915PSOC
|   ibm_fw_psoc3_m5110e-36_linux_32-64.bin
|   ibm_fw_psoc3_m5110e-36_linux_32-64.chg
|   ibm_fw_psoc3_m5110e-36_linux_32-64.txt
|   ibm_fw_psoc3_m5110e-36_linux_32-64.xml
|   lnvgy_utl_boot_tools-7.42_anyos_x86-64.xml
|   lnvgy_utl_boot_tools-7.42_anyos_x86-64.zip
| lnvgy_utl_boot_tools-7.4_anyos_x86-64.chg
|   lnvgy_utl_boot_tools-7.4_anyos_x86-64.txt
|
\---uxspi
        lnvgy_utl_uxspi_10.0_anyos_noarch.chg
        lnvgy_utl_uxspi_10.0_anyos_noarch.txt
        lnvgy_utl_uxspi_10.0_anyos_x86-64.bin
        lnvgy_utl_uxspi_10.0_anyos_x86-64.xml

8.4 Running BoMC to create the update Media

For more detailed information see also Chapter "6 Creating the Update ISO image with BoMC".

The only change when creating the bootable media is selecting the directory containing the updates files in the "Aquire Location" section of the BoMC software:

Chose "Do not use unattended mode" in order to be able to update the PSoC:

8.5 Performing the PSoC update

For more detailed information see also chapter "7 Update the System x3650 M4 server".

1. Boot off the update media

2. Click on "Updates"

3. The "Updates" window provides some general information and for what systems it can be used. Click on "click here to start update"

4. Tick the box left to PSoc Firmware update

Note: The update utility cannot recognise whether the PSoC update has to be applied. Because of this this specific update has to be selected manually as shown in the above and below graphics. If it is not selected it will not be applied. This means that the PSoC code update can be applied repeatedly to the same sever

5. Wait until the update is completed

6. Click on "Finish" and follow any instructions to complete the update process, exit the update media , remove the update media if necessary and reboot the System x3650 M4, server

9 IBM System x SSR

IBM System x System Service Representatives can perform the PSoC update with the BoMCsft2 tool. This requires that the USB memory key is updated to the latest level.