Sun Fire[TM] V1280/E2900/Netra[TM] 1280 Server: Incorrect Firmware Upgrade Procedure Can Lead to Incompatible Firmware on System Boards

Asset ID:	1-72-1005021.1
Update Date:	2010-11-29
Keywords:

Solution Type Problem Resolution Sure

Solution 1005021.1 : Sun Fire[TM] V1280/E2900/Netra[TM] 1280 Server: Incorrect Firmware Upgrade Procedure Can Lead to Incompatible Firmware on System Boards

Related Items


Sun Netra 1280 Server
 Sun Fire V1280 Server

Related Categories


GCS>Sun Microsystems>Servers>Midrange Servers

PreviouslyPublishedAs
207042

Symptoms
There are specific procedures to follow when upgrading a Sun Fire[TM] 1280/E2900/Netra[TM] 1280 from 5.13.00xx firmware to 5.17.0 or higher firmware. Failure to use the correct procedures may lead to the following error messages (on a fully populated platform) and could prevent the boards from being usable in the domain until this is corrected:

WARNING: Incompatible firmware detected. Please use flashupdate to update the firmware on the board /N0/SB0
WARNING: Incompatible firmware detected. Please use flashupdate to update the firmware on the board /N0/SB2
WARNING: Incompatible firmware detected. Please use flashupdate to update the firmware on the board /N0/SB4
WARNING: Incompatible firmware detected. Please use flashupdate to update the firmware on the board /N0/IB6

Resolution
Troubleshooting Steps

The errors above are the result of doing the firmware upgrade procedure incorrectly when going from 5.13.x to 5.17.x or higher. They will result from attempting a single stepped flashupdate procedure shown below:

   lom> flashupdate -f <URL> all

To prevent the errors and problems as a result of them, ensure that you use the two step procedure when upgrading the platform firmware. The correct procedure is outlined in the Sun Fire Entry-Level Midrange System Administration Guide that is included with the 5.17.x or higher firmware (in the patch directory once uncompressed):

   lom> flashupdate -f <URL> rtos scapp
lom> poweron all
lom> flashupdate -f <URL> systemboards

To RECOVER from this situation, downgrade the firmware to 5.13.x and then upgrade to 5.17.x or higher using the steps documented in Chapter 11 "Firmware Update Procedures" in the Sun Fire Entry-Level Midrange System Administration Guide which is included with the firmware patch.

Relief/Workaround

If the SCs are currently showing 5.17.x or higher and the boards in the platform are showing this firmware incompatibility error, it is possible to resolve the problems by simply flashing the SBs and I/O Boards again, this time using the correct "lw8xxx.flash" image file. To do this, you would do the following:

   lom>flashupdate -f <URL> systemboards

Since the SC is at 5.17.x or higher, it would use the lw8cpu.flash and lw8pci.flash image files to re-flash these boards and they will now be compatible and available for use on this platform.

Ultimately, this whole problem is avoidable by reading and following the directions included in the firmware patch. But, if you do encounter this issue in the field, it is completely recoverable.

Product
Netra 1280 Server
Sun Fire V1280 Server

Internal Comments
This document contains normalized content and is managed by the the Domain Lead(s) of the respective domains. To notify content owners of a knowledge gap contained in this
document, and/or prior to updating this document, please contact the domain engineers that are managing this document via the Document Feedback alias(es) listed below:

Normalization team alias: Feedback_MSG_Domain@sun.com
Domain Lead: joshua.freeman@sun.com
The following resources are available:

SunFire V1280/Netra1280 Firmware Matrix

SunFire V1280 / E2900 / N1290 checklist

SunFire™ E2900 and V1280/Netra™1280 Quick Reference Guide

<Document: 1006281.1> and BugID 5019256 Click Here

Sun Fire Entry-Level Midrange System Administration Guide included with 5.17.0 or higher firmware)

V1280, Netra, 1280, flashupdate, WARNING:, Incompatible, firmware, detected, normalized

Previously Published As
75895

Change History
Date: 2007-12-24
User Name: 31620
Action: Approved
Comment: Published using interim normalization rules supplied by the Normalization Program Team: (circa mid-December 2007)
o Content visibility is appropriate
o External links are in the proper format
o No internal-only links
o Normalized keyword present
o No in-line images
o Consistent use of language and grammar
o Product metadata seems appropriate
o Summary and Symptoms sections present
o Resolution Path, Steps to follow seem logical and numbered where appropriate
o Links only tested to one level down and are in the correct format

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