Drive Error Red X

[trurl]

2 minutes ago, GTP said:

Should I create a new flash disk I have tons of other Flash drives?

Changing flash drives would require a new license .key file. It is automated (one per year) and free, but unless the flash has truly failed I would wait and see if it continues.

 

Are you booting from the same USB port you have been using? Are you booting from USB2? USB2 is more reliable.

[GTP]

12 minutes ago, GTP said:

@JorgeB Thank you for the insight I am buying some new cables this week for my SAS card as far as the Firmware version goes, should I stop the parity rebuild to upgrade the firmware. The cables won't be here until Thursday. Also I found this site to upgrade the firmware https://kb.sandisk.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/11192/~/lsi-sas2008-firmware%2Fbios-download-for-lightning-pcie-enterprise-ssa is this what I want? Thank you both for your help!

 

-GTP

@JorgeB Before I shut down my server until Thursday I want to make sure I am downloading the correct firmware (The LINUX version)? Did I google correctly and what is the best methodology for upgrading firmware on unraid? I am assuming I am going to want to press delete and see the messages so I can interrupt when it is loading the LSI configuration and then press F1  or delete to get into the Firmware config screen. I apologize I have never upgraded firmware on my LSI card?? (but I guess that's pretty obvious ;)) If there is a guide I would be happy to follow that as well. Thank you for your help!

 

Best,

 

GTP

[GTP]

@JorgeB I just noticed that the firmware is phase 14 plus its SANDISK and you said the current version is 20. I guess I will have to do more googling. I am really not finding much yet can I update from within Unraid thru command line interface? 

Lsi Logic Controller Card Lsi00276 Sas 9201. I am going to try LSI's website. Which download do you think I need for Unraid?

 

Thank you,

 

-GTP

Edited September 8, 2020 by GTP
Added more info on LSI card

[JorgeB]

It's easier to update with a DOS boot flash or even Windows, you can download the latest firmware from Broadcom's support site, those HBAs will be under legacy, then HBA.

[GTP]

@JorgeB I think I may have found the correct web site I just don't know which file to download and how to install it, could you please advise? No hurry of course, as I have to wait on the cable I just didn't want you to think I wasn't doing my due diligence and finding the correct web site with what I believe holds the download I need? Thank you again for your help!

 

https://www.broadcom.com/site-search?page=1&per_page=100&q=9201

 

Best,

 

GTP

[JorgeB]

Download the Package_P20_IT_Firmware_BIOS_for_MSDOS_Windows for the correct models you have, then the easiest way to update is with Windows, by either installing the HBA on a Windows desktop or installing Windows on the server on a spare SSD or something, then just follow the instructions but basically is opening a command prompt windows and typing from where the package folder was unzipped:

 

sas2flash -o -f blahblah.bin

 

You can also boot form a dos flash drive an the update is the same, just using the DOS executable, though it only work wit older boards, newer ones will require the UEFI utility,

 

sas2flsh -o - f blahblah.bin

 

P.S. since you have two HBAs you'd need to specify the correct number, or just remove the other one and do it one at a time.

 

I'm sure it's also possible to do it on Linux, but likely more complicated.

[GTP]

47 minutes ago, trurl said:

Changing flash drives would require a new license .key file. It is automated (one per year) and free, but unless the flash has truly failed I would wait and see if it continues.

 

Are you booting from the same USB port you have been using? Are you booting from USB2? USB2 is more reliable.

@trurlI am booting from the same port I have a Supermicro X8DT3-f and I just read through the user manual again I don't think it supports USB2. Do you think I should try changing ports once I get the new cables?

 

Best,

 

GTP

[GTP]

5 minutes ago, JorgeB said:

Download the Package_P20_IT_Firmware_BIOS_for_MSDOS_Windows for the correct models you have, then the easiest way to update is with Windows, by either installing the HBA on a Windows desktop or installing Windows on the server on a spare SSD or something, then just follow the instructions but basically is opening a command prompt windows and typing from where the package folder was unzipped:

 

sas2flash -o -f blahblah.bin

 

You can also boot form a dos flash drive an the update is the same, just using the DOS executable, though it only work wit older boards, newer ones will require the UEFI utility,

 

sas2flsh -o - f blahblah.bin

 

P.S. since you have two HBAs you'd need to specify the correct number, or just remove the other one and do it one at a time.

 

I'm sure it's also possible to do it on Linux, but likely more complicated.

Could I do it through a Windows VM in Unraid? I also proably do have an older board. I got it off ebay it's a Supermicro X8DT3-f.

 

Best,

 

GTP

Edited September 8, 2020 by GTP
Motherboard

[JorgeB]

Just now, GTP said:

Could I do it through a Windows VM in Unraid?

Should work as long as you pass trough the HBA to the VM, but it wouldn't be available for Unriad, so you couldn't start the array.

 

Not sure X8 boards already had UEFI support, I know X9 have, if they don't it's easy to do it with DOS.

[GTP]

@JorgeB Just to confirm the steps before I start the shutdown

 

1. Stop Array

2. Shutdown Array

3. Unplug all drives

4. Plug in extra SSD Drive with Windows installed on it

5. Remove one of the HBA and start the machine

6. Setup Windows and ensure HBA Card is installed

7.  Shut down

8. Restart with Firmware on flash disk 

9. Start command line before windows

10. Execute sas2flsh -o - f 9201-16i_Package_P20_IT_FW_BIOS_for_MSDOS_Windows.bin (question about this the package downloaded as a zip do I unzip into Flash drive?)

11. Do 8-10 again after switch cards for other HBA

 

 

Am I at least close?

 

Thank you,

 

GTP

[trurl]

32 minutes ago, GTP said:

@trurlI am booting from the same port I have a Supermicro X8DT3-f and I just read through the user manual again I don't think it supports USB2. Do you think I should try changing ports once I get the new cables?

Do you have a link that makes you think that? Everything I have found suggests it ONLY has USB2.

[GTP]

1 minute ago, trurl said:

Do you have a link that makes you think that? Everything I have found suggests it ONLY has USB2.

Here is the manual I found https://supermicro.ru/files/manuals/MNL-1062.pdf. I am probably wrong given my recent luck. It has two ports on the back which I have been using and two ports inside which make things very difficult to troubleshot when I have to put everything back together just to see if it boots.

 

Best,

 

GTP

[JorgeB]

11 minutes ago, GTP said:

Am I at least close?

Not really

 

Your are mentioning both Windows and DOS, you just use one or another, try DOS first since if it works it's faster (assuming you know the basics of DOS, like changing dir etc, if not this will be difficult to explain for me, you might need to use google:

 

Create a DOS flash drive with rufus

unzip the correct firmware package to the flash drive

leave only the HBA you're updating this time, remove the other one

navigate to correct folder where you extracted the firmware and the sas2flsh utility, then type

 

sas2flsh -o -f 2118it.bin 

 

replace 2118it.bin with correct firmware name

 

 

 

[trurl]

1 hour ago, trurl said:

More than annoying because it is going to fill your logs is these:

Sep  8 10:24:10 Tower root: ACPI action volumedown is not defined
Sep  8 10:24:10 Tower root: ACPI action volumedown is not defined
Sep  8 10:24:10 Tower root: ACPI action volumedown is not defined

 

Do you have a multimedia keyboard attached or something else that might be related to audio volume control?Are there settings in BIOS for this?

[GTP]

1 minute ago, JorgeB said:

Not really

 

Your are mentioning both Windows and DOS, you just use one or another, try DOS first since if it works it's faster (assuming you know the basics of DOS, like changing dir etc, if not this will be difficult to explain for me, you might need to use google:

 

Create a DOS flash drive with rufus

unzip the correct firmware package to the flash drive

leave only the HBA you're updating this time, remove the other one

navigate to correct folder where you extracted the firmware and the sas2flsh utility, then type

 

sas2flsh -o -f 2118it.bin 

 

replace 2118it.bin with correct firmware name

 

 

 

Ok I I remembering using Rufus now sorry about that and I do know dos but I haven't used it in years(google). When I install Win 10 it installs Dos at the same time right? I feel really dumb asking that question. I can handle all the rest, it makes complete sense when you said Rufus its just getting to the dos prompt. I am still not completely wrapping my head around.

[GTP]

4 minutes ago, trurl said:

Do you have a multimedia keyboard attached or something else that might be related to audio volume control?Are there settings in BIOS for this?

I do! I just plugged in an old keyboard I had lying around so I could start in GUI mode and my monitor wouldn't time out. I'll plug in a different one or leave it unplugged. Thank you!

 

-GTP

[trurl]

11 minutes ago, GTP said:

Here is the manual

Seems to indicate USB2 only. Which is actually a good thing for booting Unraid. We'll wait and see if you continue to have flash problems.

[GTP]

11 minutes ago, GTP said:

Ok I I remembering using Rufus now sorry about that and I do know dos but I haven't used it in years(google). When I install Win 10 it installs Dos at the same time right? I feel really dumb asking that question. I can handle all the rest, it makes complete sense when you said Rufus its just getting to the dos prompt. I am still not completely wrapping my head around.

Looks like I can use FreeDOS I will install it onto an extra SSD on my bench computer then put it in the server then follow your instructions. I am sorry I really do appreciate your help and understanding of my misunderstanding of instructions.

 

Thank you,

 

GTP

[GTP]

 

On 9/8/2020 at 12:06 PM, JorgeB said:

Download the Package_P20_IT_Firmware_BIOS_for_MSDOS_Windows for the correct models you have, then the easiest way to update is with Windows, by either installing the HBA on a Windows desktop or installing Windows on the server on a spare SSD or something, then just follow the instructions but basically is opening a command prompt windows and typing from where the package folder was unzipped:

 

sas2flash -o -f blahblah.bin

 

You can also boot form a dos flash drive an the update is the same, just using the DOS executable, though it only work wit older boards, newer ones will require the UEFI utility,

 

sas2flsh -o - f blahblah.bin

 

P.S. since you have two HBAs you'd need to specify the correct number, or just remove the other one and do it one at a time.

 

I'm sure it's also possible to do it on Linux, but likely more complicated.

@JorgeB I received my new cables and new 12 TB Parity drive today so I started flashing the bios using the instructions you provided. Thank you for the clarification on the instructions I followed them to a T but I am now receiving an error that is not allowing me to update the Firmware. Below are the steps I followed and an image I took of the screen with the error on it.

 

I downloaded Rufus and created a Freedos boot drive

Then I downloaded the P20 firmware and put the following files on the USB

mptsas2.rom

sas2flsh.exe

9201-16i_it.bin 

 

I then booted up and ran sas2flsh -listall and it verified that I had a SAS2008(B2) onboard and no other cards

 

Then I ran the command sas2flsh -o -f 9201-1~1.bin

 

It threw the same errors I am getting now which are

 

"error: no compatible NVDATA Image(S) found!"

 

and 

 

"NVDATA does not match Controller device ID!

Device ID - NVDATA:0x64 Controller:0x:72

 

I did some googling and apparently I needed to update the bios before it will update past phase 19 so I ran the following

 

Then I ran the command sas2flsh -o -f 9201-1~1.bin -b mptsas2.rom

 

It threw the same errors 

 

"error: no compatible NVDATA Image(S) found!"

 

and 

 

"NVDATA does not match Controller device ID!

Device ID - NVDATA:0x64 Controller:0x:72

 

I did some more googling and one guy found that he had to install the p14 version so I tried that and I got the same errors

 

So now I am back wondering what I messed up this time? Thanks again for your help!

 

-GTP

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 10, 2020 by GTP

[JorgeB]

IIRC that means the NVDATA is not from LSI, older releases could still proceed and correct it, maybe p7? Check here:

https://wiki.unraid.net/Crossflashing_Controllers

[GTP]

10 hours ago, JorgeB said:

IIRC that means the NVDATA is not from LSI, older releases could still proceed and correct it, maybe p7? Check here:

https://wiki.unraid.net/Crossflashing_Controllers

@JorgeB You Rock! That firmware installed just fine. It looks like it was a rebranded IBM card. Both cards are now on firmware version 20 and I have put my server back together.

 

I'm sorry but I have another issue now with the machine booting. I cannot get the machine to boot from the USB. I have had this issue before and it had to do with something about my adapter boot configuration so I have included screenshots of the adapter config and the error on boot. I have disabled all other forms of boot in system bios so it should boot from Flash. I have the cache drive on the IBM card if that matters. I have tried switching the boot order but I still get the same error. I have of course also tried the other external USB. Any advice?

 

Thank you,

 

-GTP

[JorgeB]

Does the flash drive appear on the BIOS as a boot device?

 

[GTP]

4 minutes ago, JorgeB said:

Does the flash drive appear on the BIOS as a boot device?

 

@JorgeB Yes, it appears just as it did before I took the server apart as a Generic Flash Drive.

 

Best,

 

-GTP

[JorgeB]

Run make_bootable again, if that doesn't work see if it's booting on another PC, if not re-create it.

[GTP]

@JorgeB I just ran the Flash drive on another machine and it boots fine. So I don't think its the Flash Drive???

 

Best,

 

-GTP