How long did your ASROCK c2550d4i or c2750d4i last

coolnodje

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Jan 29, 2016
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My C2550D4I is behaving erratically since about a year. Feels like it's going to die soon. Bought Jan 2016.

Hard to pinpoint the real problem, but IPMI seem to be the culprit as the server suddently starts a series of reboot and never seems to recover to a stable state until I plug the power out to reset the BMC and wait for a long time for it to boot to a stable state (for some reason it seems to have problem to boot and have http become accessible)

Did anyone experience such a behaviour?
 

Ericloewe

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Did you ever update the system firmware to correct the flash wear-out bug? If not, or maybe just too late, that's a likely culprit. You'd need to replace the BMC flash and reflash the BMC firmware and metadata.
 

coolnodje

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Did you ever update the system firmware to correct the flash wear-out bug? If not, or maybe just too late, that's a likely culprit. You'd need to replace the BMC flash and reflash the BMC firmware and metadata.
Could be, but I'm not sure I understand what you mean by "replace the BMC flash".
I have flashed both the BIOS and the BMC firmware to the latest available versions already but that's all I did.
 

Constantin

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Could be, but I'm not sure I understand what you mean by "replace the BMC flash".
I have flashed both the BIOS and the BMC firmware to the latest available versions already but that's all I did.
The BMC BIOS chip is user-replaceable and a older firmware edition had a nasty habit of burning it out by writing to it all the time. So it depends in part on when you replaced the BMC firmware. If you brought it to the latest firmware edition a long time ago then this is a less likely culprit.

I have a spare BMC BIOS chip here that allegedly has the latest firmware that I'd be happy to send to you (PM me address) but I never got to install it so I don't know if it's good - I got it from what seemed to be a reputable ebay seller.
 
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coolnodje

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The BMC chip is user-replaceable and a older firmware edition had a nasty habit of burning it out by writing to it all the time. So it depends in part on when you replaced the BMC firmware. If you brought it to the latest firmware edition a long time ago then this is a less likely culprit.

I have a spare BMC chip here that allegedly has the latest firmware that I'd be happy to send to you (PM me address) but I never got to install it so I don't know if it's good - I got it from what seemed to be a reputable ebay seller.
I see, I had no idea that it could be replaced!
I haven't updated it that long ago, maybe 1-2 years ago max, so I still feel that it could be the root cause.
I'll PM you
 

Constantin

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Sure thing. Just be sure that when the time comes that the system is fully shut down, you are well grounded, and that you insert the chip with the same orientation as the chip you pulled. Usually that’s indicated by either a dot in one corner or a slanted edge on one top edge of the chip (DIP8, IIRC).
 
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Ericloewe

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There is one removable flash IC, but I'm pretty sure that's for the system firmware. IIRC, the BMC firmware IC is soldered to the board.
 

Constantin

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There is one removable flash IC, but I'm pretty sure that's for the system firmware. IIRC, the BMC firmware IC is soldered to the board.
Thank you @Ericloewe and apologies to @coolnodje - I have a BIOS chip here, not a BMC. See this ebay auction.

Removing the BMC is a tasty delight for someone with a hot-solder rework station, a flasher, and the necessary experience / files. Not for the faint of heart.
 

pernils

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Aug 31, 2015
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Constantin is it possible for you to read what kind of chip it is ? ->
Thank you @Ericloewe and apologies to @coolnodje - I have a BIOS chip here, not a BMC. See this ebay auction.

Removing the BMC is a tasty delight for someone with a hot-solder rework station, a flasher, and the necessary experience / files. Not for the faint of heart.

Some info .. https://www.truenas.com/community/t...0d4i-repair-due-watchdogd-nand-wearout.49963/

Is it possible for you to see what kind of chip it is (BIOS) the 8 Dip package ?
BMC chips is 25Q128FVFG


Reason is that I will have dive into this mess again soon.
 
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