Incorrect IPMI Sensor Readings

[UniqueUserName]

I just assembled my FreeNAS whitebox, and first thing I noticed was that fan speeds were way to high, so I went to the sensors section on the IPMI web interface and found some troubling results.

The CPU temperature is being read as anywhere from 14C to 16C, which is impossible because the ambient temperature is 19.8C.
Secondly, the VCPU is being registered as absent, which also appears to be erroneous.

Here's a sample of the raw output from ipmiutil.

Code:

ipmiutil sensor -N 10.0.0.120 -U ADMIN -P ADMIN -c
ipmiutil ver 2.97
isensor: version 2.97
-- BMC version 1.13, IPMI version 2.0
ID  | SDRType | Type			|SNum| Name			 |Status| Reading
0004 | Full	| Temperature	 | 01 | CPU Temp		 | OK   | 16.00 C
0047 | Full	| Temperature	 | 0a | PCH Temp		 | OK   | 23.00 C
008a | Full	| Temperature	 | 0b | System Temp	  | OK   | 20.00 C
00cd | Full	| Temperature	 | 0c | Peripheral Temp  | OK   | 22.00 C
0110 | Full	| Temperature	 | 10 | VcpuVRM Temp	 | OK   | 25.00 C
0153 | Full	| Temperature	 | b0 | DIMMA1 Temp	  | Absent | 0.00 na
0196 | Full	| Temperature	 | b1 | DIMMA2 Temp	  | Absent | 0.00 na
01d9 | Full	| Temperature	 | b4 | DIMMB1 Temp	  | Absent | 0.00 na
021c | Full	| Temperature	 | b5 | DIMMB2 Temp	  | OK   | 21.00 C
025f | Full	| Fan			 | 41 | FAN1			 | OK   | 900.00 RPM
02a2 | Full	| Fan			 | 42 | FAN2			 | OK   | 2500.00 RPM
02e5 | Full	| Fan			 | 43 | FAN3			 | OK   | 2500.00 RPM
0328 | Full	| Fan			 | 44 | FAN4			 | OK   | 1500.00 RPM
036b | Full	| Fan			 | 45 | FANA			 | Absent | 0.00 na
03ae | Full	| Voltage		 | 30 | 12V			  | OK   | 12.26 V
03f1 | Full	| Voltage		 | 31 | 5VCC			 | OK   | 4.95 V
0434 | Full	| Voltage		 | 32 | 3.3VCC		   | OK   | 3.32 V
0477 | Full	| Voltage		 | 33 | VBAT			 | OK   | 3.00 V
04ba | Full	| Voltage		 | 34 | VCPU			 | BelowCrit | 0.08 V
04fd | Full	| Voltage		 | 35 | VDIMMAB		  | OK   | 1.19 V
0540 | Full	| Voltage		 | 38 | 5VSB			 | OK   | 5.00 V
0583 | Full	| Voltage		 | 39 | 3.3VSB		   | OK   | 3.21 V
05c6 | Full	| Voltage		 | 3b | VBMC 1.2V		| OK   | 1.20 V
0609 | Full	| Voltage		 | 3c | VPCH 1.0V		| OK   | 1.01 V
064c | Full	| Platform Securi | aa | Chassis Intru	| OK   | 0.00 na
ipmiutil sensor, completed successfully

Other than the obnoxious fan speeds and incorrect sensor reading the system otherwise appears to be working fine.

Here is the hardware as currently configured:
CPU: Intel Xeon E3-1230 V5 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor
Motherboard: Supermicro MBD-X11SSL-F-O Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard
Memory: Crucial 16GB (1 x 16GB) DDR4-2133 Memory
Storage: Kingston SSDNow V300 Series 120GB 2.5" Solid State Drive
Case: Fractal Design Define R5 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA P2 650W 80+ Platinum Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply

The BIOS and IMPI firmware shipped with the latest versions available. I have already attempted a factory reset with no change in the results.


Edit #1: This appears to be something to do with Ubuntu Server, which I initially installed to do a bad blocks test on my drives. When sitting in GRUB the IPMI sensors work okay, but once the OS boots it goes back to the erroneous behaviour. I'm going to try a FreeNAS install tomorrow to see if this issue persists, if IPMI works there then the issue is solved because I intend to use FreeNAS in the end.
Still curious as to why this happens though.

 

[Ericloewe]

Edit #1: This appears to be something to do with Ubuntu Server, which I initially installed to do a bad blocks test on my drives. When sitting in GRUB the IPMI sensors work okay, but once the OS boots it goes back to the erroneous behaviour. I'm going to try a FreeNAS install tomorrow to see if this issue persists, if IPMI works there then the issue is solved because I intend to use FreeNAS in the end.
Still curious as to why this happens though.

That's weird. I was going to suggest reflashing the BIOS, BMC and ME firmware, but would probably not help if it's somehow an Ubuntu problem.

 

[UniqueUserName]

That's weird. I was going to suggest reflashing the BIOS, BMC and ME firmware, but would probably not help if it's somehow an Ubuntu problem.

I tested out IPMI on the system running FreeNAS, the VCPU sensor works, it reads 0.778V which seems low. CPU temp readings in freenas are still bad, reading 17C right now with a 19C ambient temperature.

I'm stumped, I observed normal temperatures and VCPU voltages sitting in GRUB, why it misbehaves when an OS is loaded is beyond me.

I'll re-flash the firmware and see where that takes me.

 

[Ericloewe]

it reads 0.778V which seems low

No, that seems right.

 

[UniqueUserName]

Alright, I re-flashed the BIOS and IPMI with the latest versions from supermicro and performed an AC power reset, no change in the observed readings.

After some Googling I came across a promising result to this issue, from a Czech supermicro reseller.
ftp://ftp.abacus.cz/support/FW/MB/SUPERMICRO/IPMI/X11/1.29/ReleaseNote.txt

Specifically:

Code:

Filename: SMT_X11_114.bin version: 1.14 Date: 01-20-2016

U-Boot build time : 2009.01 (03 12 2015)
Java SOL Viewer version : v0.5.9
Java iKVM Viwer version : v1.69 r24
Redfish version : 1.0.1

05.
	 category: fix
	 description:
		 [68114] X11SSL-CF 0x34 (Vcpu) voltage error

	 impact motherboard: X11SSL-CF
	 affected functions:
	 validation :
		 1. CPU temperature and ADC sensor will show normally.

The latest version of firmware from supermicro for the X11SSL-F is 1.13, but as I understand it the X11SSL-CF simply includes a LSI 3008 controller on board. Think it is safe to flash this firmware?

Edit: Against my better judgement to flash firmware distributed by a 3rd party I went ahead and did it anyway. vCPU sensor now works in all scenarios. CPU temperature is reading 18C with 22.6C ambient now, so no real change there.

 

[Ericloewe]

The latest version of firmware from supermicro for the X11SSL-F is 1.13, but as I understand it the X11SSL-CF simply includes a LSI 3008 controller on board. Think it is safe to flash this firmware?

Feature-wise, yes, but they're very different boards. You should ask supermicro t for a pre-release update for your specific board.