LSI SAS9212-4i4e

[blueether]

So when I got my IBM x5650 m3's they came with 2 LSI SAS9212-4i4e (IBM 6gb sas hba) each. So I'm finally using them for an external diskshelf (EMC ktn-stl3). I have noted that the firmware is very old on these cards, is it worth wile updating the firmware?
I had reall trouble finding some firmware but finally found https://docs.broadcom.com/docs/9212_4i4e_Package_P20_IR_IT_FW_BIOS_for_MSDOS_Windows.zip via https://okwlan.com/SLI9212.html

Intrested in flashing #1 & #2, #0 is an IMB m1015 that I flashed to IT

Code:

root@freenas:~ # sas2flash -listall
LSI Corporation SAS2 Flash Utility
Version 16.00.00.00 (2013.03.01)
Copyright (c) 2008-2013 LSI Corporation. All rights reserved

        Adapter Selected is a LSI SAS: SAS2008(B2)

Num   Ctlr            FW Ver        NVDATA        x86-BIOS         PCI Addr
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

0  SAS2008(B2)     20.00.07.00    14.01.00.08    07.39.02.00     00:00:10:00
1  SAS2008(B2)     05.30.01.00    05.02.00.09    07.05.06.00     00:00:11:00
2  SAS2008(B2)     05.30.01.00    05.02.00.09    07.05.06.00     00:00:1b:00

        Finished Processing Commands Successfully.
        Exiting SAS2Flash.

Code:

root@freenas:~ # sas2flash -list -c 0
LSI Corporation SAS2 Flash Utility
Version 16.00.00.00 (2013.03.01)
Copyright (c) 2008-2013 LSI Corporation. All rights reserved

        Adapter Selected is a LSI SAS: SAS2008(B2)

        Controller Number              : 0
        Controller                     : SAS2008(B2)
        PCI Address                    : 00:00:10:00
        SAS Address                    : 500605b-0-03d0-27b0
        NVDATA Version (Default)       : 14.01.00.08
        NVDATA Version (Persistent)    : 14.01.00.08
        Firmware Product ID            : 0x2213 (IT)
        Firmware Version               : 20.00.07.00
        NVDATA Vendor                  : LSI
        NVDATA Product ID              : SAS9211-8i
        BIOS Version                   : 07.39.02.00
        UEFI BSD Version               : N/A
        FCODE Version                  : N/A
        Board Name                     : SAS9211-8i
        Board Assembly                 : N/A
        Board Tracer Number            : N/A

        Finished Processing Commands Successfully.
        Exiting SAS2Flash.
root@freenas:~ # sas2flash -list -c 1
LSI Corporation SAS2 Flash Utility
Version 16.00.00.00 (2013.03.01)
Copyright (c) 2008-2013 LSI Corporation. All rights reserved

        Adapter Selected is a LSI SAS: SAS2008(B2)

        Controller Number              : 1
        Controller                     : SAS2008(B2)
        PCI Address                    : 00:00:11:00
        SAS Address                    : 500605b-0-03c7-daf0
        NVDATA Version (Default)       : 05.02.00.09
        NVDATA Version (Persistent)    : 05.02.00.09
        Firmware Product ID            : 0x2213 (IT)
        Firmware Version               : 05.30.01.00
        NVDATA Vendor                  : LSI
        NVDATA Product ID              : Undefined
        BIOS Version                   : 07.05.06.00
        UEFI BSD Version               : 06.00.15.11
        FCODE Version                  : N/A
        Board Name                     : IBM 6Gb SAS HBA
        Board Assembly                 : H3-25326-01D
        Board Tracer Number            : SP11946475

        Finished Processing Commands Successfully.
        Exiting SAS2Flash.
root@freenas:~ # sas2flash -list -c 2
LSI Corporation SAS2 Flash Utility
Version 16.00.00.00 (2013.03.01)
Copyright (c) 2008-2013 LSI Corporation. All rights reserved

        Adapter Selected is a LSI SAS: SAS2008(B2)

        Controller Number              : 2
        Controller                     : SAS2008(B2)
        PCI Address                    : 00:00:1b:00
        SAS Address                    : 500605b-0-03c7-ea80
        NVDATA Version (Default)       : 05.02.00.09
        NVDATA Version (Persistent)    : 05.02.00.09
        Firmware Product ID            : 0x2213 (IT)
        Firmware Version               : 05.30.01.00
        NVDATA Vendor                  : LSI
        NVDATA Product ID              : Undefined
        BIOS Version                   : 07.05.06.00
        UEFI BSD Version               : 06.00.15.11
        FCODE Version                  : N/A
        Board Name                     : IBM 6Gb SAS HBA
        Board Assembly                 : H3-25326-01D
        Board Tracer Number            : SP11945519

        Finished Processing Commands Successfully.
        Exiting SAS2Flash.

I can't flash the firmware, I guess that the original needs to be eraised and sas2flash -c 1 -o -e 6 said something about cant complete on this platform and hangs on resetting the card.

Can the cards be safelt erased in freenas and then flashed?

Code:

 # sas2flash -c 1 -o -f 214i4et.bin -b mptsas2.rom -sasadd 500605b003c7daf0
LSI Corporation SAS2 Flash Utility
Version 16.00.00.00 (2013.03.01)
Copyright (c) 2008-2013 LSI Corporation. All rights reserved

        Advanced Mode Set

        Adapter Selected is a LSI SAS: SAS2008(B2)

        Executing Operation: Flash Firmware Image

                Firmware Image has a Valid Checksum.
                Firmware Version 20.00.06.00
                Firmware Image compatible with Controller.

                Valid NVDATA Image found.
                NVDATA Version 14.01.00.00
                Checking for a compatible NVData image...

                NVDATA Device ID and Chip Revision match verified.
                NVDATA Versions Compatible.
                Valid Initialization Image verified.
                Valid BootLoader Image verified.

                Beginning Firmware Download...
                Firmware Download Failed!

        Firmware Returned Exception. IOCStatus=0x3, IOCLogInfo=0x0
        Due to error remaining commands will not be executed.
        Unable to Process Commands.
        Exiting SAS2Flash.

 

[artlessknave]

you generally want to flash on another system and only have the cards you intend to flash physically present, because it's really easy to fudge your way into buying new hardware.

 

[jgreco]

You really do need to update the firmware to 20.00.08.00. The driver and firmware work as a unit.

 

[artlessknave]

You really do need to update the firmware to 20.00.08.00.

uh, updating the firmware is what he is trying to. it fails though. does it fail because of the firmware/driver mismatch from trying the update on freenas? I could see that being the case, and that could by part of why using another system is advantageous.

 

[colmconn]

Have you tried flashing from a FreeDOS boot disk? If that doesn’t work try from the EFI shell. In my case, (I have a 9201-16i) the FreeDOS approach didn’t work and I had to go the EFI route which did work.

 

[jgreco]

uh, updating the firmware is what he is trying to. it fails though.

Yes, I see that. Not having one of these cards, I'm limited to answering a different question:

is it worth wile updating the firmware?

And my answer is correct.