New FreeNAS box - SuperMicro with LSI 2308, 9.3 OS, Firmware Warning

[Ericloewe]

No argument that controllers should be flashed, but I ask if it can safely be flashed with FreeNAS's sas2flash utility, or must it be flashed with DOS?

For some reason, everyone uses the EFI flasher. Hell, I only learned the other day that FreeNAS includes sas2flsh.

Honestly, I'd do it outside of FreeNAS, to avoid having FreeNAS think the drives are all gone for a few minutes - that can be bad. Do note that the DOS flasher won't work on most UEFI boards, but you will probably need megarec to wipe any cards before crossflashing (applies to M1015s, LSI 9240s, etc.).

 

[cyberjock]

I've used the sas2flash utility included with FreeNAS. It works fine, so long as your system isn't UEFI based. If it is you have no choice but to use the UEFI shell to reflash the card.

 

[Scott E.]

Great to know the sas2flash utility works. I did FTP the files from the supermicro web site. Which file do I give sas2flash?

Also, how do I verify the LSI firmware version now? dmidecode?

Thanks.

 

[Scott E.]

So I've played around with sas2flash a bit more and learned it is an LSI utility and provides many good options.

What I have also learned is that it does NOT allow me to DOWNGRADE the firmware WHILE freenas is running, unless someone has found a way around this.

This means I will need to boot from an offline medium and downgrade with a bootable USB stick or something.

Thanks.

 

[Scott E.]

So, with FreeNAS 9.3 Stable, I elected to try and update the MPS driver according to https://bugs.freenas.org/issues/6678 and https://forums.freebsd.org/threads/how-do-i-install-a-commercial-driver.38174/ but it didn't seem to take.

I obtained Free_BSD_Driver_P20.zip from lsi.com and copied the mpslsi.ko module to /boot/kernel and added a tunable for it.

Rebooted, but still get the error.

Does a new-enough LSI MPI module exist for firmware 19, or MUST I downgrade the firmware to 16?

Thanks.

 

[Scott E.]

Cool! I discovered my first attempt at adding a tunable did not work. The second time it did, and no more firmware alert! Yay!

 

[Jailer]

Report back in 6-12 months or so on the success of your endeavor.

 

[depasseg]

IOW: don't update to P20.

Downgrade firmware to P16.

 

[estrabd]

So now I go through all the trouble of flashing my m1050, instructions I get through this forum and now I get hit with "WARNING: Firmware version 15 does not match driver version 16 for /dev/mps0" ... This rabbit hole is never ending.

 

[Ericloewe]

Where on earth did you get P15?

Flashing P16 should be simpler, just use the sas2flash.efi utility.

 

[dj_jazzn]

I am also dealing with "WARNING: Firmware version 15 does not match driver version 16 for /dev/mps0"

I found the following blog post outlining a method to flash the LSI 2308 SAS Controller on UEFI based system (specifically the X10SL7-F motherboard):

http://blog.widodh.nl/2014/10/flash-lsi-2308-to-it-mode-on-a-supermicro-x10sl7-f-mainboard/​

Is this a viable method?
(Assuming one substitutes version 19 mentioned in post with recommended firmware version 16)

 

[Ericloewe]

I am also dealing with "WARNING: Firmware version 15 does not match driver version 16 for /dev/mps0"

I found the following blog post outlining a method to flash the LSI 2308 SAS Controller on UEFI based system (specifically the X10SL7-F motherboard):

http://blog.widodh.nl/2014/10/flash-lsi-2308-to-it-mode-on-a-supermicro-x10sl7-f-mainboard/​

Is this a viable method?
(Assuming one substitutes version 19 mentioned in post with recommended firmware version 16)

Sure, but it's easier to just copy the files onto a FAT32 USB drive and physically plug it into the server.

 

[dj_jazzn]

Sure, but it's easier to just copy the files onto a FAT32 USB drive and physically plug it into the server.

This sounds like a better option...

I could reach around my head, scratch my nose while standing on one foot and rubbing my belly , or follow a simpler method.

My main concern is around the actual flashing procedure.

Code:

fs0:
cd UEFI
SMC2308T.NSH

I have been looking for some kind of walk through for the LSI 2308 Firmware flash procedure and this blog post was the closest I found.

 

[Bidule0hm]

IIRC it's what I've done ;)

Just remember to write the serial number of the LSI somewhere before doing this ;)

 

[dj_jazzn]

Just remember to write the serial number of the LSI somewhere before doing this ;)

I did find a 16 digit SAS code on the motherboard with a bar code. Is that be the LSI serial number?

 

[Bidule0hm]

Maybe. Personally I used the other method (display the S/N in the BIOS of the LSI) so I can't tell if it's the S/N or not (it should be).

 

[dj_jazzn]

Maybe. Personally I used the other method (display the S/N in the BIOS of the LSI) so I can't tell if it's the S/N or not (it should be).

The only unique identifier I can find in the LSI BIOS is the "SAS Address ########:########", and this number does match the value on the Motherboard.

 

[Bidule0hm]

Found the tuto I followed :) here: https://forums.freenas.org/index.php?threads/supermicro-x10sl7-f.14105/page-6#post-81892 (didn't need to do the mount command however)

It's not the serial but the SAS address that you need (only the last 9 digits, ignore the ":"), sorry for the confusion.

 

[dj_jazzn]

Found the tuto I followed :) here: https://forums.freenas.org/index.php?threads/supermicro-x10sl7-f.14105/page-6#post-81892 (didn't need to do the mount command however)

It's not the serial but the SAS address that you need (only the last 9 digits, ignore the ":"), sorry for the confusion.

Now on Firmware 16, IT mode and no more warning message :D. I did use the last 9 digits of the SAS Address (excluding the ":" as you suggested). Thanks for the support everyone.

 

[Bidule0hm]

Perfect :)