SOLVED Supermicro A2SDI-8C-HLN4F cannot mount iso through IPMI

[qubus]

Hi all

I'm putting together my second freenas box (first one was with a Super Micro X10SLM-F -based build). I really like IPMI, especially for the possibility to control the machine via IPMI, do installs and etc. using ISO images instead of burning CDs or prepping USBs. So I went for the power-sipping, IPMI and 12 SATA ports featuring Atom board this time.

As I now want to do the burn-in testing, I've been trying to mount an ISO as I used to in the past but somehow can't get it to work and am at a loss on what else to try. It really used to be idiot-proof and it still looks the same from an interface point-of-view... but here I am.

What I have in detail:

• Supermicro A2SDI-8C-HLN4F-O with a Denverton C3758 processor
• 2x16GB Samsung ECC registered memory (Samsung M393A2K40CB1-CRC (1x, 16GB, DDR4-2400, DIMM 288)) - I used to get Kingston but this time I wanted to go the safe route and checked the Supermicro recommendation which is this Samsung one
• Seasonic Focus PX550 - the new version with 12 SATA ports
• 2x Kingston A400 120GB, 2.5", TLC SATA SSDs for the System
• 1x Kingston A2000 (500GB, M.2 2280) NVE SSD for system volume, jails, etc.
• 6x WD HE10 8TB drives for a z2 pool

What I have done so far:

1. I updated the bios and IPMI to the newest versions (maybe that was a mistake...):
   1. Firmware Revision: 03.86
      Firmware Build Time: 11/15/2019
      BIOS Version: 1.2
      BIOS Build Time: 11/05/2019
      Redfish Version: 1.0.1
2. Started the java console through: Remote Control > Console Redirection > Launch Console button
3. Mounted an image through: Virtual Media drop-down > Virtual Storage
4. 
   
   
5. Click OK
6. Checked on the IPMI webinterface if the isos are mounted:
7. 
8. Reset / start power
9. While it's powering up, I see a message stating "DXE - USB device detected" or something along that line
10. F11 to select boot media and I get this:
11. 
12. Enter Setup to check if I can override:
13. 
14. I don't see any boot override option as other posts mention. However I did not expect it as I assume it's connected to the same as what the F11 boot menu would show.

Whatever I do, I cannot get the virtual CD rom to appear as I'm used to. Other things I checked are:

- UEFI Hard Drive BBS Priorities - as you see above, that option does not appear
- I changed "Boot Mode Select" to all of the 3 options "UEFI", "Legacy", "Dual" - no change
- Checked if only signed images are allowed somehow:

- I tried to mount through the web interface directly using a shared folder on my computer C:/isos/image.iso : I cannot get that to mount anything. There's no error message or such.
- As you see above, I tried various images: Breakin-CPU-bootimage-4.26.1-53.iso, memtest86+-5.01.iso, ubcd538.iso. No difference
- In some forum posts I saw an option "Configuration > Remote Session > Virtual Media Attach Mode" mentioned and to check that the medium is attached. I did not find such an option anywhere on the IPMI web interface.

If I plug in a normal USB drive, it does show up as I would expect and I can boot from it.

Another observation I made is that the BMC loses its statically assigned IP every time it loses power (I switch the power off via the powersupply switch). Is that a normal behavior?

Please help me figure this out.

 

[qubus]

Update: I did some further testing also using USB devices directly, also with issues. I understand now that the issue was not IPMI, but that the BIOS, being a UEFI bios, cannot load many images. If the image is not UEFI compatible, it does not get shown. When I loaded a debian netinstall image, it worked through IPMI without issues. However, Ultimat Boot CD, Breakin, memtest86+ all are not UEFI compatible and therefore don't load and are also not shown in the boot menu if loaded through IPMI.

What however confuses me is that the bios also has a "legacy" mode instead of the UEFI mode. I would expect and understand that once switched to legacy mode, it should be able to load those images nevertheless. However, it does not. Neither through IPMI, nor through a direct USB stick.

Anybody have an idea how to get that to work?

 

[qubus]

After some further googling around I found the missing configuration:

Under the "Security" tab in the BIOS, "CMS Support" needs to be enabled along with the Legacy boot option in the "Boot" tab. Without it, the "Legacy" mode doesn't work.

With that switched on, I was able to run UBCD from a USB stick and assume it and other images would also load through IPMI.

As per another post, I'll have memtest etc. run from a USB stick instead of an image through IPMI.

Hope this may help others in my situation in the future

 

[Dusty]

qubus,
I had the same problem and was able to quickly overcome it with your posts.

Thank you.