Power5 Firmware

This document provides information about the installation of Licensed Machine or Licensed Internal Code, which is sometimes referred to generically as microcode or firmware.

Contents

• 1.0 Systems Affected
• 2.0 Firmware Description
• 3.0 Cautions and Important Notes
• 4.0 How to Determine Currently Installed Firmware Level
• 5.0 Downloading the Firmware Package
• 6.0 Installing the Firmware
• 6.1    Updating the Firmware
• 6.2    Upgrading the Firmware
• 7.0 Firmware History

1.0 Systems Affected

2.0 Firmware Description

3.0 Cautions and Important Notes

• If you have a 9117-570 system, and have installed the 01SF230_120_120 firmware level, you might encounter a loss of power in the media bay, making the DVD-RAM drive inoperable.  If you need to use the media bay before the service pack is available,  shut down the system, remove the AC power,  then reapply AC power and boot the system.  The DVD should power on with the system, however it will not be hot-pluggable until the next level of firmware is installed.  If this does not work, or if you need assistance, contact your service support structure.
• If you have a 9111-520, 9113-550, 9405-520, 9406-520 or 9406-550 system, you might be unable to boot the system using the white power on/off button. You might see error code B181F12E, B1701004 or B150F22A, depending on how the system was previously booted. If any of these error codes is seen when trying to boot using the white power on/off button before the service pack is available, power off the system.  If you previously booted from the P side, boot from the T side; if you previously booted from the T side, boot from the P side.   Power on the system.  If you need assistance, contact your service support structure.

For systems that are managed by an HMC

• Before attempting to load this system firmware please ensure that your HMC software has been upgraded to Version 4, Release 4.0 (or newer) and that the Required V4R4.0 Maintenance eFix (MH00222) package has been applied." Go to this URL to access the HMC microcode packages http://techsupport.services.ibm.com/server/hmc/power5/fixes/v4r4.html.
• Before attempting to load this system firmware on 9119-590 or 595, 9406-595 or 9118-575 you should first install the power subsystem level to 02BP225_094. You should also make sure that all frames of a multiple 9118-575 configuration are at 02BP225_094 before attempting to install system firmware. Go to this URL to access the power subsystem firmware package: other.html.

Attention:  Before installing firmware you should:

• Power off the managed system via the HMC before attempting a firmware installation.
• Ensure that there are no outstanding serviceable events showing on the Service Focal Point before starting the firmware installation.
• Verify that you have good network connections between the Hardware Management Console, the managed system and the power subsystem.

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

You can verify your network connections by running the following HMC command from an rsh window:

lssysconn -r all

Below is an example output from the lssysconn command. It shows two connections have "state = no connection" problems. If you see "state = no connection" when running the lssysconn command you should contact support to correct the problem before starting a Licensed Internal code update:

resource_type=sys,type_model_serial_num=9119-595*512884E,sp=primary,ipaddr=192.168.255.250,state=Connected
resource_type=sys,type_model_serial_num=9119-595*512884E,sp=backup,ipaddr=192.168.252.255,state=Connected
resource_type=frame,type_model_serial_num=9458-100*918000X,side=a,ipaddr=192.168.253.253, state=No Connection
resource_type=frame,type_model_serial_num=9458-100*918000X,side=b,ipaddr=192.168.254.251, state=No Connection

• ACT01712E - A failure occured while copying files from your DVD - Retry the firmware installation after burning a new CD. We recommend DVD-RAM or CD-R media to reduce the probability of media errors. We recommend you do not use CD-RW media.
• ACT01724E - The operation failed due to an internal code failure - The HMC DASD may be too full to copy the firmware images. From the HMC command line issue a "df" command to view %use of the DASD directories. If the /dev/hda5 directory is near 100% full there is no space to copy the firmware files. The cause of the high DASD utilization should be corrected first before attempting to install new firmware.

4.0 How to Determine Currently Installed Firmware Levels

Select your country, then under Hardware select English.
In the left-hand panel, select
--> Service, support and troubleshooting
--> Service and support
--> Getting fixes
--> Firmware (Licensed Internal Code) fixes
--> Managing firmware (Licensed Internal Code) fixes
--> View existing firmware (Licensed Internal Code) levels

5.0 Downloading the Firmware Package

       download.html

Follow the instructions on this web page. You must read and agree to the license agreement to obtain the firmware packages.

In the table for System Microcode, scroll down to the entry for 9110-510, etc.
 

Note: If your HMC is not internet connected you will need to download the new firmware level to a CD-ROM media or ftp server.

If you are using CD-ROM media you can download the system firmware files from this location p5 and i5 iso and create a CD-ROM to use with your HMC. The CD contains both the system and power subsystem firmware files.

Another method is to download the individual .rpm and .xml files from this location to an ftp server or CD-ROM media (both files are required).  If using CD-ROM media you then copy the .rpm and .xml files to the CD using a local CD-ROM burner utility.

For 9119-590/595, 9406-595, or 9118-575 models the ftp server or CD must contain both the system and power subsystem firmware files.You can obtain the .rpm and .xml files for the power subsystem by accessing this site other.html

6.0 Installing the Firmware

Example: 01SFXXX_YYY_ZZZ

Where XXX =  release level

 
• If the release level will stay the same (Example: Level 01SF222_075_075  is currently installed and you are attempting to install level 01SF222_081_081) continue to paragraph 6.1.
• If the release level will change (Example: Level 01SF222_081_081 is currently installed and you are attempting to install level 01SF225_096_096), skip to paragraph 6.2.

6.1 Updating the Firmware

Select your country, then under Hardware select English.
In the left-hand panel, select
--> Service, support and troubleshooting
--> Service and support
--> Getting fixes
--> Firmware (Licensed Internal Code) fixes
--> Applying firmware (Licensed Internal Code) fixes

Choose the options that match your server setup, and follow the instructions provided.

6.2 Upgrading the Firmware

Note: this method will require that the update be performed using CD media.

Select your country, then under Hardware select English.

In the left-hand panel, select
--> Service, support and troubleshooting
--> Service and support
--> Getting fixes
--> Firmware (Licensed Internal Code) fixes
--> Applying firmware (Licensed Internal Code) fixes
--> Upgrading to a new server firmware release

Choose the options that match your server setup, and follow the instructions provided.

7.0 Firmware Revision History

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

01SF222_081_081	Impact:  Function   Severity:  Hiper  Fixed a problem that caused FSCSI errors to show up erroneously in the AIX error log when an I/O adapter failed. Fixed a problem that caused the processor runtime diagnostics to call out the wrong DIMM (or other memory component) when a memory failure occurred. Fixed a problem that caused a platform dump to run out of storage space. Fixed a problem that prevented the LEDs on I/O drawers from identifying or "rolling up" to the frame enclosure LED. Fixed a problem that caused the service processor to generate error log entries every few seconds when attempting to service a recoverable CEC hardware error on systems that have processors with no memory associated with them.
01SF222_075_075	Impact:  Function   Severity:  Hiper  Fixed a problem with the AMSI menu option that allows system VPD keywords to be set. Fixed a problem that kept the system from continuing to boot when an 8GB memory DIMM is deallocated because an uncorrectable error was generated by the DIMM during boot. Fixed a problem that caused a partition's time to appear to drift (approximately 15 seconds/month) following a system IPL. Support for partitions running i5/OS on p5 systems was added. Fixed a problem that caused the default boot list and the stored boot list in the SMS menus to be swapped.
01SF222_071_071	Impact:  New        Severity:  New  Added support for p5 models 590 and 595, and i5 model 595.

01SF220_051_051	Impact:  Function   Severity:  Hiper  Fixed a problem that kept feature code 1827, a UPS sense cable, from being detected.
01SF220_049_049	Impact:  Function   Severity:  Hiper  Fixed a problem that kept the serial ports on the processor drawer from functioning in model 570 systems with multiple processor drawers. Fixed a problem that kept the user from accessing the advanced system management interface (ASMI) via the web interface.
01SF220_046_046	Impact:  Function   Severity:  Hiper  Fixed a problem that caused the kept the service processor from getting to standby when an Ethernet cable was not plugged into it.
01SF220_045_045	Impact:  Function   Severity:  Hiper  Various corrections and updates.
01SF220_043_043	Impact:  New        Severity:  New  Added support for new models:  9111-520, 9113-550, 9406-550, 9124-720, and 9117-570.