README: 4GB SLR5 Tape Drive Microcode
This package is being provided to allow the update of older 4GB SLR5 Tape Drives to the latest level of microcode that is currently shipping from IBM.
Customers are encouraged to install the latest microcode level
themselves. The microcode and instructions are available for
customers at the IBM external web site:
download.html
All levels of AIX that this product was announced on.
The typical time to install this microcode is .3 hrs.
The microcode becomes active when installed and does not require a
system reboot to become active.
Yes, but the tape drive must be available with no tape in the drive, and no other processing running to the tape drive.
A reboot is not needed as the microcode is active in the drive when the
drive completes microcode download.
If you use Genucode to download the microcode to the tape drive you will
use the AIX rmdev and mkdev commands to have the Vital Product Data
show the new microcode level.
Do not power off the tape drive during microcode download as this may damage the tape drive microcode requiring the tape drive to be replaced.
Remove any tape cartridge from the drive prior to attempting the microcode download.
All pSeries and RS/6000 machines this product was announce on. In general if the tape drive configures and is available with the VPD showing the Machine Type and microcode level as described in this README the machine is one affected.
The microcode update will bring the 4GB SLR5 tape drive
up to the current level of microcode which is:
0942
| Tape Drive P/N | Tape Drive FRU P/N | Microcode Level | What does this microcode change
|
|---|---|---|---|
| 59H4435 | 59H4434 | 0923 | First Microcode level shipped.
|
| 59H4435 | 59H4434 | 0939 | Fix Mode Select Command and improve poor media Read/Write processing.
|
| 59H4435 | 59H4434 | 0940 | Fix failure to boot from some "mksysb" tapes.
Fix the restore of QIC-1000 tapes with density set at 166.
|
| 59H4435 | 59H4434 | 0942 | Fix Blank Check on Space Reverse at Track Boundaries.
|
Note: In some cases you may already have the most current level of microcode already installed. The following instructions show you how to check the tape drive microcode level.
To display the level of microcode in the IBM 7207-122 or the internal
4GB SLR5 tape drive do the following AIX command:
lscfg -vl rmt0 <--- change the drive number to reflect
the actual rmt address of the 4GB
SLR5 tape drive.
The output of the lscfg command will look like the following with
the
"Device Specific.(Z1)" showing the microcode level:
rmt0 00-00-01-6,0 SCSI 1/4-Inch Tape Drive (8000 MB)
Manufacturer................TANDBERG
Machine Type and Model......IBM SLR5 !D
Device Specific.(Z1)........0942
Serial Number...............G0019161
Device Specific.(LI)........A0B00E19
Part Number.................59H4435
FRU Number..................59H4434
EC Level....................E30414
Device Specific.(Z0)........0180020283000009
Device Specific.(Z3)........N1
The Device Specific.(Z1)........ field is the microcode level.
In order to complete the microcode download to a 4GB SLR5 tape drive
you will need to use the
Genucode
program.
or
AIX 5.1 Diagnostics or later.
Microcode download is part of AIX 5.1 diagnostics. If you are not
on AIX 5.1, or later, diagnostics you will need to download the Genucode
package from the IBM eserver pSeries & RS/6000 Microcode
WEB site.
For both the Genucode program and AIX Diagnostics you will need the
microcode
and
dsdata
file in this package.
The Genucode package is available from the IBM WEB site:
http://techsupport.services.ibm.com/server/mdownload
There are 2 ways a user can get the microcode files. Each of these will put the microcode on the user's system but the user may have to move the files to appropriate directory for system use.
When the user downloads the microcode files from the IBM web site the packaged microcode files will be put into the /tmp directory.
Note:
AIX commands and file names are case sensitive.
If the users AIX permission does not allow the copy to the above stated
directory or file then the user will be prompted for a new location.
Genucode requires the microcode and the dsdata file to be in the
/tmp
directory.
cp IBM_SLR5.0942.A0B00E19 /tmp/.
cp dsdata /tmp/.
To insure the file was downloaded without error do the
following AIX commands:
cd /tmp
Use the AIX command sum to get the checksum of the microcode
file:
sum IBM_SLR5.0942.A0B00E19
Compare the sum you got with the sum of the file here, if they
do not match redo the steps in creating the file on the system.
01433 129 IBM_SLR5.0942.A0B00E19
AIX Diagnostics require the microcode and the dsdata file to be in the
/etc/microcode
directory.
cp IBM_SLR5.A0B00E19.0942 /etc/microcode/.
cp IBM_SLR5.A0B00E19.dsdata /etc/microcode/.
To insure the file was downloaded without error do the
following AIX commands:
cd /tmp
Use the AIX command sum to get the checksum of the microcode
file:
sum IBM_SLR5*
Compare the sum you got with the sum of the file here, if they
do not match redo the steps in creating the file on the system.
01433 129 IBM_SLR5.A0B00E19.0942
55538 2 IBM_SLR5.A0B00E19.dsdata
When installing new microcode into drive it is necessary to wait until you see the microcode download complete message before doing any action with the tape drive including inserting a tape or powering off the drive.
The AIX diagnostics will look for earlier versions of microcode on the device you chose for the install. When you see the message from the AIX diagnostics about download microcode without the previous level present reply to the prompt to continue with the install even though the previous level of microcode is not available on the system.