9211-8i IR to IT Nightmare

[Maticks]

Hi All,

 

I've been trying to convert my 9211-8i from IR to IT.

I have tried in Windows but it says it cannot erase properly so i cannot flash from IR to IT.

I've tried EFI but my EVGA Z87 FTW has UEFI it won't seem to boot the shell at all, it can see the shell on the USB stick.

 

So i booted up Unraid and thought i would try Linux since i will be running unraid once i get this sorted.

Downloaded all the utilities from broadcom's website and put sas2flash for linux on a USB Stick.

 

I also get the following error when i try running it sas2flash: cannot execute binary file: Exec format error

 

I don't know what to do i have spent about 2 days on this already and its not that easy to firmware flash

Any suggestions ?

 

Can i use this in IR mode?

 

01:00.0 Serial Attached SCSI controller: LSI Logic / Symbios Logic SAS2008 PCI-Express Fusion-MPT SAS-2 [Falcon] (rev 03)
        Subsystem: LSI Logic / Symbios Logic SAS2008 PCI-Express Fusion-MPT SAS-2 [Falcon]
        Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 16
        I/O ports at e000
        Memory at df6c0000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable)
        Memory at df280000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable)
        Expansion ROM at df200000 [disabled]
        Capabilities: [50] Power Management version 3
        Capabilities: [68] Express Endpoint, MSI 00
        Capabilities: [d0] Vital Product Data
        Capabilities: [a8] MSI: Enable- Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit+
        Capabilities: [c0] MSI-X: Enable+ Count=15 Masked-
        Capabilities: [100] Advanced Error Reporting
        Capabilities: [138] Power Budgeting <?>
        Capabilities: [150] Single Root I/O Virtualization (SR-IOV)
        Capabilities: [190] Alternative Routing-ID Interpretation (ARI)
        Kernel driver in use: mpt3sas
        Kernel modules: mpt3sas
 

 

Edited May 29, 2017 by Maticks

[PeteB]

Hi Maticks,

 

I wrote these instructions for myself when flashing my IBM M1015. This is a rebadged LSI 9220-8i but I think it should be a very similar process for you. Hope it helps.

 

 

Create USB Dos Disk with Flash Files (EFI BIOS)

=======================================
NOTE: It is likely a different process involving a bootable USB disk will be required if not using an EFI BIOS
1.    Format USB memory Stick (Note: FAT32)
2.    Obtain an EFI Shell from the following location (Note: I selected the V1)
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Unified_Extensible_Firmware_Interface#UEFI_Shell
3.    Rename Shell_Full.efi to Shellx64.efi (NOTE: This may not be case sensitive, however, there were some posts indicating it may be case sensitive). Copy this file to the USB Memory Stick.
4.    From the following URL download the cross flash files, extract them and copy them onto the USB stick.
http://forums.laptopvideo2go.com/topic/29059-sas2008-lsi92409211-firmware-files/

 

 

Install the M1015 card into the server

==============================
STOP – Make Sure you obtain the SAS address from the green sticker on the back of the card.
1.    Insert the card into a PCI-E Slot. Note that this card is a PCI-E 8x card. It is acceptable to put it into a PCI-E 16x slot. Note that on the server motherboard, the card wasn’t being seated correctly. Had to use a screwdriver to ensure that the bracket was not catching (from rear of the case).
2.    Upon boot up the two LED’s should light up green.

 

Update Firmware on the M1015 Card (Cross-flashing from IBM to create HBA).

===============================================================
1.    Boot the server and press F2 (or Del key) to get into the BIOS.
2.    Update the Boot menu (under advanced) to boot from the USB stick (EFI) only.
3.    Update the Security under the BOOT menu, so that Other OS is selected. (IMPORTANT otherwise the system will not launch the EFI Shell).
4.    Click on exit, note that there is a menu item to “Launch EFI Shell from filesystem device”. Click on this.
5.    From the EFI Shell, type the following. NOTE: The first two commands I actually did from a bootable DOS USB disk. I don’t know if they will work from the EFI Shell:
5.1    fs0:
5.2 dir -verify that fs0 is the USB memory stick
5.3 megarec   -writesbr 0 sbrempty.bin
5.4 megarec –cleanflash 0
5.5 Reboot the system and get back into the EFI Shell
5.6 sas2flash.efi  -o  -f 2118it.bin
5.7 sas2flash.efi - o  -sasadd 500605B00549b0d0
5.8 Reboot. All Done.

Updates to M1015 Firmware (subsequent to cross flashing).

================================================
1.    Go to www.lsi.com and click on the Support -> Support Documents and Downloads link. 
2.    Product Family: 6GB/s SAS Host Bus Adapters
3.    Product SAS 9211-8i Host Bus Adapter
4.    Asset Type: All
5.    Click on Search. 
6.    Click on Firmware and download the Firware package for MSDOS_Windows. The version I downloaded was “9211-8i_Package_P20_IR_IT_Firmware_BIOS_for_MSDOS_Windows”
7.    Extract this file into a directory.
8.    Create a directory called lsiflash on C:
9.    Copy file sas2flash from the sas2flash_win_x64_rel directory to the lsiflash directory
10.    Copy file 2118it.bin from the directory Firmware\HBA_9211_8i_IT to the lsiflash directory.
11.    Open a DOS window (Run as ADMINISTRATOR)
12.    Make sure you can see the M1015 card by issuing the following commands:
cd \lsiflash
sas2flash –listall
13.    Flash the card by issuing the following command:
sas2flash –o –f 2118it.bin
14.    When the flash completes successfully, issue sas2flash –listall to validate the firmware version.
15.    Reboot the server.
16.    Update the driver software (Using the latest from the website), by clicking on Start and then right clicking (Manage) on computer.
17.    Click on Device Manager
18.    Click on Storage Controllers and then right click on LSI adapter.
19.    Click on update driver.
20.    Click on Browse my computer for driver software and select the lsi_sas_win7_x64_rel directory and click on next. The driver will be installed.
21.    Reboot the computer.
NOTE: that all commands from the DOS window require that it is run as ADMINISTRATOR.
 

Edited May 29, 2017 by PeteB

[SSD]

@PeteB

 

Thanks for posting this. Although I haven't tried myself, these look like excellent instructions for doing the firmware update with a modern BIOS! Looking forward to hearing of successes with these, and would like to promote as a sticky.

 

BTW, users that have not purchased a controller yet should consider the LSI SAS9201-xx cards. They are pure HBA so no need to flash. Performance the same as most reflashed cards like M1015 and LSI SAS9211 - PCI 2.0, SATA 3, x8.

 

It comes in three configurations:

-8i - 2 8087 internal SAS connectors (8 drives). $50 - $70 on eBay. (Comparable to M1015 and 9211-8i)

-16i - 4 8087 internal SAS connectors (16 drives). ~$180 on eBay.

-16e - 4 8088 external SAS connectors (16 drives). Good for connecting to externally mounted drives (I have a few Supermicro 5in3s sitting just outside my case and this is prefect). Wires could be fished into the server to connect internal drives / cages. Can be had for < $50, so the deal of the century for 16 drive controller. The 8088 cables are a little more expensive than the 8087s, but if you need to buy cables, not material. But if you already have the 8087 cables, buying a card that supports them avoids ~$15 per cable. BTW, the 8088 connector is the nicest I've ever worked with. Very secure and dead simple to insert and remove with zero resistance. The 8087s can be persnickety IMO. 8088s are totally different design.

 

Cheers! 

[Maticks]

My Motherboard will not boot EFI looks like i cannot flash it here

I tried your instructions PeteB and i also looked in my BIOS for UEFI Security sections nothing really that useful in there.

 

The problem with SAS2FLASH is its compiled for i686 and Unraid is x86_64 i think that is causing the issues.

 

[SSD]

You could boot unRAID  5 - which was a 32 bit versions of Linux - and give it a try.

 

I have the old zip file, which is about 36M. I think you can request from LimeTech and they will provide a download link

[Fireball3]

You can use parts of the Dell Toolset.

It is well tested on Dell cards but should do the job on the LSI card as well.

Best way is to create a DOS bootdisk - the UEFI way is not fully tested as I have no UEFI board for testing.

The file contains everything you need.

 

Differences to consider when flashing the LSI card vs. the Dell:

run step 1 to grab the card details

then go straight to step 5_IT_P20 (skip all others)

and finally run step 6 to reprogram the SAS-ID.

 

PM me if you have problems - preferrably with screen shots (in case of errors).

[Maticks]

Thank you guys.. I managed to borrow an old server at work that was a supermicro server.

It has an AMI bios with a UEFI Shell built in. Apparently all supermicro motherboards have this which is great.

 

Plugged the card in booted into UEFI Shell, flashed the card all of 2 minutes work.

Thanks for your help, and if anyone else is stuck find a mate with a server motherboard seems to be a quick way.