Blade 1500 OBP Patch; Three Beeps and Out
I've just applied the latest Open Boot Prom patch #116698-03 to my Blade 1500. The patch apparently succeeeded, according to the onscreen messages. At the end of the process, the system beeped three times and powered itself down.
The same thing happens when I turn the power back on. After about 2 seconds the system beeps three times and powers itself off. Nothing appears on console and there is no time to do anything before the shutdown.
So, system is dead in water...
[499 byte] By [
tkevans] at [2007-11-25 23:05:49]
# 1
Do you get anything through tip connection?
# 2
Hello,
<b>tkevans</b> posted on Sunmanagers as well and the people over there have been more sharp-eyed and pointed him to the patch readme file. He posted a summary which I will summarize FYI...
Under <b>Special Install Instructions</b> Note 3 is important (the others too, but this is the one regarding the error)
<table border="0" align="center" width="90%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td class="SmallText"><b>Quote:</b></td></tr><tr>& lt;td class="quote">
DIMMs Support
OBP 4.9.4 is only compatible with DIMMs using SPD version 0.0.
If you wish to install DIMMs with SPD version 1.x, you must first
upgrade your OBP to 4.9.5 or higher, then install the DIMMs.
If you do not upgrade your OBP prior to installing these DIMMs, OBP
will beep 3 times and power off. The following message will be
printed to the serial port:
"SPD reports DIMM has unsupported SPD revision
System configuration failed, powering off"
For compatible DIMM part numbers, please refer to the Sun Blade 1500
Product Notes
</td></tr></table>
This means OBP revisions 4.9.<b>5 and newer</b> are <u><b>incompatible</b></u> with memory modules using <b>SPD 0.0</b>.
Note: SPD (serial presence detect) is a chip that contains information about the capabilities (size, speed, refresh time, etc) of the memory module.
When upgrading the OBP to a newer revision than 4.9.4 make sure that the installed memory modules are using <b>SPD 1.x</b>.
To use memory modules using SPD 1.0 OBP 4.9.<b>5 or newer</b> is required.
<b>He fixed the problem by obtaining new memory modules (using SPD 1.0) !</b>
Michael
maal at 2007-7-5 17:57:10 >
# 3
I have the same problem, but on a Sunblade 2500 (Red) that was previously on OpenBoot firmware version 4.9.4 and I updated it to 4.17.1 . The update was successful. However, now I cannot boot; three beeps and it powers down.
Presuming I cannot upgrade the memory just yet, how can I safely downgrade the firmware back to 4.9.4?
# 4
Bry:
I don't think so, for the following reasons:
OBP 4.9.4 was the factory-original code.It was not available as a patch update, so the binary information is not available as a file, to apply to the systemboard.
The README file of the current OBP patch has a reference to the next older patch, and that document also seems to suggest that the 4.16.4 binary was included in the 4.17.1 zipfile that you downloaded.Version 4.16.4 may still be too new for what you are hoping to accomplish.
Once in a while, such a zipfile will include a number of older OBP versions, but they are not required to have any such older files, only the latest.
I think you have only two choices.
Buy the newer RAM, or ...
Open a service case with Sun and hope that techsupport can find an old copy of the 117365-01 patch, for OBP 4.9.5.
That 4.9.5 code may <i>still</i> not permit operation with the original RAM because that very first update added the functional support for SPD 1.0 DIMMs.
Is there any coverage by a service contract?
Bill at 2007-7-5 17:57:10 >
# 5
Bill, thanks for your very prompt response! I do not yet know whether there is still coverage on the machine. But a more interesting question is: how can I even get back to the OBP prompt to reprogram the PROM? If I remove all the offending memory sticks, will it let me boot? Is there some kind of "now-i've-really-done-it" jumper that I can use to get me to some kind of emergency rescue kind of prompt?
# 6
The SB2500 systems ship with a one year warranty, so you'll have to find all your delivery paperwork and keep it available to fax when requested (proof of purchase). The chassis serial number would describe it as older than date-of-shipment.If the warranty has lapsed and there is no service contract in place, then the expense of one techsupport call would be more than buying the necessary RAM.All out-of-warranty calls are handled by local field service staff, not by phone.There's a mandatory labor fee in that procedure.
Without the appropriate RAM, you are stuck in a catch-22 scenario.
You need RAM for the chassis to complete POST and get high enough in the process to enter OBP.The systemboard requires at least two DIMMs for cpu#0, as a minimal configuration. The other six slots (cpu#0 and cpi#1) can be empty.
Sorry to be the one to give bad news, but I fear the system's not functional until you find some compatible RAM.Is there a knowledgeable PC shop nearby?Most of the sales staff at the Big Box retailers would think that SPD is something for bicycles in the Tour de France. <img src="images/smiley_icons/icon_sad.gif" border=0 alt="Sad">
Bill at 2007-7-5 17:57:10 >
