Power6 Mid-Range Firmware

07/30/2008

System firmware changes that affect all systems:

• DEFERRED and HIPER: The processor initialization settings were changed to reduce the likelihood of a processor going into an error state and causing a checkstop or system crash.
• HIPER: A problem was fixed that caused large numbers of enhanced error handling (EEH) errors to be logged against the 4-port gigabit Ethernet adapter, F/C 5740, under certain circumstances.
• DEFERRED:  A problem was fixed that  caused informational SRCs B181B964 and B150D134 to be logged multiple times, and fill the service processor error log, during normal operation of the system.
• DEFERRED:  The firmware was enhanced so that if an L3 cache controller gets deconfigured at runtime, the associated processor cores will also be deconfigured.  This prevents the system from going into an error state and causing a checkstop or system crash.
• A problem was fixed that caused the /tmp directory on the service processor  to fill up, which results in an out-of-memory condition.  When this problem occurred, the service processor usually performed a reset/reload.  This is one possible cause of SRC B1817201 being logged.
• Enhancements were made to improve  the field replaceable unit (FRU) isolation for phase-locked loop (PLL) clock failures on multi-CEC drawer system.  SRCs B114F6D2, B114F6C1, B113F6C1, B157F12E, B18187EF, and B158E500 were typically seen with this type of failure.
• A problem was fixed that caused SRC B1813014 to be erroneously generated when a new level of system firmware was installed on the managed system.
• A problem was fixed that caused SRC B7006971 to be erroneously generated during dynamic LPAR (DLPAR) operations on memory.
• A problem was fixed that caused an "HTML viewer error", followed by the message "Cannot complete service action for reference code 'xxxxyyyy' "  to occur in Service Focal Point on the HMC when trying to perform the service actions for certain SRCs.
• A problem was fixed in partition firmware that could cause a partition running AIX to crash under certain circumstances.

• On a partition running Linux, a problem was fixed that might cause the hypervisor to erroneously deconfigure a processor core.
• On partitions with a large number of hard disks attached to fibre channel adapters, a problem was fixed that might cause SRC BA210003 to be erroneously generated when the partition is booting.  The partition might or might not boot when this error occurs.
• On systems with 7314-G30 drawers attached, a problem was fixed that caused the port labels to be missing on the hardware topology screens with certain cable configurations.
• On systems with 7314-G30 drawers attached, a problem was fixed that caused the partition to become unresponsive when an InfiniBand cable in a redundantly-cabled loop was disconnected.
• On systems with 7314-G30 drawers attached, a problem was fixed that might have caused some I/O slots in the drawers not to be configured when the system was booted.

02/11/2008

Fixes that affect all model  systems:

• HIPER:  A problem was fixed that caused some functions that perform hardware operations during runtime to generate temporary extended error handling (EEH) errors.
• DEFERRED:  A problem was fixed that caused a system crash (with SRC B131E504) by changing the initialization settings of the I/O control hardware.
• A problem was fixed that prevented a system from recovering after SRC B1xxB9xx was logged.
• A problem was fixed that caused a firmware installation to fail with SRC B1813028.
• A problem was fixed that caused SRC B1818A10 to be erroneously logged during a disruptive firmware installation.
• A problem was fixed that, under certain circumstances, caused the buttons on the control (operator) panel to be inoperative.
• A problem was fixed that prevented the system planning tool from deploying a sysplan with certain HEA MCS values.
• A problem was fixed that caused SRC B1813108 to be erroneously logged during system boot. 
• A problem was fixed that, under certain circumstances, caused the InfiniBand adapter to stop responding to InfiniBand requests.
• A problem was fixed that caused the error "MSGVIOSE0300E002-0154 There is insufficient memory available for firmware" to be logged on the HMC.

•  On model MMA systems with multiple drawers, a problem was fixed that prevented the pin-hole reset switch on the control (operator) panel from resetting the system.
• On model MMA system with an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) attached, a problem was fixed the prevented the UPS from notifying the operating system that a utility failure or low battery condition had occurred. 
• On systems with at least 3 or more licensed processors and 2 or more unlicensed processors, a problem was fixed that caused the system boot to be slower than normal, or to hang with SRC C700406E.
• On model MMA system with 7314-G30 I/O expansion drawers attached, problems were fixed that caused the wrong FRUs to be called out with SRC B70069ED, and caused the hypervisor to loop if certain invalid cabling configurations are encountered.
• On model MMA systems with a large number of I/O towers attached, a problem was fixed that caused the HMC to go to the incomplete state when an additional tower was added to a loop.

11/19/07

• HIPER:  A problem was fixed that caused a time-out in a hardware device driver.  This time-out must include both SRCs B181B920 and B181D147.  Other SRCs may be present including, but not limited to, B1xxB9xx, B1xxE504, and B150D141.  Occasionally the system crashes.  If B181B920 and B181D147 SRCs are logged, check for any resources that were deconfigured at the time of these errors and reconfigure them using the ASMI menus.  No hardware should be replaced.  To recover from this error condition, the service processor must be reset by removing,  then reapplying, the managed system's power.
• DEFERRED:  On multi-drawer model MMA systems, a problem found in testing was fixed which when the L3 cache was disabled,  under very unique (and rare) circumstances may result in data being overwritten in the cache and the system to crash.  Although the exposure to this issue is very low, and there have been no reported problems from the field, the system impact if this occurred would be high.  Product Engineering recommends that you schedule time to install this deferred fix at you earliest convenience.

9/14/07

Additional features and functions:

• Added support for 9406-MMA.

• HIPER:  A problem was fixed that caused the system to crash with SRC B170E450.
• HIPER:  A problem was fixed that, in rare circumstances, could cause the system to hang due to the improper handling of certain exceptions.
• HIPER:  A problem was fixed that prevented the operating system from being notified of certain EPOW conditions that could lead to the system or partition being shut down, with the possible loss of data.  These EPOW conditions included the ambient temperature being too high, the loss of utility power (with or without UPS backup), and a user-initiated power off using the white power button or the HMC.
• A problem was fixed that could cause a firmware installation from the HMC to fail with SRC E302F85C on the HMC, and SRC B1813088, B1818A0F, or B1813011 logged in the service processor error log.
• A change was made so that if a failure occurs during a memory-preserving reboot, the system continues to reboot rather than remaining in the termination (powered off) state.
• A problem was fixed that caused EEH (enhanced error handling) errors to be erroneously logged against certain I/O adapters.
• A problem was fixed that prevented "linked" resources that had been guarded out from being reconfigured during the next reboot after a service action on one of the guarded parts.
• A problem was fixed that, after the backplane was replaced in a 7314-G30 I/O drawer, prevented the partition that owned the drawer from seeing those resources. 
• A problem was fixed that caused the serial connection to a partition to be lost.  When this occurred, SRCs B181D307, B200E0AA, and/or B200813A were generated by the service processor and the hypervisor.
• A problem was fixed in partition firmware that, in some circumstances, prevented a CD-ROM or tape device from being in the default service mode boot list, even if one was present in the system.
• A problem was fixed that caused the HMC to go to the incomplete state, and SRC B182953C to be logged in the service processor error log every five minutes or so, when the managed system was booted.
• A problem was fixed that caused the system to intermittently fail to configure devices attached to the integrated USB port when booting.
• A problem was fixed that might have caused erroneous callouts if a problem was found with certain levels of memory controller chips.
• A problem was fixed that caused the system to call home and reboot instead of allowing the failing part (a memory controller or DIMM) to be deconfigured by PRD (processor runtime diagnostics). 

In addition to the fixes described above, this service pack also contains a fix for a low probability problem and content intended for newly-manufactured systems, or enhancements to system internal interfaces, which is not required for systems already in production use.   This content will not be activated on systems that install this service pack concurrently.  Even though this content is not required for systems which are already installed and in use, a disruptive installation of this service pack or a re-IPL after installing it will cause this content to become active.  It is not necessary to plan a window for re-IPL the system the activate this content.

6/22/07

• Original (GA)  level.