Regression: Missing Firmware Files phanfw.bin and nx3fwct.bin (precise 12.04 beta)

Mark - can you attach a log that shows the firmware files missing message? Also, I assume you're installing from precise-server-amd64-daily.iso ? Or is it a PXE boot ?

Tim - these message appears during the installation (from a USB stick) to HDD. I didn't saved any install logs yet for 12.04 daily. If you really need logs I can try to install tomorrow again and see how can I save install logs. I used the daily image precise-server-amd64-daily.iso however I had the same issue with last beta1.

Part of the screen message is exactly like: "Missing Firmware Files phanfw.bin nx3fwct.bin"

Tim - I have installed again and include now all install logs (s. attachment)

# ---
live@wheezy:~$ grep -i "missing firmware file" missing-fimrware-files.txt
/var/log/installer/syslog:Mar 31 10:56:59 check-missing-firmware: missing firmware files (phanfw.bin nx3fwct.bin) for netxen_nic netxen_nic
/var/log/installer/syslog:Mar 31 10:57:23 check-missing-firmware: missing firmware files (phanfw.bin nx3fwct.bin) for netxen_nic netxen_nic

Tim - thank you. I did it already.

Am 30.03.2012 19:50, schrieb Tim Gardner:
> Mark - can you attach a log that shows the firmware files missing
> message? Also, I assume you're installing from precise-server-
> amd64-daily.iso ? Or is it a PXE boot ?
>
> ** Changed in: linux-firmware (Ubuntu)
> Status: New => In Progress
>
> ** Changed in: linux-firmware (Ubuntu)
> Assignee: (unassigned) => Tim Gardner (timg-tpi

Added phanfw.bin to nic-firmware-lst

This bug was fixed in the package linux-firmware - 1.77

---------------
linux-firmware (1.77) precise; urgency=low

  * Added phanfw.bin to nic-firmware-lst
    -LP: #969304
 -- Tim Gardner <email address hidden> Tue, 03 Apr 2012 08:40:31 -0600

Am 03.04.2012 16:45, schrieb Tim Gardner:
> Added phanfw.bin to nic-firmware-lst
>
> ** Also affects: linux-firmware (Ubuntu Precise)
> Importance: Undecided
> Assignee: Tim Gardner (timg-tpi)
> Status: In Progress
>
> ** Changed in: linux-firmware (Ubuntu Precise)
> Status: In Progress => Fix Committe
Hello Tim

Thank you. Is it possible to add the following one too? .. (maybe you
can add them step by step only .. )

nx3fwct.bin

--
<email address hidden>
http://rsync.it-infrastrukturen.org

Mark - as far as I can tell nx3fwct.bin does not exist in the kernel nor is it in linux-firmware. While the driver references several other firmware files in the source code, only phanfw.bin (which is found in linux-firmware) is exported as part of the module information, e.g.,

git grep MODULE_FIRMWARE drivers/net/ethernet/qlogic/netxen
drivers/net/ethernet/qlogic/netxen/netxen_nic_main.c:MODULE_FIRMWARE(NX_UNIFIED_ROMIMAGE_NAME);

git grep NX_UNIFIED_ROMIMAGE_NAME
drivers/net/ethernet/qlogic/netxen/netxen_nic.h:#define NX_UNIFIED_ROMIMAGE_NAME "phanfw.bin"
drivers/net/ethernet/qlogic/netxen/netxen_nic_init.c: NX_UNIFIED_ROMIMAGE_NAME,
drivers/net/ethernet/qlogic/netxen/netxen_nic_main.c:MODULE_FIRMWARE(NX_UNIFIED_ROMIMAGE_NAME);

thanks a lot Tim. I will test the new image as soon it will get available.

Tim - thank you for the first part. Today's daily 12.04 server image doesn't miss anymore phanfw.bin ... however nx3fwt.bin is still missing.

I have found as follows (please check also the attached file):
# ---
NC-Series QLogic nx_nic Driver for Linux

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareDescription.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&prodTypeId=329290&prodSeriesId=4038765&swItem=MTX-95d32167239142288ce7da6c7e&prodNameId=4038767&swEnvOID=4095&swLang=8&taskId=135&mode=3
# ---

As I mentioned already there is "no" such nx3fwct.bin issue with ubuntu-server 11.10 on the same HP DL385g7 server. I will check later a ubuntu-server 11.10 installation on HP DL385g7 and look to what package does this nx3fwct.bin file belong.

There is no such nx3fwct.bin file on ubuntu-server 11.10 too (even there is no any errror message like above during the installation). It looks like the network card NC375T doesn't work on ubuntu server 11.10 (I did only short ping test after configuring an IP address for one of interfaces of NC375T). I will check it if NC375T works with XCP 1.5 (redhat based).

Well. This NC375T card works on ubuntu-server 10.10 .. my mistake *sorry*. I did only network restart and it doesn't seem to be enough. After reboot it works.

I mean ubuntu-server *11.10*

Final information: the NC375T network card works also on ubuntu-server 12.04 even this confusing install message about missing nx3fwct.bin file.

Mark - can you attach the dmesg log from both 11.10 and 12.04 so I can see what firmware the driver has requested. Thats about the only place that the installer could be learning about nx3fwct.bin.

You are installing on bare metal, right? Does the NIC work (after reboot) if you ignore the missing firmware dialog and proceed with the install ?

dmesg of ubuntu-server 12.04 first.

dmesg for 11.10 will come in second step as I habe to reinstall.

Et voilà ... dmesg of ubuntu-server 11.10

Thanks a lot for your research Tim.

Am 04.04.2012 16:39, schrieb Tim Gardner:
> Mark - can you attach the dmesg log from both 11.10 and 12.04 so I can
> see what firmware the driver has requested. Thats about the only place
> that the installer could be learning about nx3fwct.bin.
>
> You are installing on bare metal, right? Does the NIC work (after
> reboot) if you ignore the missing firmware dialog and proceed with the
> install ?
Tim - thank you. I have just attached both demsg files.

Mark - the dmesg from 12.04 has this message:

"netxen_nic 0000:06:00.0: Incompatibility detected between driver and firmware version on flash. This configuration is not recommended. Please update the firmware on flash immediately",

while 11.10 has this:

 "netxen_nic 0000:06:00.0: loading firmware from phanfw.bin"

I wonder if getting a flash update from Broadcom would solver this problem? I have no idea where the install is getting nx3fwct.bin

Hi there,

Exact same problem on a HP Proliant DL 585 G7 server.

Am 11.04.2012 12:19, schrieb Bo Nygaard Bai:
> Exact same problem on a HP Proliant DL 585 G7 server.
I wasn't successful trying to install new firmware for NC375T nics.

The stuff from HP support site didn't work with my CentOS or RedHat
installations.

--
<email address hidden>

http://rsync.it-infrastrukturen.org

I was *unsuccessful* trying to upgrade the firmware of NC375T NICs with the following binaries/rpm packages:
# ---
CP015900.scexe
hp-nx_nic-4.0.579-2.src.rpm
hp-nx_nic-tools-4.0.579-2.x86_64.rpm
kmod-hp-nx_nic-4.0.579-2.x86_64.rpm
# ---

CP015900.scexe seems to work only with 32Bit linux installations.

Maybe I made a mistake when creating binary rpm packages for hp-nx_nic-4.0.579-2.src (all the stuff is attached).

I hope I will have more luck/time.

>I hope I will have more luck/time.

I hope *you* will have more luck/time.

Performed a firmware upgrade on the HP Proliant DL 585 G7 server. Both BIOS and storage controller. That seems to have solved the problem. Installing the 12.04 beta2 server without problems.

I have attached the output from dmesg on the server after the firmware upgrade.

I am not entirely clear on what firmware loading by the kernel means in this context. Is the kernel loading firmware into the network and storage cards during boot? How does this relate to the firmware flashing we have just made?

I have two of these servers, but we only updated the firmware on one. I can keep the servers at different firmware levels until the final 12.04 release is out. I will be happy to run any tests, on either server, that might help you nailing the proper solution.

And I forgot the attachment...

dmesg from the installer on a HP Proliant DL 585 G7 server with the latest firmware from HP.

I have updated the Firmware (BIOS) of HP DL385g7 but it *didn't* solve the issue. It looks like the critical point is the current firmware version of NC375T NIC from HP as I still had the error message. I didn't test the current daily ubuntu server, yet.

Updating the firmware on the HP Proliant DL 585 G7 server was a fairly complex operation. The following describes the steps taken by my colleague to update the firmware:

Download list:
http://ftp.hp.com/pub/softlib2/software1/sc-linux-fw-array/p1997486963/v73626/CP016377.md5
http://ftp.hp.com/pub/softlib2/software1/sc-linux-fw-array/p1997486963/v73626/CP016377.scexe
ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/softlib2/software1/cd/p1040529012/v64851/firmware-9.30-0.zip
ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/softlib2/software1/sc-windows/p1576607567/v65577/cp014214.exe

You will need to perform these steps on a Windows PC:
0) Download the files.
1) Extract firmware-9.30-0.zip.
2) Use cp014214.exe to create a bootable USB key, from the iso file in firmware-9.30-0.zip.
3) copy CP016377.md5 and CP016377.scexe to /HPFWUP9xx/hp/swpackages on the USB key.

You do these steps on the server:
4) Boot on the USB key.
5) Switch to another console (alt+F1).
6) Execute CP016377.scexe.

Thanks a lot for the firmware install procedure Bo. I did it however only with linux as the windows crap didn't work again as it should (cp014214.exe didn't want to install on my windows 7 netbook).

First after installing the new firmware for NC375C NIC the error message described above disappeared.
I have updated the following firmware:
CP015900.scexe #NC375T NIC
CP016377.scexe #P410i/P410 RAID controller

I tested new linux installation with daily (2012-04-13) ubuntu-server 12.04.

@ Tim: I guess we can close this issue as solved, however it would be helpful to include the info about required firmware update in Release Notes for installing ubuntu-server 12.04 on last generations of HP DL servers.

Linux only procedure:
1. Burn the iso image included in firmware-9.30-0.zip on DVD
2. Boot the server from this DVD

3. Switch to text based console (ctrl+alt+F1)
4. Mount a USB stick with CP015900.scexe and CP016377.scexe with their md5 files
5. Copy these files to /root
6. Execute both .scexe files from there (like: bash CP015900.scexe ...)

Mark - I'm setting the Linux state to Invalid based on your comments and will attempt to get this information into the release notes.

Just to round this off.

The release version of 12.04 installs fine on both of our HP Proliant DL 585 G7 servers. One has the original firmware and one has the latest firmware.

Good work!