Re: Cisco 220M4 with Cisco 12G SAS Module Raid Controller

EddyFonseca3815 · ‎09-06-2023

Hello I have an CIsco 220M4 bare Metal server

It has 8 ( 1.8 TB ) Drives and when I created a new Virtual Driver Raid 0 with 4 TB drive I was not able to get it to boot. I am not able to get in the Cimc since the Version want to use FLash which was removed some time ago. I only have Bios and Controller utility to guide me.

In bios

Advance > LOM PCIe Slot Configuration > PCIe SLot ID:HBA is set to (UEFI only )

Boot Option > UEFI Boot Option ( Enable)

Note: no data on the Array to boot from.

Advance tab > Avago MegaRaid < Cisco 12 G SAS Modular Raid Controller > Main Menu > Configuration Management

has not boot option to select from .

I would like to create an Virtual Disk with 11. TB Raid 5 but it seems this controller will not support it but I can use Raid 1 instead. How can I configure via Bios and Raid Controller utility to create this drive and have it bootable.

If you can point me to some documents since the one I followed ( https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/unified_computing/ucs/c/hw/C220M4/install/C220M4/replace.html ) did not give me the solution I needed.

Any and all help is welcomed.

Thank you

josoneal · ‎09-06-2023

Hello Eddy,

Try the following documentation: https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/docs/servers-unified-computing/ucs-manager/200869-Add-Virtual-Drive-in-the-Modular-RAID-Co.pdf

Also, you can upgrade server via HUU using USB: https://community.cisco.com/t5/data-center-and-cloud-knowledge-base/apic-cimc-upgrade-via-huu-using-usb/ta-p/3683755

Regards,

EddyFonseca3815 · ‎09-07-2023

Hello
I looked at the steps in the first link but when I try to create the Virtual Drive it creates the drive but my server is not able to see “Virtual Drives handle by Bios” which I think is the issue.
My version is 5.10-0708 AVAGO
I have to make all the drives Make unconfigured Good. Before I am able to make the Virtual drive. If I try to make a VD with JBOD it will not allow me to make. I want to make this VD bootable so It will be placed into the Bios as a possible boot device.

If I am missing a step on how to make this bootable let me know since I have not found any documents to give me this information so I can get this working.

Thank you

Wes Austin · ‎09-07-2023

Do you have the FBWC installed?

https://www.cisco.com/c/dam/en/us/products/collateral/servers-unified-computing/ucs-c-series-rack-servers/c220m4-sff-spec-sheet.pdf

UCSC-MRAID12G Cisco 12G SAS Modular RAID Controller

 Supports up to 24 internal SAS HDDs and SAS/SATA SSDs (limited to 8 drives in this server)

 Supports JBOD, RAID 0, 1, 10 (with no FBWC option chosen) and has the ability to also support RAID 5, 6 if a Flash-Backed Write cache upgrade is chosen (shown below in this table)

Kirk J · ‎09-08-2023

Anything greater than 2TB requires UEFI boot, and is not supported by legacy/bios boot.

Kirk...

EddyFonseca3815 · ‎09-08-2023

Hello All

I followed the steps in the " https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/docs/servers-unified-computing/ucs-manager/200869-Add-Virtual-Drive-in-the-Modular-RAID-Co.pdf" but there is no option that I can make the Created Virtual Drive bootable. It show me how we can create the VD but there is no setting to enable it as a boot drive. If there is a location I would like to know were that is. I have set the Bios to UEFI only for the HBA controller so it get the higher Drive capacity but still no option to make it bootable. I also looked at the BiosConfiguration of the controller and I can see controller and have the option to create the VD but I do not see in there how to make it bootable. I do not think this is to complicated but I have not found how to make the raid config show the new drive (VD) and show Handle by Bios which will allow me to boot from it and install the OS.

CIMC update

I have been looking on the web to update the CIMC from 2.0 to 4.0 but I think I need to step from 2.0 to 3.0 then up to 4.0. I was on cisco site looking at the version I need to use that will work on C220 M4 server. since I installed Flash 2022 in Edge and Firefox and when I get to the login page I enter my creds and then I get the message " click start to enable Flash emuator " but there is no buttons that I can see and the bar the spins and nothing comes up.

Let me know on either

thank you

EddyFonseca3815 · ‎09-08-2023

Hello All I was looking on the web and I see the LSI version but I do not have LSI webBios so It looks the same as the AVAGO version. I wonder if they are all the same but just the name change. I try to see if these steps work for making the drive bootable. " https://docs.oracle.com/cd/E53596_01/html/E53599/gpopc.html " Note this state Oracle and it show for MegaRaid and WebBios as well.

this is an FYI for other out there that are in my place.

EddyFonseca3815 · ‎09-08-2023

Hello All

I have been working with this issue and I enter the following to enable UEFI boot. ref to below. I have a 1.8TB drive that I created the Virtual Drive from and it is 4k so this should work. used the BiosConfig for the controller to create this drive and it seems to have created it. I then set the device to reboot and I notice I am not able to see the MegaRaid Crt+r option or it show me the Raid in this device any more. I boot and it will no show me the controller at all. if I select UEFI at the top it will go into a shell and show me the map blocks.

let me know what i need to do from this point or did I miss the boat.

2nd when I try to update Cimc from USB Drive it give me the 906 error that I have seen on the web. I have the script file but I am not able to get that to work for the drive does not load. if there is another way to get pass the 906 error in the CIMC update process let me know.

thank you

Installing or Replacing Server Components
Setting Up Booting in UEFI Mode in the BIOS Setup Utility
Step 1 Enter the BIOS setup utility by pressing the F2 key when prompted during bootup.
Step 2 Go to the Boot Options tab.
Step 3 Set UEFI Boot Options to Enabled.
Step 4 Under Boot Option Priorities, set your OS installation media (such as a virtual DVD) as your
Boot Option #1.
Step 5 Go to the Advanced tab.
Step 6 Select LOM and PCIe Slot Configuration.
Step 7 Set the PCIe Slot ID: HBA Option ROM to UEFI Only.
Step 8 Press F10 to save changes and exit the BIOS setup utility. Allow the server to reboot.
Step 9 After the OS installs, verify the installation:
a. Enter the BIOS setup utility by pressing the F2 key when prompted during bootup.
b. Go to the Boot Options tab.
c. Under Boot Option Priorities, verify that the OS you installed is listed as your Boot Option #1.

EddyFonseca3815 · ‎09-11-2023

Hello All

I would like to know how I can access CIMC via the url. I took the CIMC from 2.10e to 3.0 and update to 4.1.2f. I was understanding that once I get to 4.1.2f I would have access to the CIMC via the https://x.x.x.x and that would allow me to configure the boot to only use UEFI but that is not the case. I am not able to access the CIMC after the update of all the drivers via the HUU.IOS file. Let me know if I missed the boat or I am square one with the update process.

thank you

Eddy

EddyFonseca3815 · ‎09-12-2023

Hello All

I was able to update the CIMC code to 4.1.x version and I am able to get into the app. this being said I still am not able to make the VD bootable to support Booting in UEFI Mode with drive with 4K sector. it still gives me the error about UEFI but I do not know the steps to get this done. Since the only documents have been for CIMC version 2 and version 4 is a little different can someone help with some good doc's.

I am stuck or I missed something. since the data below is for CIMC 2.x and I have 4.1.x installed there are some changes in settings.

8 (1.8TB drives with all having 4k sectors) using Cisco 12 G SAS Modular Raid Controller

Setting Up Booting in UEFI Mode in the Cisco IMC GUI ( 2.x version )
Step 1 Use a web browser and the IP address of the server to log into the Cisco IMC GUI management interface.
Step 2 Navigate to Server > BIOS.
Step 3 Under Actions, click Configure BIOS.
Step 4 In the Configure BIOS Parameters dialog, select the Advanced tab.
Step 5 Go to the LOM and PCIe Slot Configuration section.
Step 6 Set the PCIe Slot: HBA Option ROM to UEFI Only.
Step 7 Click Save Changes. The dialog closes.
Step 8 Under BIOS Properties, set Configured Boot Order to UEFI.
Step 9 Under Actions, click Configure Boot Order.
Step 10 In the Configure Boot Order dialog, click Add Local HDD.
Step 11 In the Add Local HDD dialog, enter the information for the 4K sector format drive and make it first in
the boot order.
Step 12 Save changes and reboot the server. The changes you made will be visible after the system reboots

Summary of checklist items for UEFI boot:

1. Boot mode, change from default legacy, to UEFI
2. In advanced BIOS settings, confirm PCI-E slot for raid card is set to UEFI only
3. Boot order entry that generically boots to localdisk. On later firmware you will need to specify the 'slot'. For 12Gb raid card, this will be 'HBA' slot.
When booting Windows ISO via KVM virtual media, make sure you you hit F6 (boot menu), and choose UEFI KVM virtual DVD. Booting the UEFI virtual DVD mode is crucial for the the OS installer to realize it is a UEFI install, and for it to trigger a UEFI boot menu entry creation.

any and all help is welcomed.

thank you