How to communicate with a c220 M4 (with no video)

[skywise_ca]

We have 3 C220 M4 units and I have a problem with one of them.

Simply, it has no video out.

The monitor stays off but will flicker to life each time the video changes mode. (several times during BIOS startup)

Video works fine on the other 2 units, so cabling/monitor works.

I've also tried both front/back video, no luck either way.

How can I get a working console on the unit?

Is remote management enabled by default?  Or serial console?

(I've tried both but maybe I'm not setting up the way the BIOS is defaulted)

I've also reset the BIOS CMOS using SW-4.

I've managed to install an OS onto this unit's drive using one of the other units and then move the drive back to the video-less unit.  (and have to pull out all other drives so the BIOS doesn't try to boot from them)

[amarino2]

If these are brand new you can try to plug in the CIMC port to a network with DHCP and then check the DHCP server for the IP that it grabbed and try to login to CIMC that way. 

[skywise_ca]

No luck.  I threw one of the other M4 units on it's network ports to see if it's DHCPing anything and it wasn't.

Even used TCPDump to see if it had a dedicated IP it was trying to communicate on and still no luck, no packets at all. (except for a couple of IPV6 queries)

Is there some sort of utility I can load into centos that could talk to the BIOS/CIMC?

[amarino2]

There is no utility to configure the CIMC from an installed OS. You can try the serial console port on the rear of the server to try and get any output. Seems like buad 56700 should work: https://community.cisco.com/t5/ip-telephony-and-phones/ucs-c220-serial-port/td-p/2258332

[skywise_ca]

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@amarino2 wrote:

There is no utility to configure the CIMC from an installed OS. You can try the serial console port on the rear of the server to try and get any output. Seems like buad 56700 should work: https://community.cisco.com/t5/ip-telephony-and-phones/ucs-c220-serial-port/td-p/2258332

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Actually, there is a utility ISO for the server, but the config utility doesn't work.

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sudo ucscfg-3/ucscfg help

(c) 2017 Copyright Cisco Systems Inc., All rights reserved.

UCS Configuration Utility v3.0(3)
------------------------------------------
Usage : ucscfg <command> <parameters>
<command> - show xml|text,batch set,help
<parameter> - /bios | /cimc | <Filename>
Example :

Display current bios settings
-ucscfg show xml /bios
-usccfg show xml /cimc

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./ucscfg show text /bios
UCS Configuration Utility v3.0(3)

(c) 2017 Copyright Cisco Systems Inc., All rights reserved.

Error : Unsupported/Error in detecting hardware platform... exiting. APIC-SERVER-M2

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[skywise_ca]

I know how frustrating it is to come across one of these posts and never see a conclusion, so here it is.  :)

TLDR: I got access to the remote console via a BIOS update but this probably won't help anyone else.

My first try at gaining access to the CIMC was using the utility CD but as noted above, it didn't work (tried V2 and V3 of the utility ISO)

The other thing I wanted to try was a BIOS/CIMC update (yeah, throwing stuff at the wall, hoping)

I didn't want to try this blind, way too much of a chance of bricking the server, but discovered there are CLI update utilities out there.  HUU in recent versions (V3 and V4) are encrypted though, so I didn't have access but a nice user from the forum provided me with the method to unsquash the firmware FS, but it only worked on V3, not V4.

With that, I was able to get V3 firmware for BIOS/CIMC and the utilities to update.  They were successful, but when I rebooted I lost all access to the server.  I had a another M4 next to it with tcpdump so I could try and fathom what the blind M4 was trying to do and come to find out V2 to V3 made the ethernet port names change and I lost my static IP.  Just for something to try, I plugged the tcpdump cable into the management port and amazingly it was trying to communicate on the static IP it was originally given when setup. (it had never done this before the update, no idea why it decided to now)  I was able to log in to the CIMC and the rest is history, remote KVM let me update to V4 and I had full access to the server.  (still no local video but no big loss with remote access available).

So, all is well and the server is happily working.  No idea why though.

Greg

[spencer1234]

If you can will you reach out to me as well I and get a ip address or a display out

[Leo26]

To address the issue with the C220 M4 unit that has no video output, here are several steps you can take to troubleshoot and resolve the problem:

1. Verify Video Output Settings

• BIOS Settings: Since the monitor flickers during BIOS startup, there may be a configuration issue in the BIOS. Try accessing the BIOS using a different method if available, or use the remote management tools.
• BIOS Default Settings: Ensure that the BIOS settings are set to default. You mentioned resetting the BIOS CMOS using SW-4, but check if it fully reset to factory defaults.

2. Check Remote Management

• Remote Management (iLO): The C220 M4 likely has a built-in Integrated Lights-Out (iLO) management feature. Check if remote management is enabled. The default IP settings for iLO might not be set up, so verify that the network settings are configured correctly.
• Accessing iLO: If iLO is enabled, you should be able to access the server remotely through the iLO web interface. Use the default IP address (usually 192.168.0.120) and credentials (often found in the server's documentation).

3. Serial Console Access

• Serial Console: If remote management is not enabled or not working, check if you can use a serial console. You may need to connect a serial cable to the server and use terminal emulation software (like PuTTY) to access the BIOS and system console.

4. Inspect Hardware

• Video Card: Check if the video card is properly seated in its slot. If the server has onboard video, ensure there is no conflict with additional video cards.
• Reseat Components: Reseat RAM, video card, and any other components to rule out loose connections or hardware issues.
• Test with Different Components: If possible, test the unit with a different video card or monitor to rule out hardware failure.

5. Firmware and Drivers

• Update Firmware: Ensure that the BIOS and any firmware are up-to-date. Sometimes, updating the firmware can resolve compatibility issues that affect video output.

6. Further Diagnostics

• POST and Error Codes: Listen for any beep codes or check for LED indicators that might indicate hardware issues during POST (Power-On Self-Test).
• Check Logs: If you can access the system via remote management or serial console, check system logs for any errors or warnings related to video output.
  from Ampheo FPGA