UCS C220M6 VIC "Unable to communicate with Card" error

[mtexter]

Hi, 
We have a new deployment of 2x C220M6 servers, standalone mode, both with UCSC-PCIE-C25Q-04 adapters installed, but when logging into the CIMC GUI and clicking into these, we get the following error message: 

Unable to communicate with Card (actions are not enabled)

I found one bug report that mentioned this error message - https://bst.cisco.com/bugsearch/bug/CSCvw01379?rfs=qvlogin but no joy.

What am I missing?

[Kirk J]

Just to confirm, the Servers are actually powered on, and have passed POST?

In CIMC GUI, under chassis, inventory, can you check both 'cisco vic adapters' and 'PCI adapters' and see if it shows the vic card?

Do you also have the MLOM adapter installed as well?

What slot is the UCSC-PCIE-C25Q-04 card installed in?

Thanks,

Kirk...

[mtexter]

Powered on and passed (and past) POST, VIC adapters shows it is present in slot 1 - 

but PCI inventory does not show it, just the RAID controller and an intel x550 LOM. 

Is an MLOM necessary for a standalone config? I don't believe one was specced for this project.
Edit: I am under the impression MLOM is only for blades, these servers do have a regular LOM cards.

[Kirk J]

mLOM is a VIC card in specific slot& formfactor.

MLOM is not required, and your VIC is equivalent, and just placed in standard PCIe slot (#1, in your case)

I asked what slot, as slot #3 requires 2nd processor (which you may very well have).

At this point would suspect a TAC case is needed to determine if VIC card or system board problem's exist.

Something  else to check (not common) would be the PCI-E/Option ROM config in CIMC advanced settings, and make sure the PCIe slot #1 speed is not set to 'disabled'

I'm also wondering what firmware the VIC 1455 cards shipped with, and whether it is high enough to play nice with the M6 & M6 firmware.

Kirk...

[mtexter]

Thanks Kirk, Firmware on these would've been 5.3(4.81); we updated from HUU 4.3.5.250001.  Single CPU fwiw.  These servers were in UCS-mode when we acquired them, then converted to standalone mode, is there some setting that these can hold onto that may not be covered in the conversion procedure?  Will doublecheck the CIMC settings and ensure PCIe #1 is not set to disabled.

I attached an inventory_all output in case it's worth looking at.  

[Kirk J]

Both the F2/BIOS setup and the CIMC compute section have ability to reset CMOS to factory defaults.

If you haven't already, might be worthwhile to do that.

If these are under contract, would be a whole lot easier to troubleshoot these in a TAC case, get techsupport files from them, etc.

Kirk...

[mtexter]

Yeah unfortunately TAC is not an option for us, these are refurb/third party systems.  Was mostly posting because I'd never seen that error message, and there were very few mentions of it anywhere else online.  We're trying replacement VICs and I'll report back after

[Elliot Dierksen]

Silly question, but are you trying to put the card in the "riser 3" slot? If so, that wouldn't work in a single CPU system.

[mtexter]

Nope, slot 1.  Still no resolution found.