Anyone flashing Mellanox ConnectX-3 in qty?

[Biren78]

Anyone here have a box or two that they've used for flash Mellanox ConnectX-3 from HP or IBM to stock? I'm finding myself about to do a dozen. Tooling seems like I'd have an easier time using Windows instead of Linux.

Can anyone give me some pointers on a flash box? I'd also like to hear if there's any issue with the motherboard like we all had at some time with flashing LSI cards.

 

[darkconz]

I've flashed it in consumer Asus, Gigabyte boards and on SuperMicro/Intel boards. All worked and all were done in Windows Trial versions


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Marsh]

I flashed 20 HP CX3 cards use these instructions

Put these lines in a batch file

Do these two lines once to create mlnx_firmware.bin
mlxburn -fw fw-ConnectX3-rel.mlx -conf MCX354A-FCB_A2-A5.ini -wrimage HP_mlnx_firmware.bin
mlxburn -fw fw-ConnectX3-rel.mlx -conf MCX354A-FCB_A2-A5.ini -wrimage fw-ConnectX3-rel-2_31_5050-MCX354A-FCB_A2-A5-56GbE_VPI.bin

echo Cross Flash HP card to use Mellanox CX3 firmware
pause

call flint -i HP_mlnx_firmware.bin verify
call flint -i HP_mlnx_firmware.bin query full

pause
call flint -d mt4099_pciconf0 -i HP_mlnx_firmware.bin -allow_psid_change burn

pause

You need to download and install WinMFT_x64_4_5_0_31.exe
You also need ConnectX3-rel-2_40_5000.tgz ( this is the version I used )
latter version is ConnectX3-rel-2_40_5030.tgz ( dated March 2017 )

 

[Marsh]

Download links
http://www.mellanox.com/page/management_tools

http://www.mellanox.com/page/mlxup_firmware_tool

http://www.mellanox.com/page/firmware_table_ConnectX3IB
http://www.mellanox.com/page/custom_firmware_table

 

[Marsh]

Check-CX3.bat

set DEV= mt4099_pciconf0
set LOGFILE=cx3.txt

mst status
call "C:\Program Files\Mellanox\WinMFT\flint" -d mt4099_pciconf0 query > %LOGFILE%
REM call "C:\Program Files\Mellanox\WinMFT\flint" -d mt4099_pci_cr0 query > %LOGFILE%

ibv_devinfo >> %LOGFILE%
ibv_devinfo
vstat >> %LOGFILE%
vstat

iblinkinfo >> %LOGFILE%
iblinkinfo

mlxconfig -d mt4099_pciconf0 query
mlxconfig -d mt4099_pciconf0 query >> %LOGFILE%

pause

 

[labo]

Hello, can anyone post the INI file for the mod from QCBT to FCBT?
fw fw-ConnectX3-rel.mlx -conf MCX354A-FCB_A2-A5.ini
Thanks

 

[Marsh]

edit the ini file and add the following lines under the [IB] section:

port1_802_3ap_56kr4_enable = true

port1_802_3ap_56kr4_ability = true

port2_802_3ap_56kr4_enable = true

port2_802_3ap_56kr4_ability = true

 

[labo]

Ok, thanks. But I see these already in my ini file.
This is what I want to do. I have cx3 mcx354A-qcbt and want to convert into cx3 mcx354A-fcbt.
So I can do 40GBe/56Gb Ethernet. Please help with directions. thanks in advance.

 

[labo]

BTW, I flashed the latest MCX354A-FCB_A2-A5 firmware but the adapter still says qcbt instead of fcbt.

 

[i386]

When you burn the firmware you have to use the paramter for changing the psid.

 

[labo]

When you burn the firmware you have to use the paramter for changing the psid.

OK, thats the part I'm missing.
But I'm not seeing any examples, anywhere. Only thing I see is option --allow_psid_change
which I have used it while burning. Is there anything else needed?

 

[i386]

The "allow_psid_change" parameter should do the trick.
Can you post the complete command you used to burn the firmware?

 

[Biren78]

This should be a guide in the resources section

 

[edrozenberg]

Anyone here have a box or two that they've used for flash Mellanox ConnectX-3 from HP or IBM to stock? I'm finding myself about to do a dozen. Tooling seems like I'd have an easier time using Windows instead of Linux.

Can anyone give me some pointers on a flash box? I'd also like to hear if there's any issue with the motherboard like we all had at some time with flashing LSI cards.

You're probably done by now

If by box you mean a PC for flashing cards, I'm personally looking at one of these for future flashing:
Supermicro | Products | SuperServers | Mini 1U | E300-8D
Supermicro | Products | SuperServers | Mini 1U | E300-9A

Only takes 1 PCIe card at a time, so requires power shutdown and boot for each card. Low-profile cards only (not full height cards). Many cards are low profile and come with a low profile bracket. Some cards are still full height though (such as a number of LSI SAS cards).