Help Flash Cisco SFS 3001 (Topspin90) with new firmware image

[nitrobass24]

Run the show card-inventory command

 

[nitrobass24]

Also are you in privilege exec mode? Ie. " enable"

 

[renderfarmer]

================================================================================


Card Resource/Inventory Information


================================================================================


slot-id : 1


used-memory : 40652 (kbytes)


free-memory : 87168 (kbytes)


used-disk-space : 60869 (kbytes)


free-disk-space : 41510 (kbytes)


last-image-source : Release-1.1.3hp/build025


primary-image-source : Release-1.1.3hp/build025


image : Release-1.1.3hp/build025


cpu-descr : PPC 440GP Rev. C - Rev 4.129 (pvr 4012 0481)


fpga-firmware-rev : 6


ib-firmware-rev : 5.1.0

 

[renderfarmer]

yes, of course. I can't do much in the CLI unless I first type "en"

 

[renderfarmer]

It tries to install it. Those asterixes come up one by one like a progress bar and then when it gets to the end it says image file is bad

 

[nitrobass24]

I dunno can you run an md5 on your image?

should be MD5 Checksum: 634245e1c169d0821d0758988555763d

 

[renderfarmer]

MD5 checksum: 5400449ad73baed7ac55376bb1c9aca5

I guess that's it.

Since I have a functioning SFS 3001, would it be possible to copy it's image and install that onto this switch?

 

[nitrobass24]

Yea definitely

 

[renderfarmer]

The saga continues...

I logged into my fully functioning switch and attempted to copy it's backup .IMG to my ftp so that I can then try installing that onto my other switch.

1. I tested the ftp through the switch by copying a dummy .img file to its image dir then deleting it.
2. I checked the name of the OS images using the dir image command.
3. I Initiated copy of backup image to FTP.

================================================================================
Existing Boot-Images on System
================================================================================

slot date-created size file-name

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1 Fri Dec 2 20:07:35 2011 31569991 Topspin90-TopspinOS-2.8.0-build164.img

1 Fri Dec 2 20:23:34 2011 7558144 TopspinOS-2.8.0/build164


Topspin-90# copy image:Topspin90-TopspinOS-2.8.0-build164.img ftp://userass@10.10.10.99/Topspin90-TopspinOS-2.8.0-build164.img
copy image:Topspin90-TopspinOS-2.8.0-build164.img ftp://userass@10.10.10.99/Topspin90-TopspinOS-2.8.0-build164.img

Error: Operation not allowed.

The relevant help on the copy function: Cisco SFS 7000 Series Product Family Command Reference, Release 2.7.0 - Administrative Commands* [Cisco SFS 7000 Series InfiniBand Server Switches] - Cisco Systems

Do I need to do something to the image file first? I have EN status but is there some special privilege that I need for this?

I will try setting up a TFTP but somehow I doubt that's the solution.

 

[nitrobass24]

Where did you get the bad image? I think its worth, asking for a new copy...since it clearly doesnt checksum.
Also the copy command may not work for images...try copying something else off first that we know is supported...like a configuration export file. If we know that works we just need to trick the switch into thinking our image a config file...might just change the extension.

 

[renderfarmer]

I bought the image over a year ago from the guy that sold me my fully functioning Topspin90. I only now got the motivation to try to actually update it. I'm not even sure I can reach him anymore.

I was just thinking the same thing. I took a look at the switch through a web browser (this one has that capability) and when I went into file management and tried to export an Image file it gave me a pop-up error with "Invalid File type for export".

I just successfully executed: copy startup-config ftp://userass@10.10.10.99/config.cfg

So it does work.

I first unsuccessfully tried: copy image:Topspin90-TopspinOS-2.8.0-build164.img config:dummy.cfg

I checked in the browser and there are several log files in .GZ format that it will allow me to export so I figured that would be a worth a try:

Topspin-90# copy image:Topspin90-TopspinOS-2.8.0-build164.img log:Topspin90-TopspinOS-2.8.0-build164.gz
copy image:Topspin90-TopspinOS-2.8.0-build164.img log:Topspin90-TopspinOS-2.8.0-build164.gz


Error: Invalid file-system - expecting "config:", "syslog:", "image:", or "ftp://".


Topspin-90# copy image:Topspin90-TopspinOS-2.8.0-build164.img syslog:Topspin90-TopspinOS-2.8.0-build164.log
copy image:Topspin90-TopspinOS-2.8.0-build164.img syslog:Topspin90-TopspinOS-2.8.0-build164.log


Error: Operation not allowed.

 

[nitrobass24]

Here we go...you need to enable the FTP server on the switch itself

ftp-server enable

Platform Availability:
Cisco SFS 3001, Cisco SFS 7000, Cisco SFS 7008, Cisco SFS 3012, Cisco 4x InfiniBand Switch Module
for IBM BladeCenter
Privilege Level:
All users.
The FTP server feature provides read-only access to the file systems on the Server Switch and
complements the copy command. Use a FTP client on a management workstation to connect to the
server using FTP protocol. You can download log files, configuration files or image files.

 

[renderfarmer]

Thanks, nitro.

I just enabled it and it still won't let me copy the image.

Topspin-90# configure
configure

Topspin-90(config)# ftp-server enable
ftp-server enable

Topspin-90(config)# exit
exit

Topspin-90# copy image:Topspin90-TopspinOS-2.8.0-build164.img ftp://phil:super@10.10.10.99/Topspin90-TopspinOS-2.8.0-build164.img
copy image:Topspin90-TopspinOS-2.8.0-build164.img ftp://userass@10.10.10.99/Topspin90-TopspinOS-2.8.0-build164.img

Error: Operation not allowed.

I think it was already enabled because I was able to copy a config file via ftp onto my desktop as a test earlier.

 

[nitrobass24]

from your desktop, open an FTP manager and connect to the switch from your desktop via filezilla or something.
Enabling the FTP server will not make the copy command work. Its complementary, not supplementary.

 

[renderfarmer]

Ahhhh. That worked great.

Unfortunately, the img has the same checksum as the file I was previously trying.

I just found this link to the only files Cisco has: Cisco Systems

The checksum you posted was for build 099. The file I have is build 164. They don't provide a checksum for it alone, only for the whole CD image.

When I tried installing it I got the same bad file error just like before. I'd bet the file is actually fine but my switch is so old that it requires an intermediate version to be able to upgrade to this latest build.

The OS on my old switch is April 2004. Topspin was acquired by Cisco April 2005.

The switch is still a great 10Gbps IB switch. It would just be much more valuable with the ethernet bridging module working, which requires version 2.3.0+.

Thanks so much for all of your help. I learned tonnes and I hope you added a few nuggets to your personal knowledge base.

 

[nitrobass24]

Since these are out of warranty, have you tried opening one up? I would assume the HDD is actually an CF card. You could pull the good one, image it w/ dd or win32 diskimager and then pull the bad one and put the image on it.

 

[renderfarmer]

I opened up the old one and it doesn't have any removable parts inside.

I've made some inquiries with people in low places as to whether they might have any firmware images for my switch. I think that might be the only hope of upgrading this thing if its even possible.