HP 9217-4i4e Ports Swapped Around

[Shonk]

I have a HP LSI 9217-4i4e SAS2308_2 D1 it seems to be LSI made with just a HP sticker over the LSI branding

With the HP 18.00.00.00 IR Firmware all is fine
Internal Port 0 = Port 0
Internal Port 1 = Port 1
Internal Port 2 = Port 2
Internal Port 3 = Port 3
External Port 0 = Port 4
External Port 1 = Port 5
External Port 2 = Port 6
External Port 3 = Port 7
both in the sas controller bios and windows

With any LSI firmware
External Port 3 = Port 0
External Port 2 = Port 1
External Port 1 = Port 2
External Port 0 = Port 3
Internal Port 0 = Port 4 Bios Port 7 Windows
Internal Port 1 = Port 5 Bios Port 6 Windows
Internal Port 2 = Port 6 Bios Port 5 Windows
Internal Port 3 = Port 7 Bios Port 4 Windows

Tried HP H222 IT p15 reversed (was a pain to get back off that firmware)
Tried LSI IR+IT p18 reversed
Tried LSI IR+IT P19 reversed
Tried LSI IR+IT P20 reversed
HP 9217-4i4e p14 Fine
HP 9217-4i4e p18 Fine

Flash Method
sas2flsh -o -e 6
sas2flsh -f 92174i4e.fw
sas2flsh -b mptsas2.rom
sas2flsh -b x64sas2.rom

sas2flsh -o -e 7 (does this just wipe the sas address or fully wipe the nvram?)
can i take a full backup of the nvram somehow?

This apears to be a totally stock lsi made card apart from i presume some weird setup in the nvram
does anyone know how i can run lsi firmware without broken port layouts

I would rather run the latest LSI IT firmware if i can

any help appreciated

My HP Branded Card
https://s5.postimg.org/woqxvest1/20161120_023357.jpg

LSI Branded Card
https://s5.postimg.org/vazb03tjr/Stock.jpg

 

[Shonk]

Tried sas2flsh -o -e 7 earlier it doesnt fix the swapped ports
it must have a custom port layout for hp for some reason

i had to manually add the Board Assembly and Board Tracer Number back (had a screenshot of the details)

sas2flsh -o -assem
sas2flsh -o -tracer

 

[Shonk]

I have found a firmware where the ports are in the correct order

though the SFF-8087 and SFF-8088 are swapped but that's better for me anyway
the LSI 4i4e Firmware also did this but the Ports where also reversed

so the bios lists the drives correct but they are still reversed in the os

Im guessing that if i can change the Backend Sas Address's or something they may list correct in Windows?

better still this made an interesting read
Crossflashing the Fujitsu D2607
im betting if i got hold of a stock lsi 9207-4i4e sbr i could flash lsi firmware with zero issues

HP 9217-4i4e Firmware
Internal Port 0 = Bios Port 0 (Phy Number 7) (Scan Order 16) (Sas Address 44332211:07000000) (Drive 0 Windows)
Internal Port 1 = Bios Port 1 (Phy Number 6) (Scan Order 15) (Sas Address 44332211:06000000) (Drive 1 Windows)
Internal Port 2 = Bios Port 2 (Phy Number 5) (Scan Order 14) (Sas Address 44332211:05000000) (Drive 2 Windows)
Internal Port 3 = Bios Port 3 (Phy Number 4) (Scan Order 13) (Sas Address 44332211:04000000) (Drive 3 Windows)
External Port 0 = Bios Port 4 (Phy Number 3) (Scan Order 12) (Sas Address 44332211:03000000) (Drive 4 Windows)
External Port 1 = Bios Port 5 (Phy Number 2) (Scan Order 11) (Sas Address 44332211:02000000) (Drive 5 Windows)
External Port 2 = Bios Port 6 (Phy Number 1) (Scan Order 10) (Sas Address 44332211:01000000) (Drive 6 Windows)
External Port 3 = Bios Port 7 (Phy Number 0) (Scan Order 09) (Sas Address 44332211:00000000) (Drive 7 Windows)

LSI 9207-8i / LSI 9217-8i Firmware
External Port 0 = Bios Port 0 (Phy Number 3) (Scan Order 12) (Sas Address 44332211:03000000) (Drive 3 Windows)
External Port 1 = Bios Port 1 (Phy Number 2) (Scan Order 11) (Sas Address 44332211:02000000) (Drive 2 Windows)
External Port 2 = Bios Port 2 (Phy Number 1) (Scan Order 10) (Sas Address 44332211:01000000) (Drive 1 Windows)
External Port 3 = Bios Port 3 (Phy Number 0) (Scan Order 09) (Sas Address 44332211:00000000) (Drive 0 Windows)
Internal Port 0 = Bios Port 4 (Phy Number 7) (Scan Order 16) (Sas Address 44332211:07000000) (Drive 7 Windows)
Internal Port 1 = Bios Port 5 (Phy Number 6) (Scan Order 15) (Sas Address 44332211:06000000) (Drive 6 Windows)
Internal Port 2 = Bios Port 6 (Phy Number 5) (Scan Order 14) (Sas Address 44332211:05000000) (Drive 5 Windows)
Internal Port 3 = Bios Port 7 (Phy Number 4) (Scan Order 13) (Sas Address 44332211:04000000) (Drive 4 Windows)

Supprised nobody has run into these sort of problems before?


Something worth mentioning that i ran into

HP Gen8 Servers get an nmi error on initialization of the MPTSAS2 7.39.02.00 (a bsod basically)
7.39.00.00 is fine

looking into this HP released the H222 with p15 firmware and 2.39.00.00 bios checking its crc32 with the LSI p20 2.39.00.00 they are identical
so it looks like you can use a newer mptsas2.rom on older phases

until i can sort this swapped ports thing out with LSI firmware im using

HP 9217-4i4e Firmware 18.00.00.00 / Bios 2.39.00.00 / UFI BSD 7.27.01.01
seems to be working fine but would like to get to p20 really

 

[Shonk]

I have a stock LSI 9207 4i4e low profile coming will try backing up its sbr and flashing to the hp part
when it comes and update the thread for other's


edit it turns out this card is also the same as the hp one
e.g. reversed layout with lsi firmware from theyr site

anyway i backed up the complete flash before messing with it

So now have P18 IR (From HP) P18 IT (from this card)
that works on both cards without messing the port layout up

It seems the oem variants of the 9207 4i4e and 9217 4i4e all do this
so without getting hold of a retail boxed lsi 9207 4i4e backup i doubt it can be changed
so will have to hunt for p20 specific to the oem cards

if anyone wants a dump of the p18 IR/IT firmware just message me
as i havnt found a copy of IT firmware at all on the internet with the port layout not messed up

atleast i can run in IT mode now on both cards

 

[Shonk]

Ok im finally getting somewhere

I had a broadcom employee check my serial numbers and my 9207-4i4e is a retail product and not oem
my 9217-4i4e was also checked and he confirmed its oem

Early on in the life of the 92x7-4i4e lsi made a hardware change and reversed the ports for performance reasons (think trace lengh)

any firmware downloaded from lsi/avango/broadcom for the 92x7-4i4e are for these very early hardware design cards
this happened very early in the life of the design as i have a p14 firmware with the phy swap from 2012
the only card i know of that is the first revision is HP H222 cards

So if you flash 92x7-4i4e firmware from the lsi website to any card apart from HP H222's the ports will be messed up

at the factory these revised cards get the correct firmware with the phy reversed
so the ports are listed correct

so lsi has the firmware somewhere for them and has just never released the correct firmware for the mid life revision cards
on the website

I say midlife but in reality i suspect nearly all cards out there are the newer revision
and its just an oversight on lsi's part

now to try and get the hardware revision firmware out of lsi

 

[sfbayzfs]

Interestingly, with a number of HP H220, H221, and H222 cards I was trying to update to LSI firmware a while ago, and I found other quirks with the HP branded versions:

The only LSI 9205-* card is the 9205-8e, which has external ports, but only links at PCIe 2.0 even though it has the PCIe 3.0 capable chip on it, (as per the card specs) - all other LSI cards in this family end in a "7" and link at PCIe 3.0.

However, in my experience, the HP cards are labelled with a "5" where the LSI equivalent would end in a "7" and vice versa, and the HP "7" cards only take the LSI "5" firmware, and won't link at PCIe 3.0, and HP "5" cards only take LSI "7" firmware and do link at PCIe 3.0. I was only trying to use firmware matching the port configuration, but only the 8e configuration has "5" firmware, so for HP "7" cards marked 9207-8i-HP or 9207-4i4e-HP, I couldn't find matching firmware which would load on them, and they did not like the LSI "7" firmware . I will try again with the 9205-8e firmware when I get a chance to get them all in one place and take detailed notes.

 

[Shonk]

Lots of the H222's are pre 9207 and are 9205 Pcie Gen 2 parts (e.g. very early revision 2308's without Gen 3 enabled)

Interestingly, with a number of HP H220, H221, and H222 cards I was trying to update to LSI firmware a while ago, and I found other quirks with the HP branded versions:

The only LSI 9205-* card is the 9205-8e, which has external ports, but only links at PCIe 2.0 even though it has the PCIe 3.0 capable chip on it, (as per the card specs) - all other LSI cards in this family end in a "7" and link at PCIe 3.0.

However, in my experience, the HP cards are labelled with a "5" where the LSI equivalent would end in a "7" and vice versa, and the HP "7" cards only take the LSI "5" firmware, and won't link at PCIe 3.0, and HP "5" cards only take LSI "7" firmware and do link at PCIe 3.0. I was only trying to use firmware matching the port configuration, but only the 8e configuration has "5" firmware, so for HP "7" cards marked 9207-8i-HP or 9207-4i4e-HP, I couldn't find matching firmware which would load on them, and they did not like the LSI "7" firmware . I will try again with the 9205-8e firmware when I get a chance to get them all in one place and take detailed notes.

 

[Cordant]

Lots of the H222's are pre 9207 and are 9205 Pcie Gen 2 parts (e.g. very early revision 2308's without Gen 3 enabled)

Hi Shonk,

I have an 9207-4i4e (SAS2308 rev 5) and want to use it on a Gen8 microserver as a simple HBA.
Unfortunately HP iLo doesn't see the 9207 and therefore increases the fan speed to ~50% - which is very noisy.

So my question to you - as the expert - is, if there is a chance to flash a firmware to the 9207-4i4e so that it appears as HP H222 in iLo? My promise would be that the fan speed reduces to the usual 6-10% when iLo detects a HP genuine HBA.

Thanks
Cordant

 

[Shonk]

Hi Shonk,

I have an 9207-4i4e (SAS2308 rev 5) and want to use it on a Gen8 microserver as a simple HBA.
Unfortunately HP iLo doesn't see the 9207 and therefore increases the fan speed to ~50% - which is very noisy.

So my question to you - as the expert - is, if there is a chance to flash a firmware to the 9207-4i4e so that it appears as HP H222 in iLo? My promise would be that the fan speed reduces to the usual 6-10% when iLo detects a HP genuine HBA.

Thanks
Cordant

it wont make any difference its the P222 your thinking of H222 isnt displayed in ilo
my fan doesnt spin much faster maybe 3% faster in my gen8
and thats down to heat buildup rather than any bios lockout

if your running at 50% fan speed maybe one of your onboard drives (connected to the pch)
has a smart temp bug

atm we have a mini heat wave here and my inlet is 30 with the fan speed at 31%
usually the inlet is around 21 with something like 10% fan speed

 

[Cordant]

Thank you for feedback!
So I will look for the reason of the actual fan noise.

 

[Shonk]

Someone asked me for the P18 IT firmware today so rather than sending him it in PM i will link it here
as about every year i get someone asking for it

READ IMPORTANT_README.txt before messing around

1.02 MB file on MEGA

mega.nz

 

[Shonk]

I have just picked up two LSI 9207 8i's for a server upgrade that came preflashed to P20 .06

They listed in the sas bios fine

but the enumaration order in windows it doesnt matter where you put the drives they seem to be enumerating on the uuid or something

I flashed them to 9207 4i4e P18 that i linked above and they are fine now

Apart from the SFF-8087's are the wrong way around
The port order in the SFF-8087's are in the correct order and not reversed or anything
(See image)

I was hopeing to get onto P20 but hey ho

 

[Shonk]

I picked up an LSI 9305-24i off ebay last week it came yesterday
I wanted to free up an 8x slot and add more ports
and was looking to fix the port layout

It arrived looking new

It came with

Firmware 16.00.06.00
Bios 08.37.00.00
UEFI BSD 18.00.00.00

the port layout was very funky

port 0-3 was 4 3 1 2 instead of 1 2 3 4
port 4-7 was 4 3 1 2 instead of 1 2 3 4
port 8-11 was 4 3 1 2 instead of 1 2 3 4
port 12-15 was i think port 20-23 was 4 3 1 2 instead of 1 2 3 4
port 16-19 was i think port 12-15- was 4 3 1 2 instead of 1 2 3 4
port 20-23 was i think port 15-19 was 4 3 1 2 instead of 1 2 3 4

I flashed to the latest

Firmware 16.00.12.00
Bios 08.37.02.00
UEFI BSD 18.00.03.00

It fixed some of the issues but not all

so decided to try a full erase

I ended up fitting the card in my old HP Microserver Gen8 to flash it in dos
as My Z390 Aorus Master/9900K was giving a pal error with sas3flsh

sas3flsh -o -e 7
sas3flsh -f 9305.bin
sas3flsh -b mptsas3.rom
sas3flsh -b mpt3x64.rom
sas3flsh -o -sasadd *redacted*
sas3flsh -o -assem *redacted*
sas3flsh -o -tracer *redacted*
sas3flsh -o -listsasadd
sas3flsh -o -listall
sas3flsh -list

end result is the port layout is fully fixed

it looks like it had a custom port layout for an oem

on a side note dont order from seller INDMEM on ebay if your expecting to get away
with no customs charges that superstar put the full value on the customs form
so i got hit with a £36 customs fee most china sellers put the value as $10 or something

Oh and spindown can still be manually enabled as below the same as LSI 9207

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Enum\PCI\VEN_1000&DEV_00C4&SUBSYS_31A01000&REV_01\4&37732cf4&0&0008\Device Parameters\StorPort]
"EnableIdlePowerManagement"=dword:00000001