Intel RS3UC080 (SAS3008) - How to flash to IT mode

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T

TheHellSite

New Member
Dec 1, 2024
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Hello,

I have been messing around all day to get my Intel RS3UC080 (SAS3008) card going with the "SAS9300_8i_IT.bin - v16.00.12.00" firmware.

Tutorials I tried:
  1. https://www.servethehome.com/flash-lsi-sas-3008-hba-e-g-ibm-m1215-mode/
  2. GitHub - EverLand1/9300-8i_IT-Mode: A guide on how to flash IT mode firmware to your LSI Avago 9300-8i RAID Controller, making it an HBA, or Host Bus Adapter. (which is pretty much identical to the first one)
  3. https://forums.servethehome.com/ind...-no-smart-pass-through.3522/page-2#post-73894
  4. [Help] flashing LSI SAS 9311-8i to IT
Flash environments I tried:
  1. FreeDOS (created with Rufus and the GitHub tutorial)
  2. DOS --> failed because of "ERROR: Failed to initialize PAL. Exiting program." and I do not have any old non-uefi hardware.
However, all attempts failed. Until one time when I did get it working and it successfully flashed the "SAS9300_8i_IT.bin" including "mpt3x64.rom" and "mptsas3.rom".
The way I achieved this was a tiny bit different for the first three commands compared to all the tutorials and of course I did not write it down...
Code: 
FS0:\sas3flash.efi -list -l log.txt
    Adapter Selected is a Avago SAS: SAS3008(C0)

    Controller Number              : 0
    Controller                     : SAS3008(C0)
    PCI Address                    : 00:01:00:00
    SAS Address                    : 500605B-0-XXXX-XXXX (redacted)
    NVDATA Version (Default)       : 0E.01.00.07
    NVDATA Version (Persistent)    : 0E.01.00.07
    Firmware Product ID            : 0x2221 (IT)
    Firmware Version               : 16.00.12.00
    NVDATA Vendor                  : LSI
    NVDATA Product ID              : SAS9300-8i
    BIOS Version                   : 08.27.00.00
    UEFI BSD Version               : 13.07.00.00
    FCODE Version                  : N/A
    Board Name                     : SAS9300-8i
    Board Assembly                 : N/A
    Board Tracer Number            : N/A

    Finished Processing Commands Successfully.
    Exiting SAS3Flash.
Since I had such a hard time with that card I thought I would try to recreate my steps so I can share this online but I could not get it working anymore.
Additionally the card is currently in a "useless" state and I can not get it back to the IT mode firmware. Trying to reflash the stock firmware also failed no matter if with or without the jumper.

Commands and there outputs (with jumper on TP12):
  1. sas3flash.efi -list --> "Adapter is a Avago SAS: SAS3008(C0)" but "Controller is not operational. A firmware download is required."
  2. sas3flash.efi -noreset -f SAS9300_8i_IT.bin --> works fine but after resetting the system and removing the jumper the firmware seems to be lost and not flashed to the card.
Commands and there outputs (without jumper on TP12):
  1. sas3flash.efi -o -f SAS9300_8i_IT.bin --> "No Avago SAS adapters found! Limited Command Set Available!" and "ERROR: Command Not allowed without an adapter!" and "ERROR: Couldn't Create Command -f"

This is the stock sas3flash -list output:
Code: 
root@nas[~]# sas3flash -list
Avago Technologies SAS3 Flash Utility
Version 16.00.00.00 (2017.05.02)
Copyright 2008-2017 Avago Technologies. All rights reserved.

        Adapter Selected is a Avago SAS: SAS3008(C0)

        Controller Number              : 0
        Controller                     : SAS3008(C0)
        PCI Address                    : 00:00:10:00
        SAS Address                    : 500605b-0-XXXX-XXXX (redacted)
        NVDATA Version (Default)       : 04.05.00.04
        NVDATA Version (Persistent)    : 04.05.00.04
        Firmware Product ID            : 0x2721 (IR)
        Firmware Version               : 04.00.03.00
        NVDATA Vendor                  : LSI
        NVDATA Product ID              : RS3UC080
        BIOS Version                   : 08.09.00.00
        UEFI BSD Version               : 05.00.01.00
        FCODE Version                  : N/A
        Board Name                     : RS3UC080
        Board Assembly                 : 03-25609-00B
        Board Tracer Number            : XXXX (redacted)

        Finished Processing Commands Successfully.
        Exiting SAS3Flash.

Can anyone here help me out to get the IT firmware back to the card?
I even have a CH341A USB programmer so I if there is any way to use the JTAG pins that would probably be even easier.

Thank you in advance
TheHellSite
 
Last edited:
T

TheHellSite

New Member
Dec 1, 2024
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I fixed it and will post the solution aswell as the proper instructions on how to flash this card in an UEFI system when I find the time.
 
Last edited:
T

TheHellSite

New Member
Dec 1, 2024
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Requirements
  • jumper cap for the TP12 pins on the card
  • FreeDOS boot stick created with Rufus
  • UEFI version of sas3flash (sas3flash.efi)
  • LSI IT mode firmware v16.00.12.00 or higher matching the Intel RS3UC080 (SAS9300_8i_IT.bin)
  • LSI IT mode firmware with a short lowercase name ("it.bin" --> identical to "SAS9300_8i_IT.bin")
  • (optional) boot ROMs (mptsas3.rom + mpt3x64.rom --> only necessary if you plan on booting from drives connected to the card)
You can find all the necessary files in the "Intel_RS3UC080_IT_mode_flash_files.7z" archive.


Preparations
  1. Prepare the FreeDOS boot stick using Rufus.

  2. Extract the "Intel_RS3UC080_IT_mode_flash_files.7z" archive and copy all the contents to the root of the FreeDOS boot stick.

  3. Disconnect all drives from the card.

Instructions

If at any point of the instructions you get the message "Controller is not operational. A firmware download is required.", write it.bin in the input field and hit ENTER.
  1. Boot the system to the EFI shell and navigate to the root of your boot stick.

  2. Backup the stock information of the card. Also take a picture of the output in order to add back the SAS address later on.
    sas3flash.efi -list -l stock_flash.txt
    Code: 
    Adapter Selected is a Avago SAS: SAS3008(C0)

Controller Number : 0
Controller : SAS3008(C0)
PCI Address : 00:00:10:00
SAS Address : XXXXXXX-X-XXXX-XXXX (redacted)
NVDATA Version (Default) : 04.05.00.04
NVDATA Version (Persistent) : 04.05.00.04
Firmware Product ID : 0x2721 (IR)
Firmware Version : 04.00.03.00
NVDATA Vendor : LSI
NVDATA Product ID : RS3UC080
BIOS Version : 08.09.00.00
UEFI BSD Version : 05.00.01.00
FCODE Version : N/A
Board Name : RS3UC080
Board Assembly : XX-XXXXX-XXX (redacted)
Board Tracer Number : XXXXXXXXXX (redacted)
  3. Power down the system and add the jumper to the TP12 pins of the Intel RS3UC080 card.

  4. Boot the system to the EFI shell and navigate to the root of your boot stick.

  5. "Dirty" flash the IT mode firmware and wait for it to finish. This way you can verify that the firmware matches your card.
    sas3flash.efi -o -f SAS9300_8i_IT.bin -noreset

  6. Power down the system and then boot the system back to the EFI shell with the jumper still on TP12.

  7. Clear all flash areas of the card.
    sas3flash.efi -o -e 7

  8. "Dirty" flash the IT mode firmware again and wait for the console output to stop at "Resetting Adapter...".
    sas3flash.efi -o -f SAS9300_8i_IT.bin

  9. After about 1 minute of wait time, power down the system and remove the jumper from TP12.

  10. Boot the system back to the EFI shell and again clear all flash areas.
    sas3flash.efi -o -e 7

  11. "Clean" flash the IT mode firmware.

    1. Flash only the IT mode firmware. Use the below command if you do not plan on booting from drives connected to the card.
      sas3flash.efi -o -f SAS9300_8i_IT.bin

    2. Alternatively, flash the IT mode firmware as well as the BIOS/UEFI ROMs. Use the below command if you do plan on booting from drives connected to the card. Please note that flashing the BIOS/UEFI ROMs can cause significant delays when booting the system or even prevent the system from booting at all.
      sas3flash.efi -o -f SAS9300_8i_IT.bin -b mptsas3.rom -b mpt3x64.rom

  12. Add the SAS address (without the hyphens displayed in the output of step 2) back to the card.
    sas3flash.efi -o -sasadd XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

  13. Verify that everything was successful.
    sas3flash.efi -list

    Code: 
    Adapter Selected is a Avago SAS: SAS3008(C0)
Controller Number : 0
Controller : SAS3008(C0)
PCI Address : 00:01:00:00
SAS Address : XXXXXXX-X-XXXX-XXXX (redacted)
NVDATA Version (Default) : 0E.01.00.07
NVDATA Version (Persistent) : 0E.01.00.07
Firmware Product ID : 0x2221 (IT)
Firmware Version : 16.00.12.00
NVDATA Vendor : LSI
NVDATA Product ID : SAS9300-8i
BIOS Version : 08.27.00.00
UEFI BSD Version : 13.07.00.00
FCODE Version : N/A (don't worry, not necessary)
Board Name : SAS9300-8i
Board Assembly : N/A (don't worry, not necessary)
Board Tracer Number : N/A (don't worry, not necessary)
  14. Done, power down the system.

That is pretty much it. I hope my instructions can help others in the future!
 
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