Need help: Cross flashing HP LSISAS2308 card to LSI

[dba]

I have an HP H221 HBA, which is a re-labeled LSI 9207-8e. I'd like to cross-flash it to an LSI 9207-8e.

I previously cross-flashed an IBM M1015 to LSI by following the standard "recipe", but I can't be sure that the same sequence will work with this card.

The first few steps are easy:
1) With only a real LSI 9207-8e card in the server, save the SBR file to disk by running: megarec -readsbr 9207sbr.bin
2) With only the HP H221 card in the server, save the SBR file from the HP card (just in case) by running: megarec -readsbr h221sbr.bin

Here is where I could use some help. With the IBM M1015 we wrote sbrempty.bin to the card (megarec -writesbr 0 sbrempty.bin) before then writing the desired SBR (megarec -writesbr 0 9207sbr.bin). What I don't know is this: will sbrempty.bin from the M1015 procedure work with the 9207 or must someone create some new magic sbr file for this card?

 

[mobilenvidia]

Does the LSI9207 even have a SBR in IT or IR mode ?
When you crossflash a M1015 to a LSI 9211-8i you don't need a SBR
Only need SBR in iMR mode (LSI9240 mode)

I doubt that Megarec will even see the card, I think the last controller supported was the SAS2208
You might not even be able to get the SBR.

I think you just need to flash either the LSI IT or IR Firmware (IR will need BIOS as well)

Don't hold me to it, the only controller I lack is a SAS2308

 

[epimetheus]

I'd like to revive this thread. I've just picked up a HP H222 (rebranded 9207-4i4e). I'm contemplating flashing it with the latest P15 firmware from LSI. The firmware tools that come in the zip from LSI include an x64 version of sas2flash.exe (vers. no. 15.00.00.00). This version sees the card perfectly well through a Win7 DOS command prompt.

Questions:
Any reason I can't flash it straight from there? Or do I really need to boot to a DOS USB stick?
Do I need to do something along the lines of the sbrempty.bin that we have to do for the M1015 flash procedure?

 

[epimetheus]

OK, I got gutsy and went ahead and tried it. Below is the resultant failure output. I'm guessing I need to erase the previous firmware since the NVDATA does not match. What is NVDATA?

c:\>sas2flash -o -f 9207-4i4e.bin
LSI Corporation SAS2 Flash Utility
Version 15.00.00.00 (2012.11.06)
Copyright (c) 2008-2012 LSI Corporation. All rights reserved

Advanced Mode Set

Adapter Selected is a LSI SAS: SAS2308_2(C0)

Executing Operation: Flash Firmware Image

Firmware Image has a Valid Checksum.
Firmware Version 15.00.00.00
Firmware Image compatible with Controller.

Valid NVDATA Image found.
NVDATA Version 0f.00.00.00
Checking for a compatible NVData image...

ERROR: NVDATA Image does not match Controller Chip Revision!
NVDATA Chip Revision Range: 0x5 to 0x5
Controller Chip Revision: 0x2

ERROR: No compatible NVDATA Image(s) found!

Firmware Image Validation Failed!

Due to error remaining commands will not be executed.
Unable to Process Commands.
Exiting SAS2Flash.

 

[epimetheus]

Never did get anywhere with this. Ended up just updating it to the latest firmware from HP. It does show up in MSM which was a surprise, but only if my mobo's onboard 1068E is activated. With it the 1068E disabled the MSM server doesn't show up. I'm currently having trouble getting the H222 to agree with my HP SAS Expander. Anybody else have this configuration running successfully?

 

[mrkrad]

I always had more luck with the PMC/adaptec with sas expanders quite honestly. All of the HP sas expanders i built were using P410 on the G6/G7 dl380's. Once the Gen8 came out they ditched the sas expander for a while and required two controllers (not a bad idea honestly).

With how cheap hba's have become you dont end up with that crazy octopus cabling - and it's damn near impossible to flash up anything HP without using HP gear. Then again IBM is no different.

Getting the right combo of MOBO/HBA/SAS expander was always fun.

I have found having an older workstation (Z400) and Proliant Microserver comes in handy for doing those mundane tasks.

And remember HP has recalled many products in the storage area due to buggy chipsets, so be careful. Why I always ask on ebay - is it flashed to the latest revision. If they say they have no idea or don't have the time - you are buying something THEY DAMN WELL KNOW has been recalled and has to have chipset replacement.

MSA60 was a good example. The G6 motherboards (Early) had a buggy tylersburg main chipset on it (if you put in a E5620, it would not have AES features and act like a E5520) and have serious ram timing issues where you had to force the bus down to 800mhz manually to get it to boot.

If you ever want to trade, I keep a good set of various 3gbps/6gbps raid controllers around.

 

[jasch]

This answer is maybe a little late but today i had the same Problem, solving it is quite easy if you know it.
http://forums.servethehome.com/raid-controllers-host-bus-adapters/2690-howto-crossflash-hp221-lsi-firmware.html#post23510