Netfinity 5500 - fails to get to boot or pass POST 1

[evilbox]

I have a Netfinity 5500 (8660-7SU) which I'm using as a development machine. Yesterday it just refused to boot from a cold start. Nothing has been changed on the machine since it last booted sucesfully and without any warnings or errors.

I've been into the box and removed all cards, just leaving the on-board controllers and raid controller. This doesn't have any effect. I don't get any error warnings or beeps from the speaker. I have trawled through the system guide for info but not found anything to help me on pre-POST
problems.

Does anyone have any suggestions? If all else fails, will it be possible to extract the data from the disks?

Thanks,
Mike.

 

[catorze]

Please define &quot;refused to boot...&quot; Does it power on? Do you get any lights? Memory count? Option to press F1 to enter CMOS? Complete POST? Have you tried removing power? Start there and leave it disconnected for 30 seconds (to reset the ASMP), connect power, wait 10 seconds (to let the ASMP POST), then try the power button. Could be some weirdness in the ASMP, which you can read via F1, System Error Log. Regarding the RAID Drives, yes you can get your data (provided the cause of the error wasn't a catastrophic RAID failure). You can Import the RAID configuration from the drives to a different RAID controller via the mini-setup utility (Ctrl+I). CAUTION: The RAID Controller you are importing to must be at the same firmware version as the controller the drives were connected to, and <obviously>, the existing configuration on the Controller will be overwritten by the new configuration.

 

[enigma4life]

This EXACT same thing is happening to a Netfinity 5500 server that belongs to a network that I maintain. It seems to be very coincidental to me for us to have the same problem on the same day. Have you had any luck?

 

[evilbox]

In answer to your questions:

Does it power on? - Yes

Do you get any lights? - Only the power light and processor two light on the facia, nothing on the internal error LEDs
Memory count? Option to press F1 to enter CMOS? Complete POST? - Nothing appears on the screen

Have you tried removing power? Start there and leave it disconnected for 30 seconds (to reset the ASMP), connect power, wait 10 seconds (to let the ASMP POST), then try the power button. Could be some weirdness in the ASMP, which you can read via F1, System Error Log. - Nothing appears on the screen, it appears that there's no signal.

Regarding the RAID Drives, yes you can get your data (provided the cause of the error wasn't a catastrophic RAID failure). You can Import the RAID configuration from the drives to a different RAID controller via the mini-setup utility (Ctrl+I). CAUTION: The RAID Controller you are importing to must be at the same firmware version as the controller the drives were connected to, and <obviously>, the existing configuration on the Controller will be overwritten by the new configuration. - Phew, sounds like there's some hope at least!

Thanks for your help.

 

[catorze]

OK...sounds like somewhere along the way, your BIOS got pooched. On the system board, there is a backup BIOS jumper <J30>, which if moved will allow you to boot to the previous version of BIOS. You should power off & disconnect, move the jumper, add power, wait 10 secs, then power on. If it works, you should flash the BIOS immediately.

 

[evilbox]

Wow, that worked. Moving J30 did the job, machine boots, and all is well and happy again. Thanks very much.