[CentOS] Boot failure after install on IBM x3550 M3

Fri Nov 12 08:42:48 UTC 2010
Toralf Lund <toralf.lund at pgs.com>

RedShift wrote:
> On 11/11/10 16:39, Toralf Lund wrote:
>   
>> RedShift wrote:
>>     
>>> On 11/11/10 16:25, Toralf Lund wrote:
>>>
>>>       
>>>> RedShift wrote:
>>>>
>>>>         
>>>>> On 11/11/10 14:22, Toralf Lund wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>           
>>>>>> I'm trying to install CentOS 5.5 on a couple of servers of type IBM
>>>>>> System x3550 M3, but it's not going too well. Actually, the install
>>>>>> setup phase runs as expected, and the actual installation also appears
>>>>>> to be successful, but the system will not boot [ ... ]
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>             
>>>>> Make sure all the firmware is up to date. I've had an IBM x3550 M3 and it couldn't even boot a Windows 2008 R2 64 bit CD with the firmware it shipped with.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>           
>>>> That seems like a useful tip, but do you know what exactly I need to
>>>> install and where to find it? I'm looking at an IBM download page right
>>>> now, but it's a little confusing - I can't seem to find anything that
>>>> it's obviously the *system* firmware, only entries like "Firmware for
>>>> Rack&   Tower LCD UPS" and " Firmware for Local Console Manager".
>>>>
>>>> - Toralf
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>         
>>> What's the model and type? It should be xxxx-yyy where x can be 0-9 and y can be 0-9&  A-z.  You can find it on the front of the chassis.
>>>
>>>       
>> It's 7944-K1G
>>
>> I've selected 7944 along with "System x" and "System x3550 M3" at
>> http://www-933.ibm.com/support/fixcentral/, but like I said, couldn't
>> find anything obvious.
>>
>> - Toralf
>>
>>     
>
> Search for UEFI firmware. Those IBM servers don't have a classic BIOS anymore, they are EFI based. I looked it up following your model/type and found the updates.
>
>
> http://www-933.ibm.com/support/fixcentral/systemx/quickorder?parent=ibm/Systemx3550M3&product=ibm/systemx/7944&&platform=All&function=fixId&fixids=ibm_fw_uefi_d6e149a_linux_32-64&source=fc
>   
Ah. Thanks.

I believe I missed that file because I searched for operating system 
independent components (because firmware doesn't use the OS, right?), 
but apparently I should have chosen some Linux variant instead.

Anyhow, I now think I've successfully installed this update, but 
unfortunately, the system still won't boot :-( Maybe it's time to 
contact our supplier...

- Toralf


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