Document fins/I0655-1
FIN #: I0655-1
SYNOPSIS: Reinstallation of Solaris 8 10/00 or Solaris 8 01/01 on Sun Blade 100
platforms
DATE: Mar/30/01
KEYWORDS: Reinstallation of Solaris 8 10/00 or Solaris 8 01/01 on Sun Blade 100
platforms
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- Sun Proprietary/Confidential: Internal Use Only -
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FIELD INFORMATION NOTICE
(For Authorized Distribution by SunService)
SYNOPSIS: A reinstallation of Solaris 8 10/00 or Solaris 8 01/01 on the Sun
Blade 100 platforms can cause a rare but possible silent data
corruption.
TOP FIN/FCO REPORT: No
PRODUCT_REFERENCE: Solaris 8 10/00 or 01/01 on Sun Blade 100-based platforms
PRODUCT CATEGORY: Software / Solaris
PRODUCTS AFFECTED:
Mkt_ID Platform Model Description Serial Number
------ -------- ----- ----------- -------------
Systems Affected
----------------
- A36 ALL Sun Blade 100 -
- N06 ALL Netra T1 AC200 -
- N21 ALL Netra T1 DC200 -
X-Options Affected
------------------
X7086A - - X-OPT for Solaris 8 (10/00; 01/01) -
A36UQE1Z9A-D256DF - - WS SB_100 X3Dlite 256/15GB/DVD -
A36UQE1Z9A-D512DF - - WS SB_100 X3Dlite 512/15GB/DVD -
A36UQE1Z9U-D256CZ - - WS SB_100 PGX64 256/15GB/CDROM -
A36UQE1Z9U-D128CZ - - WS SB_100 PGX64 128/15GB/CDROM -
A36UQE1Z9U-D128CZD - - WS SB_100 PGX64/128M/15GB/CD -
N21AUPE1-9S-256AT1 - - Netra T1 200 AC 500MHz 256MB 18GB -
N21AUPE1-9S-512AT1 - - Netra T1 200 AC 500MHz 512MB 18GB -
N21AUPE1-9S-102AT1 - - Netra T1 200 AC 500MHz 1G 36GB -
AX1105-500 - - 500MHz ATX Motherboard -
PART NUMBERS AFFECTED:
Part Number Description Model
----------- ----------- -----
704-7610-10 CD,OEI S8U2,SB100,NETRA,AC200 -
704-7617-10 CD,OEI,S8U3,SB100,NETRA,AC200 -
605-4640-01 ASSY Motherboard AX1105-500MHz -
798-3653-01 CD,OEI,SB100,NETRA,AC200 -
798-3679-01 CD,OEI,SB100,NETRA,AC200 -
REFERENCES:
BugId: 4393407 - SouthBridge can cause data corruption on grover.
Need SW workaround.
PatchId: 
108528 - SunOS 5.8: kernel update patch
110383 - SunOS 5.8: libnvpair patch
110723 - SunOS 5.8: eri Driver patch
109882 - SunOS 5.8: eri header files patch
108974 - SunOS 5.8: dada & uata & dad & sd and scsi
patch
109793 - SunOS 5.8: su patch
109920 - SunOS 5.8: pcic driver patch
110221 - SunOS 5.8: Dcam1394 patch
109874 - SunOS 5.8: audio patch
108606 - SunOS 5.8: M64 Graphics Patch
108576 - SunOS 5.8: Expert3D IFB Graphics Patch
109876 - SunOS 5.8: fd driver patch
108664 - SunOS 5.8: Support for Network Service Provider platforms
109879 - SunOS 5.8: isadma driver patch
URL:
http://infoserver.central/data/sshandbook/Systems/common-docs/806-7793-10.pdf
Sun Alert: SA-25969
PROBLEM DESCRIPTION:
An installation of Solaris 8 10/00 (SU2) or Solaris 8 01/01 (SU3) on
the Sun Blade 100 and related platforms can cause a rare but possible
silent data corruption. This corruption may exist either in memory or
on a disk and can occur when running the above Solaris quarterly
updates even for a few minutes during or after installation if the
proper patches have not been applied.
The possibility of data corruption is remote but it exists, both during
the OS installation (when the OS itself could get corrupted), and after
installation during normal operation (when anything on the disk or
reachable by this system could get corrupted). If the OS image is
corrupted while doing an installation, then anything could happen
ranging from panics, to security holes, to strange non-repeatable
behavior.
An unsafe installation can be done without the correct
platform-specific Operating Environment Installation CD (OECD) or
without the netinstall patches, and it will *appear* to work. However,
the system is vulnerable to future data corruption.
The Sun Blade 100 ships from the factory with the OS and the correct
patches preinstalled to avoid the problem. This FIN process is only
necessary when all the following are true:
1. You are installing or reinstalling Solaris, by any means
(CD, netinstall, jumpstart, etc).
2. The version you are installing is Solaris 8 10/00 (SU2),
or Solaris 8 01/01 (SU3)
3. You are doing this on one of the Sun Blade 100-derived
platforms mentioned above (Sun Blade 100, Netra T1 AC200,
AX1105-500 system board)
Type 'cat /etc/release' to see the Solaris software version.
#cat /etc/release
Solaris 8 10/00 s28s_u2wos_11b SPARC
Copyright 2000 Sun Microsystems, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Assembled 31 August 2000
Type 'uname -i' to see the system type.
#uname -i
SUNW,Sun-Blade-100
Root Cause and Fix
------------------
There is an ASIC on the Sun Blade 100 motherboard that controls some
I/O. Under some rare error-handling circumstances, this ASIC can
corrupt the data that passes through it. This is data from an IDE disk
or CD-ROM (if fitted). The data may be corrupted in memory or on
disk. Further, there is no warning or error logging that corruption
occurred or may have occurred. This problem has been reported to the
ASIC manufacturer.
The hardware flaw was detected as part of our internal development
processes, and software changes have created to keep the ASIC out
of the error-susceptible state.
IMPLEMENTATION:
---
| | MANDATORY (Fully Pro-Active)
---
---
| | CONTROLLED PRO-ACTIVE (per Sun Geo Plan)
---
---
| X | REACTIVE (As Required)
---
CORRECTIVE ACTION:
To avoid the problem when installing Solaris 8 10/00 or 01/01 on the
Sun Blade 100 and other affected platforms, use the appropriate
Operating Environment Installation CD (OECD) or a patched netinstall.
Note that it is not enough to apply the patches after the OS has been
installed and booted.
OECD installation
-----------------
If installing or re-installing Solaris 8 10/00 from CD onto one of the
affected systems, you must boot the system from the OECD specific to
10/00. Likewise, use the OECD for Solaris 8 01/01 if using Solaris 8
01/01.
The kit with the two platform-specific OECD's together can be ordered
under marketing part # X7086A. That ties to CD and documentation part
number 798-3653-01 and 798-3679-01.
The following CDO items are ready to order as a kit:
798-3653-01 Shrink wrapped CDO which ships with systems.
798-3679-01 Boxed version of CDO which ships to FEs for their use.
X7086A Customer orderable version of CDO.
The part numbers of these CD's are:
704-7610-10: Operating Environment Installation CD Solaris 8 10/00
704-7617-10: Operating Environment Installation CD Solaris 8 01/01
The respective OECD's contain the required patch to avoid data
corruption, plus a number of other recommended patches that improve
system operation in other respects.
See "Installing Solaris 8 10/00 or Solaris 8 01/01 Software",
806-7793-10, for instructions for installing Solaris on the affected
platforms using the Operating Environment Installation CD's.
http://infoserver.central/data/sshandbook/Systems/common-docs/806-7793-10.pdf
Netinstall
----------
If doing a netinstall, the patches must be applied to the netinstall
image and to the netinstall miniroot before starting any installation.
Patches for Netinstall
----------------------
These are the patches that are preinstalled on the Sun Blade 100
and are automatically applied by the OECD for Solaris 8 10/00 (SU2):
108528, 110383, 110723, 109882, 108974, 109793
109920, 110221, 109874, 108606, 108576, 109876
108664, 109879
The patches that are automatically applied by the OECD for Solaris 8 01/01
(SU3) are:
108528, 110723, 109882, 108974, 109793 109874,
108606, 108576, 109876, 108664, 109879
For patch installation instructions please call your local Solution
Center and reference this document.
For more information about netinstall servers see the "Solaris 8
Advanced Installation Guide" at:
http://docs.sun.com:80/ab2/coll.214.7/SPARCINSTALL/@Ab2PageView/
COMMENTS:
None
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Implementation Footnote:
i) In case of MANDATORY FINs, Enterprise Services will attempt to
contact all affected customers to recommend implementation of
the FIN.
ii) For CONTROLLED PROACTIVE FINs, Enterprise Services mission critical
support teams will recommend implementation of the FIN (to their
respective accounts), at the convenience of the customer.
iii) For REACTIVE FINs, Enterprise Services will implement the FIN as the
need arises.
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-----------------------
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---------------------
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----------------
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