Document fins/I0880-1
FIN #: I0880-1
SYNOPSIS: Sun Fire 3800/4800/4810/6800 5.13.3 firmware gives warning message
when USIII+ processors are installed on System Boards with Late_Write
Ecache DIMMs
DATE: Oct/25/02
KEYWORDS: Sun Fire 3800/4800/4810/6800 5.13.3 firmware gives warning message
when USIII+ processors are installed on System Boards with Late_Write
Ecache DIMMs
---------------------------------------------------------------------
- Sun Proprietary/Confidential: Internal Use Only -
---------------------------------------------------------------------
FIELD INFORMATION NOTICE
(For Authorized Distribution by SunService)
SYNOPSIS: Sun Fire 3800/4800/4810/6800 5.13.3 firmware gives warning
message when USIII+ processors are installed on System Boards
with Late_Write Ecache DIMMs.
SunAlert: No
TOP FIN/FCO REPORT: No
PRODUCT_REFERENCE: UltraSPARC-III Cu Processors
PRODUCT CATEGORY: Server / Service
PRODUCTS AFFECTED:
Systems Affected:
-----------------
Mkt_ID Platform Model Description Serial Number
------ -------- ----- ----------- -------------
- S8 ALL Sun Fire 3800 -
- S12 ALL Sun Fire 4800 -
- S12i ALL Sun Fire 4810 -
- S24 ALL Sun Fire 6800 -
X-Options Affected:
-------------------
Mkt_ID Platform Model Description Serial Number
------ -------- ----- ----------- -------------
- - - - -
PART NUMBERS AFFECTED:
Part Number Description Model
----------- ----------- -----
540-5052-03 (or lower) ASSY CPU 4PROC USIIIP 900MHZ -
540-5051-04 (or lower) ASSY CPU 2PROC USIIIP 900+MHZ -
540-5267-01 ASSY CPU 4PROC USIIIP 1050MHZ -
REFERENCES:
BugId: 4705197 - cheetah+ incompatible E$ DIMMS not recognized.
PROBLEM DESCRIPTION:
Sun Fire 3800/4800/4810/6800 firmware version 5.13.3 enforces a
configuration rule stating that System Boards with Late_Write Ecache
DIMMs cannot be used with UltraSPARC-III+ processors. After installing
5.13.3, POST will identify and configure the processors, but issue a
warning that the Ecache DIMMs are not compatible with this processor
type. When firmware version 5.14.0 is released, POST will detect and
fail USIII+ processors if Late_Write Ecache DIMMs are installed on the
System Board.
Sun Fire firmware 5.13.3 is available with patch 
112494. Firmware
5.14.0 will be released at some future date. With the 5.13.3 firmware,
there is no direct impact to customer systems, since only a warning is
issued. With 5.14.0 firmware, USIII+ processors will be failed and
removed from a domain's configuration.
This issue affects Sun Fire 3800/4800/4810/6800 platforms where USIII+
processors are installed onto System Boards with Late_Write Ecache
DIMMs and where firmware 5.13.3 is installed. System Boards with
Late_Select Ecache DIMMs are not affected. USIII processors are also
not affected.
Any System Boards with Late_Write Ecache DIMMs existing in customer
systems are a result of FRU replacements. No systems have shipped from
Sun Manufacturing with this type of board, and all System Boards are
currently shipping, and being reworked, with the Late_Select Ecache
DIMMs. There is no part number dash level change which will identify
which type of ECache DIMMs a System Board contains.
To identify USIII+ processors in a domain, do the following:
# prtconf | grep -i ultrasparc
SUNW,UltraSPARC-III+, instance #0
SUNW,UltraSPARC-III+, instance #1
NOTE: UltraSPARC-III+ processors are also referred to as UltraSPARC-III Cu.
This issue can be identified by looking at the POST logs for a Sun Fire
domain. After performing a 'setkeyswitch' command for a domain, POST
detection and reporting will provide the following information:
v4u-6800b:A> showlogs
Jul 22 15:02:55 v4u-6800b Domain-A.POST:
[ID 184071 local0.warning] {/N0/SB2/P0}
WARNING: ECache DIMMs are not compatible with processor type.
v4u-6800b:A> showb
Slot Pwr Component Type State Status Domain
---- --- -------------- ----- ------ ------
/N0/SB2 On CPU Board V2 Active Degraded A
/N0/IB6 On PCI I/O Board Active Passed A
v4u-6800b:A> showcomp sb2
Component Status Pending POST Description
--------- ------ ------- ---- -----------
/N0/SB2/P0 enabled - fail UltraSPARC-III+, 900MHz, 8M ECache
/N0/SB2/P1 enabled - pass UltraSPARC-III+, 900MHz, 8M ECache
/N0/SB2/P2 enabled - pass UltraSPARC-III+, 900MHz, 8M ECache
/N0/SB2/P3 enabled - pass UltraSPARC-III+, 900MHz, 8M ECache
Notice from the output above that processor /N0/SB2/P0 generated a
warning message, but has been enabled by POST. If 5.14.0 firmware had
been installed, the processor would have been disabled.
Root cause of this issue is due to a process error at Sun's repair
vendor in EMEA. System Boards were incorrectly populated with
Late_Write Ecache DIMMs. While these DIMMs will function correctly on
the above Sun Fire platforms with USIII+ processors, they will not work
with Sun Fire 12K/15K systems. Since both platform types use the same
System Boards this is a compatibility issue.
Field stocking locations have been purged of the System Boards with the
Late_Write Ecache DIMMs, and it is estimated that only a very small
number of affected System Board FRUs escaped to customer systems
in the EMEA Geography.
When Sun Fire firmware 5.14.0 is released at a later date, POST
diagnostics will not allow USIII+ processors with incorrect Ecache
DIMMS to be configured into a domain. Firmware 5.13.3 POST will
provide information only, so that proactive replacement of the System
Board can be scheduled. This change is being implemented in two stages
to reduce the impact on existing installations.
IMPLEMENTATION:
---
| | MANDATORY (Fully Proactive)
---
---
| | CONTROLLED PROACTIVE (per Sun Geo Plan)
---
---
| X | REACTIVE (As Required)
---
CORRECTIVE ACTION:
The following recommendation is provided as a guideline for authorized
Sun Services Field Representatives who may encounter the above
mentioned problem.
When Sun Fire firmware 5.13.3 POST identifies a processor with the
following message:
"WARNING: ECache DIMMs are not compatible with processor type."
replace the System Board as a proactive maintenance measure to avoid a
failed processor during POST with firmware 5.14.0.
COMMENTS:
None.
============================================================================
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.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
All released FINs and FCOs can be accessed using your favorite network
browser as follows:
SunWeb Access:
--------------
* Access the top level URL of http://sdpsweb.ebay/FIN_FCO/
* From there, select the appropriate link to query or browse the FIN and
FCO Homepage collections.
SunSolve Online Access:
-----------------------
* Access the SunSolve Online URL at http://sunsolve.Corp/
* From there, select the appropriate link to browse the FIN or FCO index.
Internet Access:
----------------
* Access the top level URL of https://infoserver.Sun.COM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
General:
--------
* Send questions or comments to finfco-manager@sdpsweb.EBay
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright (c) 1997-2003 Sun Microsystems, Inc.