Problem with new controller SC5020

Hi,

If the controller boots into safe mode, it's usually because the HSN doesn't match what the system expects. You can fix this through DSM:

• Open DSM and go to the Hardware tab.
• Find the new controller that's in safe mode.
• You should see an alert or status message about a controller mismatch.
• Right-click on the new controller and look for an option like "Clear Controller Swap Status" or something similar.
• Once you clear the swap status, the system should kick off a firmware sync process automatically.
• After the sync completes, the controller should exit safe mode and come online normally.

Keep an eye on the status in DSM to make sure everything finishes cleanly. 

One more question - how can I find out the controller firmware version in safe mode?

hmm... Could you try to hardware tab on DSM. Even safe mode the controller might appear limited info. Then right click properties. Or serial console access may provide some info. Once you connected you can see a boot message. Look for lines that mention SCOS firmware version.

@DELL-Erman O​

@DELL-Erman O​ Thank you, i try console connection. in safe mode can i see the SCOS version?

normally after controller change, if the Storage Center software on the storage controller is older than the software on the existing storage controller, the storage system updates the storage controller with the software version on the existing storage controller. The Storage Center software update on the storage controller could take 15 to 45 minutes to complete. 

Unfortunately, I can't be sure because I couldn't try it. But I thought the info could be seen from there by using logic. It's worth a try. Unfortunately, I don't have the opportunity to try it on an active lab. Hope that works.

@DELL-Erman O​ THank you. I will try it

@DELL-Erman O​

Attempts to enter to configuration/BIOS setup menu to reset the password striking hotkeys (F2, F10, F11) via Putty during the boot did not take effect – controller does not react to keys pressing.

May be i need to enter the "-sm -go"command to boot the controller normally?

this is what controller also writes during the loading process

iDRAC IP:  ?.?.?.?
Error!!! iDRAC SMA commands return errors (Status=Device Error).

Total failed SMA commands (0x02): 8016, 8016

SMA error log is accessible via memory address 0x742DF018 prior booting to OS.

Pause for 10 seconds or press F5 to view details or press any key to continue.

UEFI0037: Unable to communicate with iDRAC because of an issue in the iDRAC
Shared Memory Architecture (SMA) Intelligent Platform Management Interface
(IPMI).
Do one of the following: 1) Remove input power from the system, wait for 30
seconds, and re-apply input power. Turn on the system. 2) Update the iDRAC
firmware on the system.

@DELL-Erman O​

and what happens if the version in the new controller is newer than the installed one?

Just a heads up for anyone swapping in a new controller if the firmware on the new controller is newer than what’s running on your system, the SC5020 will usually try to automatically downgrade it during boot. This process can take anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes, so give it some time.

However, if the firmware version is too far ahead (like a major version difference), the system might not be able to downgrade it, and the controller will stay stuck in safe mode.

Also, a really important note about iDRAC firmware: it’s tightly integrated with the SCOS. Dell has tested and validated specific iDRAC versions to work with each SCOS release. So you should never manually update or downgrade iDRAC using tools like OpenManage or OMSA. The only supported way to update iDRAC is through a SCOS upgrade, where the correct iDRAC version is bundled in.

If you’re seeing iDRAC errors or the controller won’t boot normally, try doing a Power Drain Reset (BMC Reset) this has helped a lot of people:

1. Power off the system completely.
2. Unplug both power supplies and pull them out a couple of inches.
3. Wait at least 15 minutes to let the BMC fully reset.
4. Plug the power back in and turn the system on.
5. Be patient—booting can take 10–15 minutes.

If the controller still boots into safe mode after the reset:

• Connect via serial console.
• At the safe mode prompt, enter:

  -sm -go
  

• This attempts a normal boot using the current configuration.

Hope this helps

@DELL-Erman O​

thanks for the detailed answer