Equallogic PS6110e, no SD-CARD in Control Module 14

Question

Hi All,I recently purchased a Dell Equallogic PS6110e, the previous owner had removed the SD-CARD from the Control Module, however provided me the versions he had installed onto the controller before selling. I have tried to copy and paste the files onto an SDcard using FAT (read it somewhere), I'm not sure if this is the correct process. I am getting the following error on boot: ***************************************************** POST FATAL ERROR - 10/30/2021 02:02:41 Temp 020C SDCARD/SDDISK/06020003 Unable to open config.txt: No partition found ***************************************************** ######################################################### # # # Dell (tm), Inc. Storage Array # # Copyright 2001-2011 # # # # Controller Information: # # Part=70-0477 Rev=A04 SN= xxxxxxxxxxx ECO=C00 # # # ######################################################### Bootloader Version 3.9.1 (SWINT Rev:1) Compiled on Wed Nov 16 14:22:40 EST 2011 (type h for help) In Ctrl-P shell because: FATAL POST error detected. POST: fatal error caused autoboot to abort from what I can tell, the controller has picked up the SD card but can't find the partition. EQL dinfo print List of IDE disks found: Disk: sd Controller: sd ======================================= Model: SD card Firmware: Serial#: Capacity: 30436.5 MB = 29.7 GB (62333952 x 512) Partition Table. ----------------- 1 2048 8192000 e I guess i need to know if anyone can help:A. What is the file system the SD-card need to be formatted in (including size)B. is there a particular format in how i place these files onto the SD-CARDC. Am i doing everything right, im just not matching the firmware previously used on this control module?System Specs:Dell Equallogic PS6110e1 x Control Module 14 10Gbe

nkdtech · Answer

Sorry the unit is an Equallogic PS6110VX

dwilliam62 · Answer

Hello,

Unfortunately, you didn't set it up as a boot device. Just like windows if you didn't format it and get the systems files on the disk, you can boot from it. What he should have done was do an image copy of the SD card. Like you do to create an ISO file to later burn to a CD or USB drive to boot from.

I also suspect the directory structure isn't correct as well.

FYI: The 6110 only runs at 10GbE, it does not negotiate down to GbE, so you will need 10GbE switch, and servers. Running iSCSI 10GbE to GbE servers isn't recommended.

Also, EQL requires drives that are specifically made for EQL arrays. Standard OEM or even other Dell drives will not work. If you do get it working I strongly suggest you select RAID6.

Regards,

Don

nkdtech · Answer

Don, That's brilliant advice thank you.can you confirm if it's a FAT or FAT32 filesystem with any particular partition size?I'll give that a try and report back here with an update.

nkdtech · Answer

Seems I need an ISO like you suggested, using a bootable FreeDOS partition didn't work. do you have any other advice on getting my hands on a bootable iso?

dwilliam62 · Answer

Hello,

I meant it's the same idea, but you need the original image source to write out to the SD. I believe it's fat16 but not 100% positive.

Why did the seller remove the SD cards? At most they would have been 2GB. Not worth anything, and they don't store user or configuration data.

I would go back to the seller and either get SD cards, or return it to them and get your money back.

Regards,
Don

tapelibraryfixer · Answer

i just use the other controllers sdcard, make an image using 'imageUSB' by passmark. then reimage the blank one

dwilliam62 · Answer

Hello,   From his description, he only has one controller.   Regards,  Don

tapelibraryfixer · Answer

Ah ok, first thing i would do is get a second.

nkdtech · Answer

at this point I'm willing to pay someone for a copy of their SDCARD as an iso to get this working. Is anyone willing to help me out here?

dwilliam62 · Answer

Hello,

unfortunately if they did, they would be breaking the law.

As was suggested you might want to see if getting a 2nd controller with a flash card would be an option. From a dealer that can actually verify the version of the SD card first. Then once you had that working CM you can clone that SD for the other CM. Unless you can get the previous owner to give the SD cards back I am not sure what else to suggest.

Regards,

Don

#iworkfordell

dwilliam62 · Answer

Might not have the same version of firmware. The firmware has to match if the array is configured.

And you won't know what version is on the SD card on the new controller. So you could end up with a very old version.

Regards,

Don

#iworkfordell

nkdtech · Answer

Hi Don,Buying an SD Card for it contents and buying a CM with an SD Card makes no difference in my eyes.But I'm not here to discuss laws and regulations, I'm here to discuss solutions which I'm sure will help others at one point or another I have the firmware that was used on this CM, do you know if this is what is stored on the SD Card or is there more information than that (file structures etc..)? bare in mind the firmware i have is in form of a ZIP file not and ISO.

dwilliam62 · Answer

Hello,

Earlier I mentioned that the SD card has to be formatted as a bootable device. With an ISO based image obviously that's very easy, it's an image dump. The ZIP file has the OS files, but it's not an image dump so the low level boot loader isn't there. The array boots a version of netbsd to get started the loads the EQLOS. So I am not sure what bootloader was used to get it started on that controller.

The zip files therefore aren't going to be helpful.

Will the previous owner make an ISO image of the SD cards for you?

Regards,

Don

#iworkfordell

EqualLogic

Equallogic PS6110e, no SD-CARD in Control Module 14

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