Skip to main content
Start a Conversation

Unsolved

DP

dell.ps-on.user

1 Rookie

 • 

20 Posts

23

August 25th, 2025 01:36

Problem with garbled serial console on S3048-ON

Hi,

I have a Dell S3048-ON with unknown configuration that I'm trying to reset.

I have tried connecting the management port to the LAN, but it does not try to obtain a IP address from the server, the only packets observed coming out of the switch are LLDP broadcast about ManagementEthernet 1/1

So I made a cable to connect the RJ45 rs-232 port to a usb to serial port

I used an oscilloscope to ensure I had the right pinout, I am certain I have the switch's TX connected to the RX of my serial to usb adapter.

When the switch reboot, I can see garbled text come out. 

I have tried changing to every baud rate that my adapter supports including 9600, 19200, 115200 and the ones inbetween, still no valid text appears !

I have tried 3 serial to usb cables, I have tried a serial to ethernet bridge, it all looks very similar and wrong.

For the other settings I have 8 data bit, 1 stop bit, parity none

I don't know what else to try.

My last two options are to try using a raspberry pi or an arduino to read the serial port data maybe ? 

Is there a reset button on the switch, or a way to for it to boot ONIE installer on the USB so that I could telnet or ssh into it after it obtains an address from DHCP server ?

What else can I try ?

dell.ps-on.user

1 Rookie

 • 

20 Posts

August 25th, 2025 03:24

I have figured it out

I was using these devices

one is a serial to usb, the other ethernet to usb

I think there is something wrong with the signalling voltages from the switch

even thought the oscilloscope traces show nice clean sharp signals

I remembered my old HP G8 DL380 server still has a real DB9 serial port

So ...

And that did it

dell.ps-on.user

1 Rookie

 • 

20 Posts

August 25th, 2025 03:26

Here it is, posting in picocom

root@srv4:~# picocom -b 115200 /dev/ttyS0
picocom v3.1

port is        : /dev/ttyS0
flowcontrol    : none
baudrate is    : 115200
parity is      : none
databits are   : 8
stopbits are   : 1
escape is      : C-a
local echo is  : no
noinit is      : no
noreset is     : no
hangup is      : no
nolock is      : no
send_cmd is    : sz -vv
receive_cmd is : rz -vv -E
imap is        :
omap is        :
emap is        : crcrlf,delbs,
logfile is     : none
initstring     : none
exit_after is  : not set
exit is        : no

Type [C-a] [C-h] to see available commands
Terminal ready
▒


BIOS Boot Selector for S3000
Primary BIOS 3.24.0.0-12

MMC Version 0x9:  Last POR=0x11, Reset=0x3

CPLD JTAG to normal mode...  done.
Resetting...




BIOS Boot Selector for S3000
Primary BIOS 3.24.0.0-12

MMC Version 0x9:  Last POR=0x11, Reset=0x3

CPLD JTAG to normal mode...  done.


POST Configuration
  CPU Signature 406D8
  CPU FamilyID=6, Model=4D, SteppingId=8, Processor=0
  Microcode Revision 12D
  Platform ID: 0x10041837
  PMG_CST_CFG_CTL: 0x40006
  BBL_CR_CTL3: 0x7E2801FF
  Misc EN: 0x4000840081
  Gen PM Con1: 0x3008
  Therm Status: 0x884C0000
  POST Control=0xEA010303, Status=0xE600F700

BIOS initializations...

CPLD JTAG to normal mode...  done.

CPGC Memtest for Channel 0 .................. PASS

ECC enabled: channel 0 DECCCTRL_DUNIT_REG=0x000200F3
SATA2 tuning...  done

POST:
  RTC Battery OK at last cold boot
  RTC date 8/24/2025 21:19:03

POST SPD test ............................... PASS

POST Lower DRAM Memory test
....  Perf cnt (curr,fixed): 0x27B0C82F0,0x3B88FC582

POST Lower DRAM Memory test ................. PASS
POST Lower DRAM ECC check ................... PASS
HDD Access .................................. PASS

SMC Version 0xA
Broadcom Preemphasis...
  Gen1=0x4, Gen2=0x43
  done.
POST PREEMPHASIS SETTING .................... PASS
Disable BCM PCIe clock compensation... done.
NPU CDR...    reg 0x19: exp=0x191, read=0x181...  reg 0x13: exp=0x190, read=0x180...  done.
SM Bus1 PHY...  done

DxE POST
POST PCI test ............................... PASS
POST NVRAM check ............................ PASS
Critical Devices Test ....................... PASS
POST overall test results ................... PASS

POST exit: 00 F7 00 E6   03 03 00 EA


Version 2.16.1242. Copyright (C) 2013 American Megatrends, Inc.
BIOS Date: 05/13/2022 19:53:45 Ver: 0ACBZ018
Press <DEL> or <F2> to enter setup.
 Grub 1.99~rc1 (Dell EMC)
 Built by root at gbbdev-maa-01 on Sat_Nov_25_13:20:52_UTC_2017
 S3000ON Boot Flash Label 3.24.2.9 NetBoot Label 3.24.2.9



Press Esc to stop autoboot ... 0

Primary Boot  not Configured


Secondary Boot  not Configured

Booting DEFAULT configuration...

boot device                        : flash
file                               : systema (Dell EMC Networking OS system://A
Partition)
Image Product name FTOS-SG Match
Copyright (c) 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005,
    2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010
    The NetBSD Foundation, Inc.  All rights reserved.
Copyright (c) 1982, 1986, 1989, 1991, 1993
    The Regents of the University of California.  All rights reserved.


Dell EMC Networking OS Release 9.14(1.14)
 NetBSD 5.1_STABLE (S3000) #0: Tue Oct 25 11:28:34 PDT 2022
Detecting hardware...: EMC230x RPM based fan controller 0
swwdog0: software watchdog initialized
done.
WARNING: 2 errors while detecting hardware; check system log.
WARNING: CHECK AND RESET THE DATE!
route: writing to routing socket: File exists
Partitioning 7641mb flash ....Pass!
Mounting /boot


RELEASE IMAGE HEADER DATA :
--------------------------
Release Image SW Image Count : 5
Release Image Major-Version  : 9
Release Image Minor Version  : 14
Release Image Maint Version  : 1
Release Image Patch-Version  : 14
Release Image Header Size    : 140
Release Image Data Size      : 58258696
Release Image Platform Type  : 24
Release Image Product Name   : FTOS-SG
Release Image Checksum Value : 0xb164bd72
Release Image Header Checksum: 0x3e8d46d9
Release Image Create Year    : 2022
Release Image Create Month   : 10
Release Image Create Date    : 25
Release Image Create Hour    : 11
Release Image Create Minute  : 35
Release Image Create Second  : 5

SOFTWARE IMAGE HEADER DATA :
----------------------------
Software Image[1] Major Version : 9
Software Image[1] Minor Version : 14
Software Image[1] Maint Version : 1
Software Image[1] Patch Version : 14
Software Image[1] Image type    : 2
Software Image[1] Header Size   : 100
Software Image[1] Img Data Size : 14579868
Software Image[1] Img Orig Size : 14579868
Software Image[1] Family Code   : cp
Software Image[1] Img file Name : CPRPLP-RPM-AP-9.14.1.14.bin
Software Image[1] Hdr Checksum  : 0xdbff1630
Software Image[1] Data Checksum : 0xf68de2bf

SOFTWARE IMAGE HEADER DATA :
----------------------------
Software Image[2] Major Version : 9
Software Image[2] Minor Version : 14
Software Image[2] Maint Version : 1
Software Image[2] Patch Version : 14
Software Image[2] Image type    : 2
Software Image[2] Header Size   : 100
Software Image[2] Img Data Size : 20187296
Software Image[2] Img Orig Size : 82206720
Software Image[2] Family Code   : nbsdpcprplp
Software Image[2] Img file Name : NBSDPCPRPLP-RPM-AP-9.14.1.14.bin
Software Image[2] Hdr Checksum  : 0x5e2eca29
Software Image[2] Data Checksum : 0x13c0462a

SOFTWARE IMAGE HEADER DATA :
----------------------------
Software Image[3] Major Version : 9
Software Image[3] Minor Version : 14
Software Image[3] Maint Version : 1
Software Image[3] Patch Version : 14
Software Image[3] Image type    : 2
Software Image[3] Header Size   : 100
Software Image[3] Img Data Size : 18309444
Software Image[3] Img Orig Size : 48906240
Software Image[3] Family Code   : nbsdlib
Software Image[3] Img file Name : NBSDLIB-RPM-AP-9.14.1.14.bin
Software Image[3] Hdr Checksum  : 0x17cde425
Software Image[3] Data Checksum : 0xe0acaeeb

SOFTWARE IMAGE HEADER DATA :
----------------------------
Software Image[4] Major Version : 3
Software Image[4] Minor Version : 24
Software Image[4] Maint Version : 2
Software Image[4] Patch Version : 9
Software Image[4] Image type    : 1
Software Image[4] Header Size   : 100
Software Image[4] Img Data Size : 2629009
Software Image[4] Img Orig Size : 2629009
Software Image[4] Family Code   : cp
Software Image[4] Img file Name : CPRPLP-RPM-BT-3.24.2.9.bin
Software Image[4] Hdr Checksum  : 0xc500e1dc
Software Image[4] Data Checksum : 0xf533613f

SOFTWARE IMAGE HEADER DATA :
----------------------------
Software Image[5] Major Version : 3
Software Image[5] Minor Version : 24
Software Image[5] Maint Version : 0
Software Image[5] Patch Version : 0
Software Image[5] Image type    : 3
Software Image[5] Header Size   : 100
Software Image[5] Img Data Size : 2552579
Software Image[5] Img Orig Size : 2552579
Software Image[5] Family Code   : cp
Software Image[5] Img file Name : CPRPLP-RPM-SL-3.24.0.0-11.bin
Software Image[5] Hdr Checksum  : 0xf9d6026b
Software Image[5] Data Checksum : 0x904cfa35
Starting Dell EMC Networking OS

Aug 24 21:20:00 %S3048-ON:1 %POLLMGR-2-USER_FLASH_STATE: USB flash disk missing in 'usbflash:'
Aug 24 21:20:01 %STKUNIT1-M:CP %RAM-6-ELECTION_ROLE: Stack-unit 1 is transitioning to Management Stack-unit.
Aug 24 21:20:01 %STKUNIT1-M:CP %CRYPTO-5-FIPS_SELF_TEST_PASSED: [sysd] FIPS crypto module self-test passed
Aug 24 21:20:01 %STKUNIT1-M:CP %CHMGR-5-STACKUNIT_DETECTED: stack-unit 1 present

Aug 24 21:20:02 %STKUNIT1-M:CP %CHMGR-5-LPM_CONFIG: Applying the default IPv6 LPM partition config
Aug 24 21:20:02 %STKUNIT1-M:CP %CHMGR-5-CHECKIN: Checkin from stack-unit 1 (type S3048-ON, 52 ports)
Aug 24 21:20:03 %STKUNIT1-M:CP %CHMGR-5-PEM_INSERTED: Power entry module 2 of unit 1 is inserted
Aug 24 21:20:03 %STKUNIT1-M:CP %CHMGR-0-PS_UP: Power supply 2 in unit 1 is up
Aug 24 21:20:03 %S3048-ON:1 %CHMGR-2-FAN_SPEED_CHANGE: Fan speed changed to 40 % of the full speed
Aug 24 21:20:03 %STKUNIT1-M:CP %CHMGR-5-FANTRAY_INSERTED: Fan tray 1 of Unit 1 is inserted
Aug 24 21:20:03 %STKUNIT1-M:CP %CHMGR-5-FANTRAY_INSERTED: Fan tray 2 of Unit 1 is inserted
Aug 24 21:20:03 %STKUNIT1-M:CP %CHMGR-5-FANTRAY_INSERTED: Fan tray 3 of Unit 1 is inserted
Aug 24 21:20:03 %STKUNIT1-M:CP %CHMGR-5-PSU_FAN_STATUS: Fan 1 in PSU 2 of Unit 1 is up
Aug 24 21:20:05 %STKUNIT1-M:CP %CHMGR-5-STACKUNIT_UP: stack-unit 1 is up

Aug 24 21:20:09 %STKUNIT1-M:CP %RAM-5-STACKUNIT_STATE: Stack-unit 1 is in Active State.

Aug 24 21:20:11 %STKUNIT1-M:CP %CHMGR-2-SYSTEM_READY: System ready
Aug 24 21:20:20 %STKUNIT1-M:CP %CLI-6-SECURE_CLI_NOT_ENABLED: CLI security mode not enabled
Aug 24 21:20:20 %STKUNIT1-M:CP %SEC-5-LOGIN_SUCCESS: Login successful on console
DellEMC>Aug 24 21:22:37 %STKUNIT1-M:CP %CHMGR-4-TEMP_STATUS_CHANGE:  Unit 1 temperature state changed to 1 (Current temperature 31C).

dell.ps-on.user

1 Rookie

 • 

20 Posts

August 25th, 2025 03:30

Formatting got messed up

NOTE : I also wrote a very long post to 

this thread

https://www.dell.com/community/en/conversations/networking-general/where-can-i-find-onie-installer-x8664-dellemcs5248fc3538-r0bin/68875c0477e0591bad6ff68c

which included how to compile ONIE from the source code using a proxmox LXC 

and when I pressed send, my entire post was lost 

There is an issue on this forum :\

user_1b13f2

1 Rookie

 • 

1 Message

September 8th, 2025 07:38

The garbled console output is almost always caused by incorrect serial settings. Set your terminal to 115200 / 8-N-1 with no flow control and it should display properly.

Was this post helpful?

View All

No Events found!

Top