[Openib-windows] FW update chicken-and-egg problem

[Leonid Keller]

Yes, it has been in my plan for some time.
I believe, tomorrow I'll prepare a patch for that.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Fab Tillier [mailto:ftillier at silverstorm.com] 
> Sent: Thursday, August 10, 2006 11:46 PM
> To: Leonid Keller; openib-windows at openib.org
> Subject: FW update chicken-and-egg problem
> 
> Hi Leonid,
> 
> The MTHCA driver will check the firmware version on the HCA 
> when handling the IRP_MN_START_DEVICE PnP IRP.  If it finds 
> an out-of-date firmware, it fails the IRP and logs an event 
> to the event log.  This results in the HCA not starting, 
> which means that the firmware can't be updated using the FW 
> update tools (mst and flint).
> 
> The ideal solution would be to put the HCA in a restricted 
> mode, and succeed the START_DEVICE request.  The driver could 
> then limit what operations it allows to the minimum needed to 
> allow performing the FW upgrade.  This would allow users to 
> update the driver, disable the device, re-enable, and move on.
> 
> The less ideal solution, but likely simpler to implement, 
> would be to have a registry flag that will disable the FW 
> check, so that users can disable the check in the registry, 
> disable/enable the device, and update the firmware.
> The drawback of this solution is that users have to set the 
> registry flag and then remember to clear it again when they 
> are done upgrading the firmware.
> 
> As it stands, the users have two options.  The first is to 
> open the system and move the jumper to put the HCA in 
> live-fish mode.  The second is to load the MT23108 driver 
> (only works with mem-full HCAs), and do the firmware update 
> using that driver since it does not perform the FW version check.
> Neither of these are acceptable IMO, especially if dealing 
> with a large cluster installation.
> 
> Could you look into providing a fix?
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> - Fab
> 
>