Snap 4100 BIOS dump, unlocking 137 limit

[esh]

Originally Posted by Eric Kirk

so i have a Dell 705 which is really a snap 4100, i am trying to flash it with the new snap os 4.0.860 and i down load the software package but the Assist says that all 3 files in that package are not the corrcect files to patch this server, but i can use the release from dell and that will patch it. and i thought that this new patch allowoed 48 bit drives
o well i just found this thing in the rack last week and got it up and running. but i am trying to get it to do XP and 2k3 user/pass procteting and that is why i am trying to flash the thing

I doubt it will allow you to flash to the SnapOS... probably has checking to see if it is Dell's version or not.

Also you cannot get 48bit drives to run in the 4100.

[blue68f100]

4.0.860 (patch) adds MS AD support ONLY. If you are moving up from v3 you need to install the full version 4.0.830 first.

LB48bit IS NOT SUPPORTED on the 4100. It has a hardware problem with the promise controllers. There is no way around this, believe me we have tried.

v4 requires slighly more overhead than v3. It is recomended that you have a minimum of 128 meg for better performance.

[Davesworld]

Originally Posted by Eric Kirk

so i have a Dell 705 which is really a snap 4100, i am trying to flash it with the new snap os 4.0.860 and i down load the software package but the Assist says that all 3 files in that package are not the corrcect files to patch this server, but i can use the release from dell and that will patch it. and i thought that this new patch allowoed 48 bit drives
o well i just found this thing in the rack last week and got it up and running. but i am trying to get it to do XP and 2k3 user/pass procteting and that is why i am trying to flash the thing

All you have to do is use the debug menu and unlock the bios and change it from oem mode, and lock the bios again after you put it in normal mode and it will take the snapos and for all intents and purposes is now a snap 4100 with a dell badge on it.

[blue68f100]

Sounds interesting, BUT

What are you going to do to correct the bug in the promise controllers????? The original reason they were locked out. Now I agree that some of the newer models should have an updated chip without the problem. And Snap may have decided to keep it messed up to sell the newer models.

Another thing to consider. If you have a HD failure, and need to replace a drive. You may/will need to have a spare pre formatted drive from a 2200.

[Davesworld]

The Promise controllers were not locked out, Snap simply didn't want to spend the extra man hours needed to upgrade the driver. The reason why it works in the 4000 is because those use the native Intel chipset ide controllers although the throughput is slower. The drivers for lba48 on promise chips came late and snapos is not exactly using a bleeding edge bsd kernel. As soon as I get a spare 4100, I'm going to see if I can get FreeNas onto the flash chip. Meanwhile, I can probe the 40 pin header to see what it is. I'm thinking that it connects to the flash drive from another computer and looks like a drive to it so a direct image write would make it easy for the mfrs to get it up and running since it is headless and has no terminal com port either.

[re3dyb0y]

If you got FREENAS on it, it would open up a whole new world

[blue68f100]

I have a programmer with the TSOP socket and flashram, if I can be of any help.

Man it would be nice to see FreeNAS, Or any other kernel in these units. FreeNas is about 1-2 betas off to getting the auto mounts working on reboot.

[re3dyb0y]

Yeah, anything would really do

Especially if we can then port it to other Snap OS Units

As long as it is able to be configured externally, and then moved over, or be able to have a IP assigned by DHCP after copy, it doesn't really matter!

[jsrudkin]

Hi, do you have another copy of the PIC dump file i am trying to unzip ip but it says it is corrupt, Thanks.

[blue68f100]

I downloaded it again and didn't have any problem unziping it with winrar.

[jsrudkin]

Originally Posted by blue68f100

I downloaded it again and didn't have any problem unziping it with winrar.

Thanks for that it unzipped with no problems, Do you have a dump for the second chip yet?

[re3dyb0y]

The currently dumped code is just the PIC code

Not the code from the flash chip

We are still waiting for someone to dump it for us!

Hence the Post

Originally Posted by blue72gem

This is PIC code and not flash code!
I haven't dump the flash yet. PIC dump is ASM code that can be disassembled with dev tools for microcontrolers (www.microchip.com).
But I haven't got a clue what's used for in 4100, maybe some coder here would tell us from its disassembly.
As I told I haven't dump the flash yet... I don't have the knowledge nor the tools to decompile it or make a proper patch. I can only provide assistence for testing if someone [with a bit of free brain capacity] would try to make the LBA48 patch.

[blue68f100]

I thought he mentioned that the flashram was soldered in.

[jontz]

It is soldered in...makes things a little tougher.

[Terry Kennedy]

Originally Posted by Davesworld

The Promise controllers were not locked out, Snap simply didn't want to spend the extra man hours needed to upgrade the driver.

Exactly. When I was negotiating with Snap Appliance to have them add LBA48 to the 4100, they first said that the Promise chips couldn't do LBA48. When I sent them the appnote, they said they'd discuss the project internally and get back to me. Ultimately, they decided to not quote it as they were concentrating on the newer GuardianOS models. Also, I suspect they didn't want to let the 4100 compete with the larger models. They had to do LBA48 for devices like the 1100 - who would buy a 120GB NAS these days?

[flatchmo]

The Header on the circuit board of my 2000 there is what looks like and IDE header but is labeled ISP, usually refered to as In System Programing.
Right next to that header is a blank spot that looks like it might be used as a socket for a DOC, Disckonchip.

[blue68f100]

The v1 board does not have the ISP header. But it has space for a SCSI controller and header. The ISP header is on the 1100 board though.

[jaylweb]

My 4100 has the IDE header. It shows pin 1 and pin 2 and doesn't say ISP anywhere near it. It does look as though some of the tracings lead from the flash to this header. I tried to use a USB/IDE adapter but my laptop never recognized anything. I did the hard drive bit too, but like an earlier post stated, the system just wouldn't boot.

I do wonder if an IDE Flash Module would work.
http://ec.transcendusa.com/product/p...=59&indexnum=9

[Phoenix32]

Originally Posted by jaylweb

My 4100 has the IDE header. It shows pin 1 and pin 2 and doesn't say ISP anywhere near it. It does look as though some of the tracings lead from the flash to this header. I tried to use a USB/IDE adapter but my laptop never recognized anything. I did the hard drive bit too, but like an earlier post stated, the system just wouldn't boot.

I do wonder if an IDE Flash Module would work.
http://ec.transcendusa.com/product/p...=59&indexnum=9

cbaker391 had some additional information to what you were looking for in this thread

http://forums.procooling.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=11356

[Harbinger]

Anyone want to try this to dump the flash chip?

http://www.uchobby.com/index.php/200...d-flash-chips/

According to the article, all you'd need is a smartmedia reader, not a fancy chip programmer.

[meister_sd]

Are people still needing this flash dumped? There is only one chip to work with on this board.

[blue68f100]

NO, It's a dead OS, so we have started moving to Guardian OS units.

I had done some research and found out that there is not enough room to enable LBA48bit. The only way it could work would to convert it to a std boot loader. Too much work, and I know of no one who has the knowledge to reverse engineer the OS.

[jaylweb]

Too bad GuardianOS won't run on these 4100 units. Any ideas on the size of the flash?

I have a 160Gb 4100 that I plan on upgrading with some new 160Gb drives. I just wish it would see past the 137Gb limit, but oh well.....it's still a heck of an upgrade. Once I do this, I can use S2S to fully mirror my 480GB 4100 to this one.

[blue68f100]

I believe they are 4meg units.