IPMItool reset command does not work - IBM System x3690 X5

Resolving The Problem

Source

RETAIN tip: H197393

Symptom

Under very rare conditions, the ipmitool reset command does not work. When this occurs, the user cannot issue the Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) command to reset the system.

All tools that use an IPMI reset command to reset the system are affected, including UpdateXpress Service Pack Installer (UXSPi), Advanced Settings Utility (ASU), IPMItool. IBM Director uses the Common Information Model (CIM) interface, and is not affected.

Affected configurations

The system may be any of the following IBM servers:

• System x3690 X5, type 7148, any model
• System x3690 X5, type 7149, any model

This tip is not software specific.

This tip is not option specific.

Solution

This behavior is corrected in the latest release of Integrated Management Module (IMM) firmware.

The file is available by selecting the appropriate Product name, Product machine type, and operating system on IBM Support's Fix Central web page, at the following URL:

• http://www.ibm.com/support/fixcentral/systemx/groupView?query.productGroup=ibm%2FSystemx

Workaround

Reset the IMM using the IMM Command Line Interface (CLI) or IMM Web interface.

Additional information

The root cause is a timing issue with the I2C bus in which the shutdown process remains suspended. This also prevents any new messages to be accepted by the IMM.

The command to reset the IMM works because it is sent over a different path and is not affected by the timing issue.