How to recover a corrupted/erased Kernel EEPROM in Power PMAC?

Each Power PMAC firmware package includes its proper version of Kernel and it automatically updates the Kernel, but this is only true if the Power PMAC is running and could execute the PowerPMAC.deb file. If the Kernel is corrupted/erased, then the CPU can not complete a boot cycle and it can't execute the installation package.

 

In order to recover from this situation, we have to:

1. Start an TFTP server on the PC.

2. Get connected to Power PMAC with a serial communication console.

3. Transfer the Kernel image from the PC to Power PMAC boot-loader over the Ethernet network using the TFTP client/server.

4. Erase the EEPROM.

5. Copy the Kernel Image into the EEPROM.

 

The following section explains these steps in detail:

 

1. Start an TFTP server on the PC.

Download the following package and extract it as a folder under C:\tftpsrv\ drive.

 

tftpsrv.zip

 

NOTE: The Kernel uImage included in this package is for firmware version 1.5.8.0. If you need a different uImage file, please extract the file from the respective PowerPMAC.deb file.

 

After extraction, go to command prompt in Windows and execute the tftpsvr.bat file:

 

 

2. Get connected to Power PMAC with a serial communication console.

This can be done through a couple of serial console programs such as Putty. (Download Link)

 

 

3. Transfer the Kernel image from the PC to Power PMAC boot-loader over the Ethernet network using the TFTP client/server.

 

While the serial console application is running, turn on the Power PMAC. Interrupt the boot sequence by pressing any button during the boot when proper message is displayed.

 

 

Assign an IP address from the same subnet that the PC is connected to (usually this IP address is set to 192.168.0.200 for Power PMAC by default):

setenv ipaddr 10.34.9.232

 

Define the IP address of the server where the TFTP server is running:

setenv serverip 10.34.9.1

 

Copy the uImage file from the PC to the Power PMAC memory:

tftp 0x20000 uImage

 

 

4. Erase the EEPROM.

 

Erase the EEPROM where the uImage has to be copied:

erase 0xfc000000 0xfc3dffff

 

 

5. Copy the Kernel Image into the EEPROM.

 

Copy the Kernel Image from memory into EEPROM:

cp.b ${fileaddr} 0xfc000000 ${filesize}

 

 

Restart the Power PMAC and the Kernel should load properly.

Note that this must be done on Eth0 only.

Note that this must be done on Eth0 only.

 

Here is an application note (and zip file) describing the procedure to re-flash the kernel on a 465 CPU.

 

(Please note the application note was updated to correct a minor typo)

tftpsrv465.zip

reflash 465 kernel.pdf

How can I get the tftpsrv file for the latest firmware?

Is the firmware file (.deb) a form of an archive file and can be extracted to generate tftpsrv?

The TFTP server is a third party server program - it is not part of the firmware. It is in the zip file. It will work with all firmware versions and CPU types. The uImage.xxx file is in the zip file also. If you have a 460 CPU use Sina's original post. If you have a 465 CPU use my newer post. You can extract it from the firmware deb file at this path: “\data.tar\.\boot\”. For a 460 CPU it is the file: “uImage”. For a 465 CPU it is the file: “uImage.smp”.