bce(4) with IPMI

[Sean Bruno]

> > > The Broadcom MFW is configured to load/not load through an NVRAM 
> > > option that is likely not affected by the iDRAC BIOS settings.
> > > To disable MFW you'd need to run the user diagnostic utility
> > > (UXDIAG.EXE) with the following command line:
> > > 
> > > C:\>uxdiag -mfw 0
> > > 
> > > To turn it back on run the following:
> > > 
> > > C:\>uxdiag -mfw 1
> > > 
> > > You can find a bootable CD with the user diagnostic here:
> > > http://www.broadcom.com/support/license.php?file=NXII/Xdiag-5.2.2.iso
> > > 
> > > Dave
> > > 
> > 
> > Ah, ok.  
> > 
> > 
> > Pyun:
> > 
> > Should I do this on a host and validate your changes?
> > 
> 
> That would be great if you can. Because some part of code is not
> executed in my patch when firmware is not running. Previously
> bce(4) executed that code regardless of firmware running state.
> 
> > Sean
> > 
> > 


Ran this on my Dell R410.  I can clearly see that the tool is
"disabling" the MFW bit, and that the dell bios interface to the IPMI
controller/DRAC is impaired, however ...

The system still thinks that the MFW bit is "ON" and proceeds normally
in this case.  The code still fails to detect that MFW is disabled.

In addition, the IPMI driver attaches to "something" and I can poke at
it via ipmitool.  So, from the driver perspective, the attempt to detect
MFW enabled doesn't work as the chipset still thinks that its "on".

I've commented out the code block that we're trying to work around in
the yahoo code base for now.  

Sean