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[HowTo] APC Masterswitch AP9211 with AP9606 Firmware Upgrade

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I have a few old APC Masterswitch Power Controller with AP9606 Web/SNMP Management Card stored away in my garage for years…

Finally I found some use for them and I wanted to update the firmwares before I install them for good.

What’s needed:
Tripp-Lite USB to DB9 Adapter – https://www.tripplite.com/support/usa19hs
Plugable USB Serial Adapter – https://plugable.com/products/pl2303-db9
DB9 Null Modem Female to Female adapter – https://a.co/d/dl8Q76C

On MacOS(Monterey v12.5), I had to download and install the driver for Tripp-Lite USB to DB9 adapter and use the following command to connect to APC Masterswitch:

screen /dev/tty.usbserial-1410 2400,cs8,-ixon

I did some web searching and found the following firmwares:

  • aos309a.bin – APC OS for AP9606(download link below)
  • ms225a.bin – Masterswitch Application(download link below)

I followed the ftp instruction for firmware update – https://www.apc.com/us/en/faqs/FA156047/

First, once I get logged into the AP9606 via Serial connection, I figured out the MAC address then assigned IP via BOOTP with:

apc -s 192.168.?.? <MAC Address>

Then uploaded MasterSwitch APP, v2.2.5.a via ftp then Web/SNMP Management Card AOS v3.0.9.a then disabled BOOTP and configured static IP TCP/IP

aos309a.bin_Download
ms225a.bin_Download

[HowTo] NAS – How to flash HP Z840 to IT mode for XigmaNAS

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After 10+ years of using custom build ZFS NAS Server hardware, I have decided to go with either Dell or HPe Workstation H/W for my home ZFS NAS server running XigmaNAS/FreeNAS

Making the long story short, I decided on HPe Z840 Workstation which has built-in SAS 9207-8i with LSI 2308 controller.

From the factory, it is configured with RAID Mode(RI) and in order to be used with ZFS NAS Server, it needs to be converted to Target Mode(TI)

I did some searching and found some good information and instructions but I had to do some deep-searching to get all the files that I need to create the bootable USB with all three(3) firmware/BIOS

YouTube link for the SAS 9207-8i IT mode Flashing – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=boK6UcCFx2Q

P20 Broadcom Drivers download link – https://www.broadcom.com/support/download-search?pg=Legacy+Products&pf=Legacy+Host+Bus+Adapters&pn=SAS+9207-8i+Host+Bus+Adapter&pa=Firmware&po&dk&pl

Here are some packages that I download to create a bootable USB stick for the IT mode flash:
Installer_P20_for_UEFI.zip
sas2flash.efi
9207_8i_Package_P20_IR_IT_FW_BIOS_for_MSDOS_Windows.zip
9207-8.bin and mptsas2.rom

Knowledge base – https://www.broadcom.com/support/knowledgebase/1211161501344/flashing-firmware-and-bios-on-lsi-sas-hbas

Save SAS Address:
> SAS2FLASH.EXE -c 0 -list > Z840.TXT
-c 0 : first controller
Erasing Firmware:
> SAS2FLASH.EXE -c 0 -o -e 6
-e 6 : erase for firmware flash
Flashing:
> SAS2FLASH.EXE -c 0 -o -f 9207-8-IT.BIN -b MPTSAS2.ROM -b X64SAS2.ROM
-b 9207-8-IT.BIN: IT mode firmware
-b MPTSAS2.ROM: LSI BIOS ROM
-b X64SAS2.ROM: UEFI ROM
Updating SAS Address:
> SAS2FLASH.EXE -c 0 -o -sasadd <address_no_dashes>

Here is before and after of the SAS list of Z840 box, Before & After:

LSI Corporation SAS2 Flash Utility
Version 20.00.00.00 (2014.09.18) 
Copyright (c) 2008-2014 LSI Corporation. All rights reserved

 Adapter Selected is a LSI SAS: SAS2308_1(D1) 

 Controller Number : 0
Controller : SAS2308_1(D1) 
PCI Address : 00:01:00:00
SAS Address : 5001438-0-36c5-6fb0
NVDATA Version (Default) : 11.00.00.10
NVDATA Version (Persistent) : 11.00.00.10
Firmware Product ID : 0x2714 (IR)
Firmware Version : 18.10.00.00
NVDATA Vendor : LSI
NVDATA Product ID : SAS2308
BIOS Version : 07.35.02.00
UEFI BSD Version : N/A
FCODE Version : N/A
Board Name : LSISAS2308
Board Assembly : N/A
Board Tracer Number : N/A

 Finished Processing Commands Successfully.
Exiting SAS2Flash.
LSI Corporation SAS2 Flash Utility
Version 20.00.00.00 (2014.09.18) 
Copyright (c) 2008-2014 LSI Corporation. All rights reserved 

 Adapter Selected is a LSI SAS: SAS2308_2(D1) 

 Controller Number : 0
Controller : SAS2308_2(D1) 
PCI Address : 00:01:00:00
SAS Address : 5001438-0-36c5-6fb0
NVDATA Version (Default) : 14.01.00.06
NVDATA Version (Persistent) : 14.01.00.06
Firmware Product ID : 0x2214 (IT)
Firmware Version : 20.00.07.00
NVDATA Vendor : LSI
NVDATA Product ID : SAS9207-8i
BIOS Version : 07.39.02.00
UEFI BSD Version : 07.27.01.01
FCODE Version : N/A
Board Name : SAS9207-8i
Board Assembly : N/A
Board Tracer Number : N/A

 Finished Processing Commands Successfully.
 Exiting SAS2Flash.

Here is the zip file containing all of the files that I used to flash my card:

LSI2X08Download

[Windows] How to transfer Windows license

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How to see the current Windows License Key:
1. run ‘regedit’
2. capture Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\SoftwareProtectionPlatform\BackupProductKeyDefault

Deactivating Windows License:
1. run Command Prompt with ‘Run as administrator’
2. type ‘slmgr /upk’
3. type ‘slmgr /cpky’ (to clear registry)

Activating Windows from Command Prompt:
1. run Command Prompt with “Run as administrator’
2. type ‘slmgr /ipk xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx’
3. type ‘slmgr /dlv’ (to verify)

[macOS] Ripping CD and Converting to FLAC

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It has been a long time since I rip a CD to FLAC files and I used to do this on Windows. Now my primary system is macOS, I want to find out how to do this on a Mac.

(https://xiph.org/flac/links.html#software)

I decided to use macOS Music/iTunes to extract tracks from CD to Apple Lossless Audio Codec(AAC):

A Better CD Encoder(ABCDE)
with Homebrew installed, “brew install abcde”

X Lossless Decoder(XLD) – just run it once and set the Output format and directory then open the AAC files with XLD and it will convert them to FLAC automatically

[macOS] Must-have Apps

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Amphetamine – https://apps.apple.com/us/app/amphetamine/id937984704?mt=12

Appcleaner – https://freemacsoft.net/appcleaner/

Encrypto – https://apps.apple.com/us/app/encrypto-secure-your-files/id935235287?mt=12

Helium 3 – https://apps.apple.com/us/app/helium-3/id1294059664?mt=12

IINA – https://iina.io/

Itsycal – https://www.mowglii.com/itsycal/

VLC – https://www.videolan.org/vlc/

Keka – https://www.keka.io/en/

Weather Bug – https://apps.apple.com/us/app/weatherbug-weather-forecasts-and-alerts/id1059074180?mt=12

[rPi] Raspberry Pi – New Toy – Installation

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JP gave me a Raspberry Pi Version B with 512MB RAM.

http://www.raspberrypi.org/

Quick Start Guide: http://www.raspberrypi.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/quick-start-guide-v2_1.pdf

Formatting Tool: https://www.sdcard.org/downloads/formatter_4/

Images: http://www.raspberrypi.org/downloads

I used “NOOBS (offline and network install)” iamge onto a 8GB SD Card for installation.

1. Download the SD Formatter 4.0(link above) and install
2. Insert a SD Card 4GB+
3. Run the Formatting Tool
3a. Make sure the correct drive is selected
3b. Click on the Options and select “FORMAT SIZE ADJUSTMENT”
3c. Click OK
4. Click the Format button
5. Unzip the downloaded NOOBS image(link above)
6. Copy unzipped files(all) onto the root of the SD Card
7. Insert the SD Card in the SD Card Slot on the Raspberry Pi
8. Power up the Raspberry Pi with at least HDMI, USB Keyboard connected

By default, NOOBS will output over HDMI at your display’s preferred resolution, even if no HDMI display is connected. If you do not see any output on your HDMI display or are using the composite output, press 1, 2, 3 or 4 on your keyboard to select HDMI preferred mode, HDMI safe mode, composite PAL mode or composite NTSC mode respectively.

1. HDMI mode ­ this is the default display mode.
2. HDMI safe mode ­ select this mode if you are using the HDMI connector and cannot see anything on screen when the Pi has booted.
3. Composite PAL mode ­ select either this mode or composite NTSC mode if you are using the composite RCA video connector
4. Composite NTSC mode