"Unsupported PCI device" errors during IBM System x3550 POST

Question

I installed a non-IBM NIC to IBM System x3550 server and during POST it displays following error messages:

00180801 19A20700 Unsupported PCI device
00180801 19A20700 Unsupported PCI device
00180801 19A20700 Unsupported PCI device
00180801 19A20700 Unsupported PCI device
00180801 19A20700 Unsupported PCI device
00180801 19A20700 Unsupported PCI device

In addition, it shows "POST Startup Error(s)" message for 10 - 20 seconds after the POST:

However, I'm able to access the NIC once I have booted to Linux:

# lspci -vs 07:00.0                                                                                                                                                                                               
07:00.0 Ethernet controller: Emulex Corporation OneConnect 10Gb NIC (rev 02)
        Subsystem: Emulex Corporation Device e629
        Physical Slot: 1
        Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 19
        Memory at c6ffc000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16K]
        Memory at c6fc0000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=128K]
        Memory at c6fa0000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=128K]
        [virtual] Expansion ROM at c5000000 [disabled] [size=512K]
        Capabilities: [40] Power Management version 3
        Capabilities: [48] MSI-X: Enable+ Count=32 Masked-
        Capabilities: [c0] Express Endpoint, MSI 00
        Capabilities: [100] Advanced Error Reporting
        Capabilities: [194] Device Serial Number 00-00-c9-ff-fe-d6-08-6e
        Kernel driver in use: be2net
        Kernel modules: be2net

# ip link show dev eth3
5: eth3: <NO-CARRIER,BROADCAST,MULTICAST,UP> mtu 1500 qdisc mq portid 0200000000323932313530353139593131 state DOWN mode DEFAULT group default qlen 1000
    link/ether 00:00:c9:d6:08:72 brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff
#

Are those "Unsupported PCI device" messages purely cosmetic?

@AlexanderT `dmesg` doesn't say much about this NIC. It prints the maximum number of supported VLANs and unicast and multicast MAC addresses. Also that `PCIe error reporting enabled` for the NIC. In addition, it prints the NIC firmware version and interfaces created(`eth2` and `eth3`). — Martin, May 22 '17 at 18:56

score 3 · Accepted Answer · answered May 22 '17 at 23:09

This is the BIOS reporting that it does not have a mechanism to interact properly with the controller you installed. The BIOS cannot do any "initialization" for the device... however, not all devices require this step. However, this means that trying to use the NIC while the motherboard is still running BIOS code will fail. For example, PXE Booting, if supported by the BIOS, will not work via that NIC, nor will "Wake-on-LAN". However, the BIOS hands control of the hardware over to the Linux Kernel, which can communicate with this board, via its NIC driver module. Many Linux drivers are written to handle or ignore "bad BIOSes", so that is likely what is happening here, and why your card still functions once booted into the Linux Kernel.

I hesitate to say it is "cosmetic", because it is possible the NIC isn't initially set to sane defaults, but the OS (Linux, in your case) should just "do the right thing".

A BIOS update for that server may solve this BIOS noise. Check IBM for information on that server and its BIOS. I did note that there are several sub-models for this server ("M1", "M2", "M3", possibly others), so match carefully. https://www-945.ibm.com/support/fixcentral/

minish · Answer 2 · 2017-05-22T06:08:09.133

1

Your lspci -vs 07:00.0 result:

Ethernet controller: Emulex Corporation OneConnect 10Gb NIC (rev 02) Subsystem: Emulex Corporation Device e629

I searched System x3550 and Emulex 10GbE NIC information, compatibility.

System x support compatibility http://static.lenovo.com/us/en/serverproven/xseries/lan/matrix.shtml

According to the web site, the emulex 10bE card seems available.

But the further information was not found, if you have a support contract System x3550 or Emulex 10GbE card, try to ask them. They may provide the solve about the POST message. Update microcode/firmware about them.

edited May 22 '17 at 06:08

answered May 22 '17 at 05:57

minish

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This compatibility matrix is for `IBM System x3550 M4` and `IBM System x3550 M5` while I have an old `IBM System x3550 7978`. I was simply hoping that maybe someone has encountered this `POST Startup Error(s)` report in old IBM servers and can confirm that this is simply informational. – Martin May 22 '17 at 19:01

"Unsupported PCI device" errors during IBM System x3550 POST

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