Updating hard drive firmware

Question

Hello all...

I have three Seagate Cheetah 15k hard drives to be configured into a Raid 0 in my 2950 system. Two have firmware S513 and one I have on order has S515.

I've read that it is best to have all drives in a raid running the same firmware. On the Dell site here:

http://www.dell.com/support/drivers/us/en/555/DriverDetails?driverId=5X15P&fileId=2984171699

Is the firmware update for S528.

Any issues with installing this version in these drives that anyone is aware of?

Thanks!

theflash1932 · Accepted Answer

The firmware update readme/update you have linked to is for updating drives in a PowerVault MD3xxx, which is a storage server usually attached to a server, like a 2950. So, to reword my question ... are you updating drives in a PowerVault attached to a 2950, or are you updating drives that sit in the actual drive bays of your PowerEdge 2950 server? If the latter:

SAS/SATA Update Utility for 2950:
http://ftp.dell.com/FOLDER01348201M/2/NautilusA43_ZPE.exe

Readme:
http://ftp.dell.com/FOLDER01348206M/1/Release%20Notes%20A43.txt

Full Info:
http://www.dell.com/support/drivers/us/en/19/DriverDetails/Product/poweredge-2950?driverId=YRX0P&osCode=WNET&fileId=3156368755&languageCode=en

According to these docs, S515 is the latest, so "stepping" the updates would not be necessary.

theflash1932 · Accepted Answer

The update utility operates independently of any OS that might or might not be installed on the system, so you can remove the disk that C: is on.  However, the utility I gave you the link for will update all Dell-certified SAS AND SATA hard drives.  If it doesn't have an update for a drive, it will simply skip it (whether it is already up to date or if it is not a Dell-certified drive).  There is no harm in leaving it in and running the update on all drives it wants to update.

scooter250 · Answer

I found this page that details this more completely... under item #13 downloads.dell.com/.../ReadMe%20A05.txt Do I need to do this 3-step process then?

theflash1932 · Answer

Yes, ideally, all drives would be at the same firmware level.  As long as the drive is a Dell-certified drive, the update utility will update it to the latest. (For example, you can't buy a generic Seagate Cheetah and load/upgrade with Dell's firmware ... non Dell-certified drives will not usually have a firmware version so close to the Dell ones, so you should be good.)

theflash1932 · Answer

Are you updating drives in a PowerVault or in your 2950?  Which 3 steps?

scooter250 · Answer

Found the drivers here: www.dell.com/.../DriverDetails

scooter250 · Answer

PowerEdge 2950.

This article says, if the firmware is as old as mine, then I need to move up to S528 by doing two prior updates first.

See under Item 13.

Any idea where these are located. I cannot find them on the Dell site.

scooter250 · Answer

Flash, you've save my again. Thanks!

You are correct. I am only updating the drive in my 2950 server itself.

So as it stands, the drive I just purchased has the latest S515 driver. I only need update the ones now in the server.

theflash1932 · Answer

'How do I force it just to update the two SAS drives now there as a Raid 0?' It's all or nothing.  It would be best to update the single disk too, but if you really don't want to, you'd have to remove it from the system or see if one of the single updates (rather than the all-in-one utility) matches your HDD model.

scooter250 · Answer

Help!

I'm not sure I know how to do this firmware update. I'm using the "bootable ISO CD" method". It seems like it wants to update my SATA "C" drive so I cancelled out after it ran its very long test.

Do I remove the C drive to do this? How do I force it just to update the two SAS drives now there as a Raid 0?

Thanks

scooter250 · Answer

The C drive is a different model. Seagate Barracuda SATA drive. I assume I cannot use this firmware on it.

Removing the C drive seems the only route. Will it still update with no C drive? Does it need it to be there?

scooter250 · Answer

You are correct..... again.... as usual. It only updated the two SAS drives leaving my SATA C drive alone. Thanks!

theflash1932 · Answer

Love it when I'm right :) Take care!

PowerEdge HDD/SCSI/RAID

Updating hard drive firmware

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