BIOS upgrade failed on R740 Linux

What version of Linux are you working with? Does the update only err when trying to run from the OS, or does it also fail if you try to update through the iDRAC with the .EXE?

Are you running this as root? Confirming based on the '#' in the first line of your paste.

I'm using Debian 10, which generally works fine with Dell binaries, I recently upgraded a R730 with the latest .BIN file. And I run the script as root.

In my understanding the .EXE can only be run with Windows, if there is a way to run it otherwise I would be glad to try it.

Nicolas

I just finished upgrading my system from 2.2.11 to 2.4.8 using this method, no problems. 

#Iwork4Dell

I enabled iDRAC, and the update worked, thanks for the solution.

Nicolas

I have the same problem. I am running the update from SLI 3.0.0

Updating the Bios over iDRAC will work, but it is a work a round. I ask me what is cousing this problem, i am root. So it is not a permission problem.

Hello,

Issue may be occur in following conditions

1. BIOS update is executed using Dell Update package ( DUP)
2. BIOS update is launched in UEFI booted Linux OS.
3. Mcaffee or other antivirus software may be installed.
4. Secure boot enabled in system.

Potential workarounds to perform BIOS update are:
1- Linux Inband Updates will be successful after gvfsd-fuse unmount and efi filesystem remount.  Command to achieve this are
2- umount /run/user/0/gvfs
    umount  /sys/firmware/efi/efivars/gvfsd-fuse
    #remounting efivars -  mount -t efivarfs efivarfs /sys/firmware/efi/efivars
3- BIOS Update from Out Of Band

thanks

Marco

Thanks Marco

You are right! If the server (SLI) is booted in "UEFI-Mode" then the update will fail.

If the Server is in "Legacy-Mode" then it works!

And again, i really don't like UEFI

Many thanks for pointing me in the right direction.

Thanks to you! 

Have a good day

Marco

Hi again

I asked my why it is not possible to update the bios in UEFI-Mode.

Is there no chance to update the bios in linux when the server is in UEFI-Mode?

Best regards

Hello Maria

Thank you very much for your help.

Here are the details:

PowerEdge R740xd, bootet with SLI 3.0.0 (Centos 7) in UEFI-Mode (Secure boot disabled).

Installed Bios is 2.11.2 and i like to update to 2.12.2.

Here is the complete log:

[root@localhost Downloads]# ./BIOS_4CRD2_LN64_2.12.2.BIN 
Collecting inventory...

Running validation...

PowerEdge BIOS

The version of this Update Package is newer than the currently installed version.
Software application name: BIOS
Package version: 2.12.2
Installed version: 2.11.2



Continue? Y/N:y
Executing update...
WARNING: DO NOT STOP THIS PROCESS OR INSTALL OTHER PRODUCTS WHILE UPDATE IS IN PROGRESS.
THESE ACTIONS MAY CAUSE YOUR SYSTEM TO BECOME UNSTABLE!
.terminate called after throwing an instance of 'smbios::InternalErrorImpl'
  what():  iopl() failed. probably not root.
/opt/dell/updatepackage/BIOS_4CRD2_LN64_2.12.2.BIN-7573.oDO3Ee/spsetup.sh: Zeile 1533:  8407 Abgebrochen             $cmd "$@"
.
The update failed to complete

Hello LinuxUser2000, 

You mentioned previously, that BIOS update was failed in UEFI-Mode, could you please share if possible, there was any specific error message or code error? Which version of BIOS was installed and which version of OS Linux is installed? I would like to make a research to understand why update was failed.

Please ask me if you have any questions, 
Thank you 
Maria Januszka 
#IWork4Dell
Dell | Social Outreach Services - Enterprise

Hello,

thanks for the information, the only workaround about this is the one that I posted to you above, did you try this?
Thanks

Marco

The work a rounds are:

1. Do the update via LifeCycle controller (But attention: Disk- and also SSD-Firmware would be not update this way!)

2. Boot in legacy mode.

But why does the update not work in UEFI-Mode?

There is also this workaround:

1- Linux Inband Updates will be successful after gvfsd-fuse unmount and efi filesystem remount.  Command to achieve this are
2- umount /run/user/0/gvfs
    umount  /sys/firmware/efi/efivars/gvfsd-fuse
    #remounting efivars -  mount -t efivarfs efivarfs /sys/firmware/efi/efivars
3- BIOS Update from Out Of Band

Did you test it?

Thanks

Marco