Options to update a Poweredge R710 server with latest firmware when ESXi 5.0 is installed

Hi Edy,

The easiest update option is probably the lifecycle controller and it would be helpful if we were to get it to work. One option may be to apply the lifecycle controller repair package and then update the lifecycle controller. What I would recommend is to turn the server off, hold the power down for 30 seconds, and then plug the server in and wait 2 minutes to allow the iDRAC to initialize. After the 2 minutes is up you should be able to connect to the iDRAC web interface with the server still powered off but plugged in, and then navigate in the iDRAC web interface to the firmware update section as described here:  . Instead of uploading an iDRAC firmware image, upload the USC/LC repair package from downloads.dell.com/.../BDF_1.5.5_BIN-12.usc or downloads.dell.com/.../BDF_1.4.0_BIN-32_A03.usc depending on your current Lifecycle Controller firmware version. After applying this hopefully you can turn the server on and it will get out of the reboot loop and you can do the updates.

With the SUU you made you can update the server if you made it bootable, if not you can boot into the USC/LC (once you did the repair) and use that image as a repository to do updates once you are in there.

Let us know how it goes and if you run into any trouble. Thanks!

Hi,

Thank you for your detailed answer.

I downloaded both repair files from the link you have provided me.I turned off the server and uploaded the file using Drac6. However with both files it was stuck in the uploading process (first step). I waited for both files about 20 minutes. How long does it need to upload (step on) usually?

It's a Poweredge R710 Server. The firmware version is 1.5.0 (Build 24). BIOS version 1.0.4

I guess when this does not work I shall try the SUU. I made an ISO.

Thanks,

Edy

Edy,

I think part of the problem might be how old your BIOS is, it is way out of date for that new of an iDRAC firmware version (1.5). Since it is so old you will need to step it. You should go to 1.3.6 and then you can go to 2.3.x and then you can jump all the way to the latest 6.3.0. I have created a small DOS-like bootable ISO you can use to do all three from the single ISO (though you will need to reboot between each one). You can download this ISO from dtxdropbox.dell.com with login "r710bios" and password "kwm6my40" via web browser, FTP, or SCP. When you boot it please install the BIOS updates in this order: r710-136.exe, r710-23.exe, then r710-630.exe. Please do reboot after each one. Unfortunately the iDRAC and/or Lifecycle Controller cannot be updated with this method but I think they will do better after you get the BIOS up to date. I have never seen it taking more than 15 minutes so I would suspect 20 minutes is too long and indicative of an issue. I think it will likely run ok after the BIOS update. Let us know how it goes. Thanks again.

Hello,

Thank you very much for this ISO. I did work and I could upgrade the BIOS step by step.

Unfortunately the Lifecycle Controller repair tool didn't work after the BIOS upgrade. First I booted the server and started the Lifecylce Controller, but it stopped during the start progress. This time I got now error

After that I thought trying to boot the server with the Dell Support Update Utility (SUU) and inserted then the CD I prepared the other day with the bundle. The bundle was recognized, but after 5% of upgrade progress it stopped. But I guess since I have two CDs this is not the proper way for the upgrade. Tomorrow I will put the bundles on a USB stick and boot the server with the SUU Cd. I will see, if this is going to work.

Well I'm making progress seeing light at the end of the tunnel.

Do you know by chance if I should install ESXi 5.0 again after the BIOS upgrade and further firmware upgrades? Would ESXi install with other drivers? Does it make a difference?

Thanks,

Edy

Hi Edy,

I don't think you'll need to reinstall ESXi after upgrading the BIOS, although it's possible the CPU feature mask changed with the BIOS update. If you have vMotion problems and all your hosts are on the latest BIOS then you may need to manually configure the CPU masks to ensure they are exposing the same feature-sets, but no reinstall is necessary. Otherwise there should be no issues with the BIOS update. Were you able to use the USB stick with the bundles on it to do the update?

What sort of issues are you running into Bob? Another option I don't think mentioned in this thread yet is the Dell Management Plugin for VMware vCenter, which enables you to update firmware on CSIOR-enabled servers (i.e. servers that have a iDRAC 6/7 Express or Enterprise). Information about this is available at en.community.dell.com/.../1961.dell-management-plug-in-for-vmware-vcenter.aspx and the manual is here: support.dell.com/.../UG=en.pdf . Although Dell Management Plugin for VMware vCenter is a paid offering, there is a single-host version available which you may be able to use to update one host, linked from here: <ADMIN NOTE: Broken link has been removed from this post by Dell>.

Can you reopen this.  I am trying to update the bios on r710 with ESXi5.  I am unable to do so.

Thank you

In the past when I have needed to update BIOS in our R710s (admittedly which were running ESXi 4.1 at the time), I migrated the VMs off using vMotion, then shutdown ESXi and booted the server off a bootable USB stick into Windows command line and then applied the .EXE BIOS update from the command line.  Is that sort of approach not an option?  Obviously would require physical access to the host(s).

Hate to re-open this again, but I'm stuck.  I have inherited an r710 that is still running a bios 2.x and iDRAC 1.5 I can't use get the bios updated with the  Lifecycle Controller.  I was hoping I found a solution with your Post offering the ISO.  Would you be so kind as to share again. The username/pass is not valid any longer.

Thanks

Jason

Hi! I missed this one, and it looks ideal.

I've inherited a bunch of Dell R710 servers, and I'm used to HP firmware updates and how it is managed - Dell is a bit of a mystery for me.

Can you open up this link again with a new password?

Thanks!

Login is still "r710bios", new password is "0quuycuw". Let us know how it goes. Thanks!

Worked like a dream! Thanks so much!

Can you please repost the ISO?

Thanks!

Yeah that's what I did. It is really easy. Just select the Linux version and create the ISO. The plug ins to make the ISO take about an hour to download and install but after that you have all the tools you need to keep the firmware updated., it does the whole update of all of the firmware on all of the device that are present. 

One note of caution.....  when it's done it will say press any key to reboot. Then it does the BIOS update last. you have to stand and wait for this (about 3-4 minutes for me) than as soon as you see it reboot, EJECT the CDrom/DVD otherwise it will try to update again. and if you try to stop it, it will corrupt the install.  I learned this first hand.  Personally I think it should reboot after hitting the key.  The whole process after the ISO is made took me about 45 min - 1hour for each server.  Lots and lots of little dots..  just run it and go do something else for a while.