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Update BIOS on PE2950 McAfee Appliance
We purchased 2 "still in the box" PE2950's that were built as McAfee Appliances. While seemingly DELL in every other way, we cannot update to the current DELL BIOS (marked as CRITICAL). We also found we cannot install a functioning OMSA application on an otherwise stable Windows 2008 x64 platform.
Short of replacing the motherboards, is there a way to "FORCE" a BIOS update or otherwise return these systems to native DELL?
I realize asking to hack a DELL product on an official DELL forum is less than wise but nonetheless appreciate any help / direction you can offer.
Jack
MTRGoose
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September 16th, 2011 20:00
Here is the solution. You need to edit the Autoexec.bat of the bios disk. You will need to add the switch -forcetype to the command line that calls the bios exe. So it should look like this
PE2950_A5.exe -forcetype
This will force the bios onto the chip and it will remove the McAfee bios.
theflash1932
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May 6th, 2011 10:00
I just posted a response on your first thread, but to add/summarize:
If this was an authorized BIOS alteration ("private label" server - re-branded PowerEdge), then Dell may have the appropriate update packages, but if the previous owners "hacked" the original Dell BIOS, the only way to update/restore it would be to force-flash/hack the BIOS back to a Dell version, but this carries substantial risk of ruining the BIOS (motherboard). I doubt this could have been done through McAfee software alone.
tommo666
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May 6th, 2011 12:00
The OEM drivers and bios are here.
To find these manually on the drivers home page, click on select 'Select your product line', select 'Desktops' then scroll down to Pentium systems. All the OEM models are there.
JSpatter
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May 6th, 2011 12:00
theflash1932 . . . Thanks again for your response.
These servers were still in the box, so I'm pretty sure the people we bought them from didn't make any changes. My reference to "hacking" above is merely to state that is what I'll probably have to do to get the existing boards back to vanilla Dell. I realize there are risks but at this point, I'm just looking for options. If / when I find some, then I'll evaluate the risks vs. cost, etc. But not being able to use OMSA on a server that's 500 miles away severely reduces that server's value to me.
So, I'm certain this is an authorized alteration by Dell. If I was using these servers as originally intended, I'm pretty sure I could get updated BIOS from McAfee if McAfee deemed the updates necessary to run their application.
In response to your comments in the other thread, this is what I see:
This makes me wonder if all that's changed in the modified BIOS is the "name".
JSpatter
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May 6th, 2011 13:00
tommo666 . . . thank you for your reply.
Your suggestion looked promising but I get a similar error when using that file: Cannot use a " - " BIOS in a McAfee, Inc. - McAfee Appliance"
Thanks for trying.
Jack
tommo666
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May 6th, 2011 13:00
It sounds like McAfee have made some custom changes, which mean you will have to get the bios/support from them.
MTRGoose
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September 16th, 2011 15:00
I am a former employee of Secure Computing/McAfee. The answer is modifying the Autoexec.bat. I do not remember the exact modification, but I am looking for it and will post it once I find it. I hope to have an answer in the next day or two.
Craig
JSpatter
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September 16th, 2011 16:00
Craig,
It's been so long, I had all but given up. I patiently await your fix!
Thanks!
Jack
JSpatter
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December 12th, 2011 16:00
MTRGoose,
Well, it took me this long to get one of my servers back to try your suggestion. In short, it worked like a champ! We now have a "PowerEdge 2950" instead of a "McAfee Appliance." I'm sure the other Dell software will now recognize the server.
Thank you very much for your help!
MTRGoose
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January 26th, 2012 09:00
Glad you were able to get that worked out on your servers. Once you have the Dell BIOS on, it should work just like a standard Dell 2950.
Craig
JustinY
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May 7th, 2012 19:00
This worked to fix a R610 after a botched BIOS update.
The system somehow losts its BIOS revision & model info after the SMTD failed to correctly install the BIOS update from the SUU repository. Without the BIOS revision & model info the USC/Lifecycle Controller wouldnt launch and the OMSA tools wouldnt run.
After I force flashed the BIOS "R610-060100C.exe -forcetype" everything works great. Next option was to RMA the motherboard and I really didnt want to do that.
erikpH7
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April 19th, 2013 18:00
Just have to say... it's April 19th, 2013 ... and this totally saved me a ton of time! Just wanted to let you know you help another person. I purchased two unused McAfee R610's and couldn't figure out how to force the BIOS! Worked great! Thank you.
wolf-daddy
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July 9th, 2014 19:00
Does anyone know if this switch will work with the Linux '.BIN' BIOS install packages? The box in my case is an old NetScout Infinistream i730, which is a re-branded PE2950. All of the firmware updates seemed to run fine from the ISO image I built with Repository Manager and the embedded Linux image, but I'm without easy access to a DOS solution in 2014. I guess I can try it and see in the morning when I get back to work. I'd really like to get this thing off of my desk and into a cabinet in the lab to be a NAS appliance (MD1000 attaches), but the BIOS update is the lingering thing.
Thanks for the original answer, and any additional ideas and suggestions!