BIOS Upgrade on PowerEdge R300 not working?

Netmation,

You can download 32Bit Diagnostics, found here -

www.dell.com/.../poweredge-r300

Then run that and it will ask you the type of media you wish to create and then select CD/DVD. It will create the disk for you. After that you need to download the Non-Packaged version of the BIOS update and save to a USB key or CD/DVD.

Then boot to the 32Bit Diagnostic disk and from the menu select EXIT. That will put you at a Command Prompt. You can then put the BIOS update media in and run it from the command line.

Let me know how it goes.

Chris's method will work, or you can download Repository Manager from here ftp.dell.com/.../Dell_Repository_Manager_1.5.0_A00.msi

and then watch the second video on the link below, which details how to create a bootable iso that will update all your firmware in one shot. Very easy.

en.community.dell.com/.../1767.dell-repository-manager.aspx

Chris and Rey,

Thanks for all your help, I am getting closer but still not there.  I followed Rey's advice and loaded the Repositary Manager.  I was able to create the bundles for my R300.  The video you mention shows that if you are running Linux updates how to make a bootable ISO but that option is grayed out for me.  For Windows I can export a lightweight install with Dell Scripts, which when run from Win Server 2012 installs many of the driver updates, or states "preparing EXE for install", not sure if it is installing anything? But things like the BIOS and SAS Drive Firmware get the error "not recognized as an internal command".  I also tried the Export to SUU to a Windows Directory and to an ISO image.  But the ISO image does not create a bootable DVD so once again I need to run that from within Win Server 2012.  When I attempt to run it in Win Server Open Manage pops up and shows all the updates that need to be run but very few of them successfully run from there.  The Network Firmware THCKX WN ran, but things like BIOS updates are not running.  

How do I create a bootable CD/DVD with these updates from Repository Manager ?

I also started with Chris's suggestion also and was able to boot into 32bit Diagnoistics, but when get to the prompt it does not recognize my usb drives.  I suppose I could load the BIOS EXE onto a CD but then started messing with Repository Manger which seems like a better solution since it updates everything.  

Appreciate any advice.  Thanks for all your help.

so when you are trying to create the repository for your system, it is critical that you select Linux anytime there is a choice for the flavor of operating system. dont select Windows for anything if you are trying to create the bootable iso.

Yes that works great, but....  Problem is that the only way to create a bootable Linux Deployment Media for a Windows System is to make it with a full Source Bundle.  Doesn't seem to be a way to make with with just Firmware for example, which can not be installed within the Windows OS.  I have tried countless methods.  If you know of a way would be much appreciated.  If you create a bundle from selected Windows components and select Linux for creating the bundle it gives you an error "component is different type then the buddle".  So without making a Linux bundle you can not make Linux bootable Deployment Media.  FYI

When you create a repository, you can set filters to only pull up the Windows or Linux updates.  Put those in a repository, then when you export it, choose the SUU in an ISO format.  Then the resulting ISO you just run from inside the OS and it will walk you through the updates.

I am confused a bit by what you have stated. I'll try to explain a couple of items to see if that helps to clarify for you. When you create the Linux deployment media you should only be selecting Linux as the OS, and that disc will only contain Linux based firmware updates, and these updates will run when the system is booted to the deployment disc, there will be no WIndow or linux drivers at all, only firmware files. In addition, the bundle will contain ALL possible firmwares that could be installed in an R300. All the firmware are run on the system, because the deployment disc cannot inventory the system and specifically choose which files to run, it just does them all. Some of them will fail because your system may not have that hardware in it, but the bios and storage and a few other components that are common to all R300 will run and should pass. So that should cover your firmwares for  the system. Now, if you want to update Windows drivers, then  you would create a Windows based disc, and export as SUU. You have a choice of SUU directory, which can be placed on a USB key or across a network and the iso will of course create a disc that is NOT bootable. This will be run from within Windows, SUU will inventory the system, then you get to confirm which driver updates you wish to run.  Going back to your original post where you stated you get "The application has failed to start because its side-by-side configuration is incorrect." when you try to run the bios, this is not a Dell message, and if you google it, there are many postings that show various reasons for this message, so you'll have to do a bit of tshooting to discover the root cause. tecnhically, if you resolve that error message, you could probably run SUU from within Windows to update all firmware AND drivers at the same time. Hope this helps, let us know.