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ConnectX-6 firmware update fails
This is on a Dell PowerEdge R6515 with a Mellanox Technologies MT28908 Family [ConnectX-6] network card. I cannot update the firmware to the latest version 20.43.80.04. It fails with this error:
# ./Network_Firmware_G10N6_LN_20.43.80.04_A00.BINCollecting inventory.....Running validation...Update Package is valid for this system
Device: Mellanox ConnectX-6 Single Port HDR100 QSFP56 PCIE Adapte
The version of this Update Package is greater than the currently installed version.Software application name: Mellanox ConnectX-6 Single Port HDR100 QSFP56 PCIE AdaptePackage version: 20.43.80.04Installed version: 20.43.36.08
Reboot Required for activating the updated firmware
Continue? Y/Nyy entered; update was forced by userExecuting update...WARNING: DO NOT STOP THIS PROCESS OR INSTALL OTHER PRODUCT WHILE UPDATE IS IN PROGRESS. THESE ACTIONS MAY CAUSE YOUR SYSTEM TO BECOME UNSTABLE!....
Device: Mellanox ConnectX-6 Single Port HDR100 QSFP56 PCIE Adapte Application: Mellanox ConnectX-6 Single Port HDR100 QSFP56 PCIE Adapte Update failure. No relevant image file was found for this device
The update failed to complete
The previous version 20.43.36.08 installed just fine:
# ./Network_Firmware_9VKCC_LN_20.43.36.08_A00_01.BINCollecting inventory.....Running validation...Update Package is valid for this system
Device: Mellanox ConnectX-6 Single Port HDR100 QSFP56 PCIE Adapter
The version of this Update Package is similar as the currently installed version.Software application name: Mellanox ConnectX-6 Single Port HDR100 QSFP56 PCIE AdapterPackage version: 20.43.36.08Installed version: 20.43.36.08
Reboot Required for activating the updated firmware
Continue? Y/Nyy entered; update was forced by userExecuting update...WARNING: DO NOT STOP THIS PROCESS OR INSTALL OTHER PRODUCT WHILE UPDATE IS IN PROGRESS. THESE ACTIONS MAY CAUSE YOUR SYSTEM TO BECOME UNSTABLE!............................................................................................................................................................................................................
Device: Mellanox ConnectX-6 Single Port HDR100 QSFP56 PCIE Adapter Application: Mellanox ConnectX-6 Single Port HDR100 QSFP56 PCIE Adapter Update success.
Would you like to reboot your system now?
Continue? Y/Nn
The card is seen like this by the OS:
# ibv_devinfohca_id: mlx5_0 transport: InfiniBand (0) fw_ver: 20.43.3608 node_guid: 0c42:a103:00db:ea18 sys_image_guid: 0c42:a103:00db:ea18 vendor_id: 0x02c9 vendor_part_id: 4123 hw_ver: 0x0 board_id: DEL0000000013 phys_port_cnt: 1 port: 1 state: PORT_ACTIVE (4) max_mtu: 4096 (5) active_mtu: 4096 (5) sm_lid: 1 port_lid: 1 port_lmc: 0x00 link_layer: InfiniBand
@Mark Franklin Unfortunately, your workarounds didn't help me. The update via iDRAC simply failed (PR21: Job failed.).
The manual upgrade didn't work either. I could extract the updater, but the firmware image was missing from the payload directory, it only contained an xml file which was referencing bin files that were missing. For comparison:
[wgs34] /tmp # ./Network_Firmware_G10N6_LN_20.43.80.04_A00.BIN --extract 20.43.80.04Successfully extracted to 20.43.80.04[wgs34] /tmp # ls 20.43.80.04/payload/configfile.xml[wgs34] /tmp # ./Network_Firmware_9VKCC_LN_20.43.36.08_A00_01.BIN --extract 20.43.36.08Successfully extracted to 20.43.36.08[wgs34] /tmp # ls 20.43.36.08/payloadconfigfile.xml DEL0000000010.pldm DEL0000000013.pldmDell-Martin S
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Posted September 1st, 2026 06:01
Hi,
Since your system already listsboard_id: DEL0000000013viaibv_devinfo, you can extract the raw binary directly from the Dell package and use flint (part of the Mellanox Firmware Tools) to apply it.Step 1: Install NVIDIA MFTIf you don't already have it installed, download and install the NVIDIA Mellanox Firmware Tools (MFT).# Start the MST service to generate device nodes mst startUse code with caution.Step 2: Extract the raw image from the DUPDell DUP binaries allow you to extract their contents without executing the installer.# Extract the contents to a temporary directory ./Network_Firmware_G10N6_LN_20.43.80.04_A00.BIN --configpath /tmp/cx6_fwUse code with caution.Inside/tmp/cx6_fw, look for the raw firmware files (they usually have.binor.hcaextensions). Locate the one that corresponds to your board ID (DEL0000000013).Step 3: Flash the card directly usingflintFind your card's device target path usingmst status:mst statusUse code with caution.(It will likely appear as/dev/mst/mt4123_pciconf0based on yourvendor_part_id: 4123).Run the update directly, bypassing the DUP inventory check:bashflint -d /dev/mst/mt4123_pciconf0 -i /tmp/cx6_fw/firmware_image_name.bin burnUse code with caution.Note: Ifflintwarns you about a Subsystem ID mismatch but the Board ID matches, you can append the-allow_psid_changeflag to the command to force it.with kind regards Martin/ Liebe Grüße Martin
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DELL-Martin S
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@Dell-Martin S This doesn't work, as
Network_Firmware_G10N6_LN_20.43.80.04_A00.BINdoesn't contain any firmware images. Please see the post above yours. You can verify this by trying to extract the firmware from the DUP.Dell-Martin S
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Posted September 17th, 2026 05:21
Hian Alternate Solution: Flash via NVIDIA's Global Firmware ArchiveNVIDIA hosts the raw customized firmware binaries (.binor.mfa) for major OEMs, including Dell. You can download the correct image payload directly from them.- Go to the NVIDIA Firmware Download Portal:
Visit the NVIDIA Firmware Tools and Downloads Page. - Search by your Board ID / PSID:
Look for the firmware archive matching the ConnectX-6 VPI / InfiniBand series, and specifically find the download block matchingDEL0000000013. - Download the Raw Binary:
Download the latest.binfirmware file matching your target version (20.43.80.04). - Flash Using MFT:
Once you have the standalone binary file, execute the nativeflintupdate via the NVIDIA Mellanox Firmware Tools:bashmst start flint -d /dev/mst/mt4123_pciconf0 -i /path/to/downloaded_firmware.bin burnUse code with caution. - Cold Reboot:
Power cycle the server completely to load the new firmware image into the card.
with kind regards Martin/ Liebe Grüße Martin
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DELL-Martin S
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- Go to the NVIDIA Firmware Download Portal:
Hi Martin, this doesn't help here: https://network.nvidia.com/support/firmware/firmware-downloads/ doesn't have OEM firmwares, the PSIDs all start with MT_. The separate link https://network.nvidia.com/support/firmware/dell/ has OEM firmware for Dell, but the latest version is from 2022 (version 20.32.2004).
Dell-Martin S
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Posted September 17th, 2026 08:32
The DUP will be fixed in the future raising this to your account manager is a good decission :)
with kind regards Martin/ Liebe Grüße Martin
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DELL-Martin S
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Answer from Support, which is at least clear:
Thank you for your patience while we reviewed this concern.
Regarding the 20.43.80.04 firmware version, we have received clarification that this version is not available as a Dell Update Package (DUP) for PowerEdge Mellanox MT28908 adapters with Dell part numbers CY7GD and 1GK7G.
The latest supported Dell DUP for these adapters is 20.43.36.08.
We apologize for any confusion caused by this. Due to a discrepancy in the firmware catalog information, the availability of version 20.43.80.04 for these specific PowerEdge adapters was incorrectly interpreted. The Dell Support site will be updated accordingly to reflect the correct supported version.
Please let us know if you have any further questions.
I don't need 20.43.80.04 at the moment so aren't going to push for it - and don't spend enough with Dell to be able to get that across the line anyway! @E5-2660, if you do need it I can pass that message on but I think it's unlikely to happen at this point in the CX6 lifecycle.
Mark Franklin
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Posted August 31st, 2026 14:34
This is a known Dell bug — the OS-based BIN updater fails to match the device to an image for certain Mellanox/ConnectX firmware packages (Dell KB 000378312, same error text, though written for CX-4/CX-5 it's the same root cause).
Workarounds:
./Network_Firmware_G10N6_LN_20.43.80.04_A00.BIN --extract update
cd update
./mlxfwupdater -D payload -u -y
(mlxfwupdater is part of NVIDIA's MFT tools)
Try iDRAC first — quickest fix.