Updating firmware using UEFI with Lifecycle Controller

Question

I tried to update one of our R810 servers today using the UEFI with Lifecycle Controller and a local DVD SUU. I was following the instructions in a White Paper "Lifecycle Controller Platform
Update/Firmware Update in Dell PowerEdge 12th Generation Servers" from Dell. I wondered if you could identify what I was doing wrong.

Here are the steps I took:

From Dell Repository Manager, I exported the latest system bundle for the R810 to SUU ISO and burned it to DVD. I started with Linux SUUs, but discovered this morning that the UEFI only accepts Windows DUPs so I exported and burned the Windows x64 system bundle.
I booted into the UEFI and selected Platform Update.
I chose the “local repository” option and clicked Next. The Custom SUU in the DVD drive was automatically selected. After clicking through the “catalog could not be verified – do you want to continue” message it presented me with the error: "No Update is available. Ensure Windows catalog, and Dell Update Packages for Windows are used."
I tried creating a USB repository instead, by copying all the files in the SUU/repository folder to a folder called catalog in the root of the USB drive, per the instructions in the white paper. That gave me the same message. I moved all the files to the root of the drive but that didn’t help either.

What did I do wrong? I even tried pointing it to \repository (for the DVD) and \catalog (for the USB) but it didn’t help. Was I using the wrong type of SUU? How do I point the UEFI to the right location on the DVD? Do I need to specify a file? What syntax do I use?

Thanks.

Regards, Dominic

bradje1 · Answer

I find when I get this error, I need to update the DRAC, LifeCycle Controller and BIOS separately, before the other components will update via the SUU. JB

Prasanna Jayabal · Answer

Thanks for the post. 'catalog signature could not be verified' is the expected message if you use the repository exported from Dell repository manager. LC doesn't support 'Windows x64 system bundle', please use 'Windows x86 system bundle' and let us know the result. You can also download SUU ISO and attach that in virtual media. And directly perform the update from SUU repository. Latest SUU ISO:

brastedd · Answer

Thanks for the replies. I would like to use the Dell Repository Manager-created SUU ISOs, to keep the size small enough to fit on a standard DVD. Can you confirm that the 32-bit Windows packages will definitely work? Are the rest of the steps I took correct? Do I have to point the UEFI to a specific file or will it find the catalog automatically?

Unfortunately I'm unable to test a SUU DVD that I create, as the server I'm trying to update is a production, mission-critical server.

Thanks.

Cory Morrisette · Answer

I have the same exact issue, and I just tried the 32-bit bundle and it also did not work. Any real suggestions on how this is supposed to work would be appreciated. Thanks.

brastedd · Answer

Here is the relevant Dell Tech Center article with YouTube video: http://en.community.dell.com/techcenter/systems-management/w/wiki/updates-using-usb-with-lifecycle-controller

According to the video the Repository Manager is supposed to create a whole bunch of autorun files and an RM folder with Repository Manager files when you use the "Export SUU to directory" option. However, when I do so it only exports the repository folder to my assigned directory. Is this the "new way" to do it? Because it's nothing like the video! I'm using the latest Repository Manager Data Center Version, version number 1.9.1.158.

The video/documentation has nothing (that I can find) about which bundle to export (i.e. x86/x64).

Please let us know how to use the UEFI to perform platform updates using a DVD/USB stick. The Dell documentation is clearly out of date, and thus extremely confusing and frustrating.

brastedd · Answer

Does anyone here have experience using the UEFI who can help us with this? Unfortunately I don't have any spare servers I can test this on.

Prasanna Jayabal · Answer

I used this recent whitepaper to create custom repository using Dell Repository Manager for R810 server: http://en.community.dell.com/techcenter/extras/m/white_papers/20438116/download

Lifecycle controller successfully displayed the latest available firmware updates for me in R810 server. Ideally we don't have to export the repository as SUU, because intention of exporting as SUU is to update system in post OS(But still it will work as for LC ONLY "/repository" folder in SUU is alone needed). We can simply save the repository (Note:- Make sure Catalog.xml file is generated, otherwise LC will not show any update.) to a local directory if we are going to use it for LC as stated in this white paper. Please ensure are we giving directory where "Catalog.xml" file is present in "Catalog location or Update Package Path " field of LC once "Local Drive" field is selected.

For using Windows 64bit bundle in LC:- While saving the repository in Dell Repository Manager, it gives prior warning to NOT use 64bit bundle for Lifecycle Controller.

brastedd · Answer

Thank you for the reply. Three things.

1) Exporting bundles (rather than saving repository) does not give a warning about Dell Lifecycle Controller usage and excluding the 64-bit bundles. It would be helpful if it did.

2) You remarked that we don't have to export the repository as a SUU, but that "it will work as for LC ONLY "/repository" folder in SUU is alone needed". If that is the case then my guess would be that it didn't recognize my updates simply because I didn't have the 32-bit updates on my SUU. If this is so then fine, I'll remember to use the 32-bit bundles/repositories. However, according to the post by Cory Morrisette above, this option doesn't work either. If it's possible for you to verify that the 32-bit SUU will indeed work with the UEFI then that would be great.

3) You remark "Please ensure are we giving directory where "Catalog.xml" file is present in "Catalog location or Update Package Path " field of LC once "Local Drive" field is selected." Can you tell me how to do that? What is the syntax? Do I just type in catalog.xml, or repository/catalog.xml, or something else?

Thanks.

Prasanna Jayabal · Answer

Hi Brastedd,

Please find what I have tried,

I have tried with latest SUU ISO (14.10.200.123) downloaded from internet on R810, it was working.

While using SUU 14.10.200.123, just given "/repository" in "Catalog location or Update Package Path " field of LC.

Thanks

brastedd · Answer

Thanks. Can you tell me whether the server will reboot to the OS after updates are complete? I believe that if there are updates requiring multiple reboots then it will reboot to the Lifecycle Controller to continue the updates, but what about when the updates are all finished?

Prasanna Jayabal · Answer

If any updates require reboot, server will reboot and enter the LC automatically to continue the remaining updates. When all the updates are completed, server will reboot and enter the LC
Home page. You have to manually exit the LC to come out of LC finally.

Thanks.

brastedd · Answer

Thank you, that's very helpful.

I tried doing my updates again today and encountered the error "These updates are not authorized by Dell" (or words to that effect). Turns out my LC and DRAC firmware are too old to allow me to update from the latest Dell repository. I wish I had known that error might occur before this morning. It would have saved me a lot of stress and headache!

What is your recommended method to update the LC and DRAC so that I can update everything else using the LC and FTP? I am unable to use OMSA to do the update, or to push it from OME to the iDRAC over WS-MAN. Neither can I run the update from the OS (Linux), as I don't have access to it.

Also, the LC was unable to detect the SAS-drive firmware update that OME suggests for our hardware. Is that normal?

brastedd · Answer

Is there anyone who can help me with this? I just need to know how to update the LC and DRAC outside of the OS without it giving me an error so I can go on to update everything else from the LC.

I've tried to update this server twice already, to no avail. Thanks.

DELL-Shine K · Answer

What is the firmware version currently installed on iDRAC? You can update iDRAC using iDRAC GUI and racadm methods. Below link have details about the same.

http://en.community.dell.com/techcenter/systems-management/w/wiki/updating-drac-firmware

karen.iannuccil · Answer

I realize I am replying to an old post, however I've had some of the issues mentioned in the previous posts. I'm at a point now that I've updated the LC, firmware and drac on my Linux R910, however I can't get the BIOS upgraded to the latest version, from 1.2.0. I'm getting BIOSwrapper.exe error which I believe stated I need to upgrade to BIOS 2.7.7 prior to 2.10. How do I get older versions of BIOS for the poweredge servers loaded into Dell Repository manager so I can place them on my USB repository? Why is this so difficult?

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Updating firmware using UEFI with Lifecycle Controller

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