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iDRAC 7/8 cannot download firmware updates via LifeCycle (LCC) using online catalog
Thank in advance to everyone who works hard contributing to the Dell community forums.
My Dell R730 cannot download firmware updates via lifecycle controller. Catalog downloads fine, but updates won't download. Upgrade BIOS manually to latest (2.9.1) and iDRAC (2.60.xxxxx) same issue. Tried ftp.dell.com downloads.dell.com via FTP and HTTP. Confirmed with firewall that all traffic is reaching internet without issue. Most likely submitting a ticket with Dell tomorrow.
Based on the forum posts listed below, this appears to be a problem on Dell's side related to some type of FTP to HTTPS transition and download server name transition. It seems to be like a botched transition where Dell has broken backwards compatibility and they may not be able to get out of this without re-enabling the older update services or forcing all customers to apply a corrected LifeCycle controller firmware (that does not exist yet) manually.
A colleague and I have spent most of the day trying to fix this on a single server. I need to update four servers. Dell does not seem to value my time.
What is Dell's official solution to this issue and why is it not a pinned post in these forums?
See these posts for background info:
dyokley
19 Posts
1
April 3rd, 2019 13:00
Sure hope this isn't leading up to abandonment of iDRAC 7/8 users like what happened to iDRAC 6..... Curious of why it worked on all your multiple tests though, unless you never actually executed the updates. My gets the catalog and offers me the updates I need, it just craps out when I try to actually do the install.
DELL-Daniel My
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April 5th, 2019 13:00
At this time the iDRAC/LCC 7/8 are unable to use our online catalog to perform updates due to HTTPS being the only method. Dell EMC Repository Manager can be used to create local repositories.
We are in the process of pushing out firmware updates for the iDRAC/LCC 7 and 8 to allow them to use the online catalog. The firmware update is high priority, so it will will be released out of schedule. It may be released by the end of this month if all goes well, delays are possible though.
I apologize for any inconvenience this has caused due to the lack of communication on this change.
Thanks
dyokley
19 Posts
1
April 5th, 2019 16:00
Awesome, thanks for a real answer, I thought I was losing my mind. I'd be happy to field beta test it, I have 3 7G servers in my home lab
guru777
16 Posts
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April 6th, 2019 22:00
Ian.Watts
8 Posts
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April 11th, 2019 12:00
You should probably update the other thread: https://www.dell.com/community/Systems-Management-General/ftp-dell-com-system-management-download-issues/m-p/7250847
Fortunately for me I linked here from a Reddit post last week..
davidtrammell
1 Message
2
April 16th, 2019 16:00
I have been fighting this stupid issue for a week. HTTP, FTP, even a custom SUU ISO created with DellEMC Repository Manager wouldn't allow my servers to download patches...they'd always return a SUP0531 error. Finally, I found a solution that worked for me:
1. Install DellEMC Repository Manager, add a repository with all your server models, and download the patch files.
2. Copy C:\ProgramData\Dell\drm\store\Catalog.xml.gz to C:\ProgramData\Dell\drm\
3. Create a new Symbolic Link using the command prompt: MKLINK /D C:\ProgramData\Dell\drm\downloads.dell.com C:\ProgramData\Dell\drm\store
4. Install a simple FTP server on the system where you installed DellEMC Repository Manager. I used FileZilla Server, but there are a ton out there.
5. Configure your FTP server so that anonymous users connect to C:\ProgramData\Dell\drm\ as their root. Only read access is needed.
6. In Lifecycle Controller connect to your ftp server with no username, password, path or catalog file specified.
7. Patch your server like you should have been able to do in the first place!
The Catalog.xml.gz file needs to be found in the FTP root for the LCC to know which files to download, but the catalog for some reason has downloads.dell.com hardcoded into the path. So it expects to be able to download \downloads.dell.com\FOLDER01451138M\2\SAS-Drive_Firmware_0JYGF_WN64_DA0B_A03.EXE instead of \FOLDER01451138M\2\SAS-Drive_Firmware_0JYGF_WN64_DA0B_A03.EXE. Moving the FTP root up one level, copying Catalog.xml.gz there and creating the symlink allowed the LCC to download all the files it was supposed to.
I really hope DellEMC fixes this soon, but until they do hopefully the steps above help you folks to keep your servers patched. I'll bookmark this page and check back every couple of days in case anybody reports issues reproducing my steps. Good Luck!
DELL-Daniel My
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April 19th, 2019 08:00
Late April or early May is still the target as far as I know. It is difficult to give a precise date. The internal ETA is based on estimations to perform tasks required prior to release, so the release date is very fluid.
SmokinBanz
7 Posts
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April 19th, 2019 08:00
Any update on this being fixed? Same issues and experience on my R730's.
dyokley
19 Posts
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April 28th, 2019 13:00
Maybe next time testing and a fix is implemented BEFORE it's broken. Still isn't clear how it continued to work in your lab, repeatedly, on multiple systems. Don't get me wrong, I work in Infrastructure so I'm no stranger to oopsies but this is a pretty major issue. Our IT would have been working 24/7 to correct something like this, especially if it was affecting our paying customers.
guru777
16 Posts
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May 2nd, 2019 08:00
Any updates on this Daniel?
DELL-Daniel My
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May 2nd, 2019 10:00
The updates are in the process of being pushed to the site right now. They should start showing up tomorrow. The version is 2.63.60.61.
dyokley
19 Posts
1
May 3rd, 2019 16:00
Installed 2.63.60.61 on one of my T320's today, it went fine but after rebooting and trying to enter the LCC, I get a black/blank screen and it never actually gets into the LCC. I've waited up to 50 minutes and still just blank. There pretty much isn't anything to do but reboot (responds to ctrl-alt-del console command) but when you do it tries to go into the LCC again and you get stuck in a loop, ultimately it finally disables the LCC and goes into recovery mode. I've tried pulling power and making sure flea power was drained but the same result happens. Just a blank screen. Anyone else tried?
Edited to add, I rolled back to 2.61.60.60 and it enters the LCC just fine
guru777
16 Posts
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May 8th, 2019 17:00
I am having the same issue as dyokley on my R720. 2.63..60.61.
...Black screen....
hoping for come comments from a Dell person on this thread.
Maybe quality control is not what it used to be?
VicCc
2 Posts
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May 8th, 2019 23:00
mpeene
3 Posts
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May 9th, 2019 04:00
Did the iDrac update on 2 R430's here, and the updating of firmware via iDrac is working fine now. However, booting the LC just hangs once the start screen of the LC is shown (no mouse or keyboard input). I've only tested it via virtual console (both ActiveX, Java and HTML5)
Seems like a known issue: https://www.dell.com/community/PowerEdge-Hardware-General/T320-iDRAC7-2-63-60-61-LCC-F10-black-screen/td-p/7294345
Michiel.