PowerEdge: iDRAC9 - RAC0181 - Firmware Downgrade Failures on 14G 15G Servers

Summary: PowerEdge 14/15G servers cannot downgrade to iDRAC9 firmware versions 4.40.10.00 and older once the iDRAC9 has installed the June 2024 firmware release.

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Symptoms

iDRAC9 firmware cannot downgrade/rollback to iDRAC9 firmware 4.40.10.00 or older after updating to the June 2024 iDRAC9 firmware release. While the firmware downgrade job may reflect a successful status, the Lifecycle Log records a RAC0181 informational event on iDRAC9 reboot. This limitation is introduced in the following iDRAC9 firmware releases:
 
  • 14G PowerEdge Servers: 7.00.00.172
  • 15G PowerEdge Servers: 7.10.50.00
 
Lifecycle Log example:
  
2024-06-05 16:35:22 	RAC0181 	The iDRAC recovered from a firmware boot loader error with the following reason : Boot-time failover.	

Log Sequence Number:
87476
Detailed Description:
The iDRAC recovered from a firmware Bootloader error that occurred because of the reason identified in the message.
Recommended Action:
No response action is required.


Cause

The bootloader was updated in the referenced firmware releases that is not backward compatible with older legacy firmware versions pre-June 2021. 

Resolution

This behavior is expected and carries forward in iDRAC9 firmware versions newer than June 2024 releases for PowerEdge 14/15G servers.

Affected Products

iDRAC9, iDRAC9 - 4.xx Series, iDRAC9 - 5.xx Series, iDRAC9 - 6.xx Series, iDRAC9 - 7.xx Series, Poweredge C4140, PowerEdge C6420, PowerEdge C6520, PowerEdge C6525, PowerEdge FC640

Products

PowerEdge XR2, PowerEdge M640, PowerEdge M640 (for PE VRTX), PowerEdge MX740C, PowerEdge MX750c, PowerEdge MX840C, PowerEdge R240, PowerEdge R250, PowerEdge R340, PowerEdge R350, PowerEdge R440, PowerEdge R450, PowerEdge R540, PowerEdge R550 , PowerEdge R640, PowerEdge R6415, PowerEdge R650, PowerEdge R650xs, PowerEdge R6515, PowerEdge R6525, PowerEdge R740, PowerEdge R740XD, PowerEdge R740XD2, PowerEdge R7415, PowerEdge R7425, PowerEdge R750, PowerEdge R750XA, PowerEdge R750xs, PowerEdge R7515, PowerEdge R7525, PowerEdge R840, PowerEdge R940, PowerEdge R940xa, PowerEdge T140, PowerEdge T150, PowerEdge T340, PowerEdge T350, PowerEdge T440, PowerEdge T550, PowerEdge T640, PowerEdge XE2420, PowerEdge XE7420, PowerEdge XE7440, PowerEdge XE8545, PowerEdge XR11, PowerEdge XR12 ...
Article Properties
Article Number: 000225924
Article Type: Solution
Last Modified: 13 Jan 2025
Version:  3
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