How-to Guide How to fix: BMC can't force ME to recovery mode when updating BIOS

I recently ran into an issue where I purchased a Supermicro license key for remote BIOS upgrade only to find that the system rebooted to "System initializing" and post code 19. Normally the remote BIOS update key allows you to update BIOS remotely without issue, even when you have some strange POST code failure. Instead, the remote flash would fail and I saw this message:



Here was the fix:

• Power off system completely
• Unplug system so BMC turns off
• Pull battery
• Wait for total discharge
• Put in power and battery, but make sure system is set to OFF state (ON would not work, and that was the default for power on AC loss setting)
• Then go into IPMI and flash the BIOS.

Painful to figure out but saved an RMA.