SuperMicro update order of operations?

[whitey]

Good day all, quick inquiry, when updating SM BIOS/Firmware (RedFish IPMI) does it matter in what order you apply? Should it be BIOS THEN IPMI firmware or does it matter, is there a best practice when going down this rats nest/hole?

TIA, whitey

 

[kapone]

I've done it both ways with no difference. My internal logic says...we're updating two different, unrelated things, how can the order matter?

 

[K D]

Don't know if it matters but First update IPMI and then BIOS. I used the IPMI KVM console to run the BIOS update. After BIOS update is complete, the system restarts twice. After the second restart, reboot IPMI as well if the BIOS firmware version is not showing up in the IPMI website. Updated around 12 X10 and X11 boards last week. No hitches.

 

[i386]

reboot IPMI as well if the BIOS firmware version is not showing up in the IPMI

Usually pressing the "refresh" button (near the logout button top right) fixes the missing bios version without rebooting.

 

[whitey]

Don't know if it matters but First update IPMI and then BIOS. I used the IPMI KVM console to run the BIOS update. After BIOS update is complete, the system restarts twice. After the second restart, reboot IPMI as well if the BIOS firmware version is not showing up in the IPMI website. Updated around 12 X10 and X11 boards last week. No hitches.

Did ya get one of those temp SUM lics/keys to do that BIOS update from IPMI? I seem to have read there is a trick to that on getting a temp key/lic. DO tell please. Making a fat32 flashing stick now and if I can avoid that I will. Was gonna make a bootable iso following these instructions but got cold feet.

Creating FreeDOS bootable ISO

 

[K D]

I purchased the licenses for my X11 boards. For the X10 boards, I use a freedos iso mounted in iKVM to flash the bios. It's pretty straightforward.

 

[MiniKnight]

I now buy the remote BIOS license for almost all my machines. SM always fixes stuff that I'm having problems with so I do more BIOS upgrades than I care to see.

 

[Aestr]

Did ya get one of those temp SUM lics/keys to do that BIOS update from IPMI? I seem to have read there is a trick to that on getting a temp key/lic. DO tell please. Making a fat32 flashing stick now and if I can avoid that I will. Was gonna make a bootable iso following these instructions but got cold feet.

Creating FreeDOS bootable ISO

One license is easy to get free as a demo by contacting sales. If you want more free licenses I'm sure you could figure out a way to get them

I've only bought them in the past for boards that needed a BIOS update to support V2/V4 Xeons and I didn't have any V1 or V3's on hand. It's convenient for sure, but not something I'd pay for just for time savings.

 

[nthu9280]

I vaguely recall reading that the order of BIOS & IPMI FW upgrade sequence matters in certain situations. I can't find the reference / link though. Logically you would think since they are two separate ones and should not matter.
Also,
***
NOTE !!! Uncheck preserve configuration box during flashing (very important step for FW to work properly). All settings will be reset to default.
***

 

[i386]

I now buy the remote BIOS license for almost all my machines. SM always fixes stuff that I'm having problems with so I do more BIOS upgrades than I care to see.

Supermicro or Intel?

 

[whitey]

Updated all components to latest for BIOS/IPMI Firmware/LSI HBA. Used UEFI shell and usb stick for BIOS update and usb stick in BIOS/DOS mode for LSI HBA update.

 

[K D]

Needed to replace the CPU cooler with a new Noctua on my main home server and finally decided to reboot it after several months. took the opportunity to upgrade the BIOS as well. Here are screenshots of how easy it is to do it remotely using IPMI.