Build #3 - Supermicro SUM cli?

[rvassar]

The X9SCL received a BIOS update back in June, containing fixes for Spectre/Meltdown. I tried poking at it using Linux Mint, but it apparently requires RHEL and an installable kernel module. I'm currently installing CentOS to give it a try, but... Should that fail...

They do make a FreeBSD version of SUM. Has anyone managed to get it working under FreeNAS?

 

[kdragon75]

I have used a bootable USB with DOS and the files from supermicro. It should be dead simple. Use rufus to make a bootabel DOS USB drive and add https://www.supermicro.com/support/resources/results.aspx

 

[BigDave]

@kdragon75
I'm not sure the OP is trying to simply update the BIOS, I would assume (perhaps incorrectly)
that being a Software Engineer that updating a motherboard's BIOS is a frequent task for him/her.

The X9SCL received a BIOS update back in June, containing fixes for Spectre/Meltdown. I tried poking at it using Linux Mint

Maybe you could provide a few more details about the poking, lol

 

[kdragon75]

@kdragon75
I'm not sure the OP is trying to simply update the BIOS, I would assume (perhaps incorrectly)
that being a Software Engineer that updating a motherboard's BIOS is a frequent task for him/her.


Maybe you could provide a few more details about the poking, lol

Fair enough but I know senior application developers that don't what what BIOS are. I also have worked with SQL people that dont know how RAID works

 

[rvassar]

Yes I am simply trying to update the BIOS. Yes this has been a common function for me in the past... But only on Supermicro MB's with the management controller. This is a X9SCL, not a X9SCL-F. Otherwise on non-Supermicro MB's I've used everything from i2c, SPI, a UV lamp and eprom burner, and I've even seen a diode plug board, but thankfully I didn't have to take a swing at it. Additional info: I'm sitting here wearing a 20 year old tee-shirt with a Solaris logo on it that says "Friends don't let friends load Windows NT". I just simply do not keep DOS diskettes, or spare Windows licenses around. I run *nix pretty exclusively... To the point of being something of a curmudgeon about it.

I did try running the insmod to install the loadable kernel module. Sum keeps throwing an error claiming it can't access the bios flash. I suspect I'm missing a package, so I'm digging thru the requirements now.

 

[BigDave]

Fair enough but I know senior application developers that don't what what BIOS are. I also have worked with SQL people that don't know how RAID works

:)
That's why I included the "I would assume (perhaps incorrectly)" disclaimer.:D

 

[rvassar]

Oh... And I switched from Linux Mint to CentOS 7.5.

 

[rvassar]

Here's the error:

Code:

[root@localhost sum_2.0.1_Linux_x86_64]# ./sum -c UpdateBios --file ../x9scm8.612
Supermicro Update Manager (for UEFI BIOS) 2.0.1 (2018/04/20) (x86_64)
Copyright(C)2018 Super Micro Computer, Inc. All rights reserved

********************************<<<<<ERROR>>>>>*********************************

ExitCode				= 102
Description			 = Driver report: ****execution of command failed****
Program Error Code	  = 139.2
Error message:
	Update BIOS failed.
	Error: Failed to get flash info

********************************************************************************


[root@localhost sum_2.0.1_Linux_x86_64]#

 

[BigDave]

Sum keeps throwing an error claiming it can't access the bios flash. I suspect I'm missing a package, so I'm digging thru the requirements now.

My advice (at this point) is to contact Supermicro Support.

 

[rvassar]

Ok... I figured it out... I needed to add the ipmi ko's to /etc/modules.

Code:

# echo "ipmi_devintf" >> /etc/modules
# echo "ipmi_si" >> /etc/modules
# reboot

Then:

Code:

[root@dhcp114 sum_2.0.1_Linux_x86_64]# insmod /home/rvassar/foo/sum_2.0.1_Linux_x86_64/driver/RHL7_x86_64/sum_bios.ko
[root@dhcp114 sum_2.0.1_Linux_x86_64]#
[root@dhcp114 sum_2.0.1_Linux_x86_64]# ./sum -c UpdateBios --file ../x9scm8.612
Supermicro Update Manager (for UEFI BIOS) 2.0.1 (2018/04/20) (x86_64)
Copyright(C)2018 Super Micro Computer, Inc. All rights reserved
Reading BIOS flash ..................... (100%)
Checking BIOS ID ...
Writing BIOS flash ..................... (100%)
Verifying BIOS flash ................... (100%)
Checking ME Firmware ...
Putting ME data to BIOS ................ (100%)
Writing ME region in BIOS flash ...
 - Update success for /FDT!!
 - Updated Recovery Loader to OPRx
 - Updated FPT, MFSB, FTPR and MFS
 - ME Entire Image done
WARNING:Must power cycle or restart the system for the changes to take effect!
[root@dhcp114 sum_2.0.1_Linux_x86_64]#

:)

 

[BigDave]

Kudos to the power of the curmudgeon!