rx2600 firmware update

[Kelly Cox]

i have updated my newer rx2600 firmware by
downloading the correct file, putting it in a directory, then using the mp console update firmware command to ftp to the address of the update file.

I have a VERY early rx2600 with firmware of 2.10 that i want to update. The docs say i must first update to 2.26, then 2.29, then 3.1 and up. But the docs on 2.26 say i must burn a CD and update from CD with the firmware image.

When I login to the current 2.10 mp console it looks like the update command has an ftp option available that will read the firmware update via ftp, then perform the update. There are warnings about leaving the console at the wrong stage and losing all console access. Does anyone know if i can safely update from 2.10 to 2.26 via ftp??

[Hoff]

I have done a few ftp upgrades of EFI.

They do usually work.

I've done a few upgrades that haven't.

Some of the early rx2600 series firmware revisions could be somewhat flaky in various areas, and I'd accordingly not tend to stray very far from the process that the upgrade documentation describes.

Unlike Alpha and its failsafe loader (FSL), if an Integrity firmware upgrade failure somehow corrupts the bits, the main board has to be swapped. There's no Integrity FSL-like loader on any box I'm aware of. (The lack of the FSL is the proverbial Integrity firmware bogyman...)

Burning a firmware CD disk takes a few minutes, and CD blanks either get used for this purpose, or for skeet. And once you're done with the firmware CD, it's still good for skeet.

[Kelly Cox]

Thanks Hoff,
I needed to test full remote update which is a primary reason to use MP/ILO.

I updated to 2.26, 2.29, 3.15 via ftp and it worked fine. Took about 10 minutes per.

I gunzip'd and tar'd the download on an older alpha and used it for the ftp server.

Now to udpate the bmc & efi images.

Is there not a way to move the efi image to the correct directory while vms is up? The install docs show how this can be done for hpux/linux/windows. Why not VMS? If sys$manager:boot_options.com can config efi partition stuff, why not a utility that pushes the efi update to an efi directory??

[Hoff]

If you're willing to go unsupported, look at http://64.223.189.234/node/724

[Andreas Kaempfe]

Hey Kelly, it's easy to use an USB stick for your firmware update. If possible try to use a FAT formatted "partition". More info in the attachment. ;-) Andy.