PSP 8.40 Linux Installation Questions

[Mike Lavery_2]

we're trying to install PSP 8.40 on RHEL 5.4 x86-64 using the new hpsum utility and are running into several issues:

(1) The HPSUM binary is 32bit (even in the 64-bit distribution)

(2) The binary requires a number of (32-bit!) X-Windows libraries which are not installed since:
- We don't run X-Windows on servers, and
- We don't install these 32-bit libraries on 64-bit servers

(3) We have tried running the hpsum utility with -expressinstall and other parameters which *should* (according to the documentation) not pop up any GUI. The libraries are still required.

(4) If we fudge the dependencies by manually extracting the libraries from 32-bit RPMs and setting LD_LIBRARY_PATH, HPSUM fails, asking for an X-server. If we set the DISPLAY variable to a dummy value, it still fails, saying that it can't connect to the X server.

And the questions:
(1) Is the hpsum utility dependent on X Windows?

(2) Is there any other way to update firmware?

(3) Can the hpsum utility be run without the dependencies on external 32-bit X Windows libraries?

(4)How can the utility be scripted on a server without X Windows installed?

[Michael Garner_1]

Mike,
To answer your questions:

1) Not really. HPSUM does require libfreetype.so and a couple of other libraries that are part of X, but does not require XWindows to run. You'll need to use the -s or --silent option to run HPSUM where it doesn't attempt to launch a graphical window. You can also run HPSUM from a Linux workstation and set the Linux server you want to update as a target. As long as you have SSH support enabled on the target Linux server, HPSUM will deploy the updates on the target server without any need to add libraries in most cases.

2) You can use the Smart Update Firmware DVD to update firmware. Boot from the DVD ISO image through PXE, iLO Virtual Media, physical media on DVD or USB Key or other means and firmware will get updated. You can also take the firmware components, which are shipped as .scexe files and run them manually. Most of them will execute in a Linux environment without X.

3) See answer to #1. Also see the Firmware DVD User's Guide (ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/c-products/servers/management/smartstart/FWUsersGuide9.00.pdf) for details on the exact Linux libraries HPSUM requires.

4) Use the --silent option and/or use the --inputfile to script updates to multiple targets. More information about how to use these is available in the Firmware DVD User's Guide mentioned in #3.

Regards,
Michael Garner
HPSUM Architect

[sdrake48]

I do not understand answer #2 from the HPSUM Architect. The PSP User Guide clearly states that with this release the PSP can now be utilized for firmware updates. Is the User Guide wrong?

[Michael Garner_1]

Steve,
The response about booting the Firmware DVD is directly related to working around the need to install 32-bit libraries in a 64-bit environment. Yes, the firmware and PSP can be installed together as indicated in the User's Guide. For this particular instance where the desire is not to install 32-bit libraries, the recommendation is to use the bootable DVD instead.

Regards,
Michael Garner

[sdrake48]

Ok, but the User Guide (PSP) does not say how. I tried copying the fw DVD content to the same directory with the PSP and hpsum sees no firmware - only psp840. How do you dit it? Or should I open a new record in the forum for this? I'm trying this on SLES10 SP3 x86.
Thanks

[Joseph L. Casale]

Steve,
Your missing the part about "booting the Firmware DVD", you burn the iso to a dvd, or use the hpusb key utility to create a bootable usb key and you "BOOT" from it.

[sdrake48]

No, I'm not missing that part. I know how to do that. The PSP User Guide states I can install drivers AND firmware with the PSP. If I have to boot the FW DVD, then I can't install drivers. Yet, the hpsum command has a parameter to specify where to write the firmware log. It makes no sense to write a fw log if I boot from the DVD and have no mounted filesystems. I want to put the psp and fw on a DVD. I want to mount this dvd on a running sles10 x86 system and then run 'hpsum' to install the psp AND Fw at the same time - just like the User Guide says I can.....of course, if the User Guide is wrong I won't be doing this. Please explain how the firmware log can bw written to my hard drive if I boot from the dvd.
Thank you, Steve

[Joseph L. Casale]

The bootable idea was presented as an alternative to the original request where you wanted to install everything in a 64 bit env and avoid the 32 bit lib install.

So now you want to install in an x86 env which wont be an issue iiuc?

The linux psp states "Only Windows® online deployments support deploying firmware and software components from Windows® PSPs and HP BladeSystem online bundles simultaneously" but I assume Michael Garner would obviously know and I could swear I recently did this anyway...

To create a smartstart usb key place the Firmware Maintenance CD on a USB key using the USB Key Creator Utility. Then copy the *.scexe to /compaq/swpackages directory on the USB Key.

You also need to enable non bundle versions and products options to show the available updates that were not part of the smart start disc.

Hth,
jlc

[sdrake48]

From page 8 of the PSP 8.40 User Guide:

Beginning with version 8.40, both Windows® and Linux PSPs are deployed using HP SUM. In the PSP for Linux, HP SUM enables support for native RPM files. Users can now deploy firmware and software components simultaneously. PSPs can be deployed using graphical or command-line utilities specific to each operating system as listed below.

See the 3rd sentence. How do you do this?

Thank you,
Steve

[sdrake48]

Never mind...figured it out myself.