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USB Key Util w/ SmartStart & Firmware?

 
Andrew_346
Regular Advisor

USB Key Util w/ SmartStart & Firmware?

Hi All.

I've checked out the USB Key Utility that HP released a short time ago. It did a great job of building a Linux boot w/ SmartStart 7.60 on my 2GB USB key, but I'd like to have the Firmware CD on there as well.

Has anyone more Linux savvy than I been able to modify the bootstrap on this after using the tool to add the other CD?

Right now, I've got SmartStart and the Win2K3 64-bit disk 1 ISO on a 2GB stick and it's only 50% full. I'd like to be able to add the Firmware maintenance CD and choose between which utility to use. That way, I can stick this one USB key in any of the Opteron boxes I've got and rebuild or patch without having multiple media.

Thanks,
Andrew J.
5 REPLIES 5
David Claypool
Honored Contributor

Re: USB Key Util w/ SmartStart & Firmware?

Rather than having to walk around with a key, you may want to check out HP SIM Version Control...

http://www.hp.com/go/hpsim --> Information Library --> Version Control documents for HP ProLiant and Integrity Systems
Andrew_346
Regular Advisor

Re: USB Key Util w/ SmartStart & Firmware?

David,

Yes. I use VCR extensively. However, my goal was simply to combine the 2 CD resources, with my OS media on one USB for system rebuilds. We occasionally have hardware sit on shelves for a while, off the network. When they are called into action, they need to be built out, again-usually off network and then installed in our datacenters.

Having the ability to just pop a USB key in a server and quickly do everything I need to do all in one swoop would be great.

'Sneakernet on Crack' if you will. At $35 for a nice Sony 2GB stick, it's a fairly efficient investment.
Mark Matthews
Respected Contributor

Re: USB Key Util w/ SmartStart & Firmware?

Hi Andrew,

I've been wanting to experiment with this myself and I've just successfully done it!
Although it might be slightly different to what you want to do.

I did the following...

Make a bootable USB FW disk using the HP USB Key Util as you mentioned above. (I used the latest FW ver CD 8.40)

Make sure it works before going any further! (this method, I think, only works when running the Smart Util Manager from Windows)

Then copy the following files from the required PSP...(I used ver 8.20)and paste them onto the stick in the \compaq\swpackages folder.

bp******.cmd
bp******.txt
bp******.xml

And all files starting with the following...

cp******.exe

Run the Smart Update Manager from the USB stick in Windows by running \_autorun\autorun_win.exe

When the Select Bundle Filter window appears, put a tick in the box next to the PSP and tick "Allow Non-Bundle Products" then click Next.

Then you will see all FW updates and PSP updates on the one page. (FW updates will appear as "Non-Bundle Products")

I haven't had a chance to test booting from it yet, but all the documentation I found said it only worked when running from Windows...

Hope this helps.

Cheers
Mark...

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Kelly M Knowles
Advisor

Re: USB Key Util w/ SmartStart & Firmware?

Hopefully they will add the functionality to combine the 2 disks with the USB key utiliy in the future. Having to spend alot of time on this is making my head hurt.
shocko
Honored Contributor

Re: USB Key Util w/ SmartStart & Firmware?

The new version of the HP USB KEY UTILITY supports this!

Unfortunately, it will only work with certains versions of the Firmware maintenance cd and smartstart CD's.

The reason it probably still uses syslinux and requires that the new versions of these cd's do not have the extac same directory strucutre which was a hinderance to this process in previos versions!

here's a link with the release notes being of key interest:

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareDescription.jsp?lang=en&cc=uk&prodTypeId=15351&prodSeriesId=3186080&swItem=MTX-81048767daf24df2956b0cbc55&prodNameId=3288103&swEnvOID=4024&swLang=8&taskId=135&mode=5
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