Hard Disk Firmware cannot get updated

[EsiKhoob]

Hi

We have a Proliant DL380 G7 with RAID controller Smart Array P410i (Embedded Slot) with Windows Server 2012, we also have 4 Physical Hard Disk from 3  different models:

HP EG0300FBLSE
HP DG0300FAMWN
HP EG0300FBVFL

We configure them as RAID 1+0 and Install HP "Smart Storage Administrator" program to monitor them. 

because It give us warning:

A firmware update is recommended for this physical drive. Model: HP EG0300FBLSE

(2 of 4 physical Hard Disks are EG0300FBLSE , so I receive 2 of above message.)
So I download this firmware:
Online ROM Flash Component for Windows - EG0300FBLSE
This is firmware version HPD5. I also have tried the latest version HPD8.
These updater programs runs fine with success message and then instruct us to reboot windows, but after rebooting,  this HDD`s firmware do not changed, and I firmware version is still HPD2.
This is the part of cpqsetup.log, related to running this updater:

Setup Session Beginning 11/20/2018 - 15:30:48 PM
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Command Line Parameters Given:
Name: Online ROM Flash Component for Windows - EG0300FBLSE, EG0450FBLSF, EG0600FBLSH, and EG0900FBLSK drives
New Version: HPD5

Determining component installation state...
The software is installed but is not up to date.

Current Version:
Product ID EG0300FBLSE, Version HPD2: 2 found

Drive ROM is not up to date

The installation procedure was completed successfully.

A reboot is required to finish the installation completely.

Additional Information:
As part of the reboot process, you must power cycle the server and any external array storage devices.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
End Session
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

I also tried DVD "Service Pack for ProLiant", hopping it use direct firmware update and don`t differ firmware upgrade for next boot, but this DVD still updates using differed mode and I wasn`t succeed to update with this DVD either.
I have good experience with hardware and firmware updating, and I was able to update firmware for 2 other  HDD models in our RAID configuration, but EG0300FBLSE HDD`s firmware refuses to get updated.

What happens after rebooting the server? Which updating mechanism is used during windows booting? what should I do to update this HDD`s firmware?

Thankyou in advanced.

[2Peter]

I can reccoment to download the latest SPP for G7 servers. You can go to this HPE SPP page, and choose the Post-production version G7.1.

You can also login into your iLO3 and update it to v1.90. You can find this overhere. Default Administrator login can be found on the ProLiant chassis.

From within the iLO you can mount the SPP and boot from it. When using Windows on the server directly, you can mount the ISO (build-in from Server 2012) and launch \launch_sum.bat

Let us know if this will fix your error.

[Cali]

The Update Tool put the new Drive Firmware in the NVRAM from the Smart Array Controller.

If the Server boot the Array Controller "should" update the Drives.

[EsiKhoob]

Thank you for the replay

The Service Pack for ProLiant (SPP) DVD that I have used was the G7.1 version.

[EsiKhoob]

Thankyou for the answer.

Now I know how the HDD firmware will get update.

I don`t understand your mean by the last sentence: "That was not planned in this way."  could you please explain more?

[EsiKhoob]

After reading some articles about our server hardware on the HP site, I finnally undrstand what does Zero Memory means. Since this array controller (Smart Array P410i)  has no battry , so it`s cache is disabled by default (= Zero Memory). So this configuration is subjected to this warning which was written on Online ROM Flash Component for Windows - EG0300FBLSE (under Release Note):

• Online firmware flashing of drives attached to an HP Smart Array controller running in Zero Memory (ZM) mode or an HP ProLiant host bus adapter (HBA) is NOT supported. Only offline firmware flashing of drives is supported for these configurations.

 I doen`t know how to update offline. my solution in theory is to enable the Controller Cache and try update firmware and after the update is taking place, I will disable it. do you think this is the solution?

[Cali]

Hi,

Offline means, booting from the Service Pack ProLiant DVD (.ISO).
So the new Drive Firmware is not in the Standard 7.1 DVD, but you can go to "SPP Custom Download" then chosse "SPP G7.1 + Supplements".
If go to the Eye than filter, it shows, that HPD8 is for EG0300FBLSE included.

This should work.

[EsiKhoob]

But when booting from "Service Pack ProLiant DVD", it still want to upgrade this firmware in next reboot. So what is offline (difference between online and offline)?