Struggling with SPP 2021.05 for DL20 Gen10

[ChrisB1]

Hi,

I received a DL20 Gen 10 yesterday and wanted to update it with the latest SPP (2021.05 via USB boot) prior to install an OS.

Unfortunately multiple attempts failed:

1. Full ISO download and creating the Boot-USB on MacOS
   --> I'm getting the Warning "Unable to mount the file system" after booting the server
2. Full ISO download and creating the Boot-USB via the HP USB Key Tool
   --> The server is booting directly to grub --> dead end
3. Customized ISO download and creating the Boot-USB on MacOS
   --> at least I'm getting the nice boot screen from the SPP and can choose if I want to do the automatic or manual update. No matter what I choose, I'll get the same result as in attempt 1
4. Customized ISO download and using HP USB Key Tool
   --> same result as in 2

Am I doing something completely wrong?

I found a similar problem here (same error message as in my attempt 1 and 3), but the HP tool didn't help im my case: https://community.hpe.com/t5/ProLiant-Servers-ML-DL-SL/trying-to-do-firmware-upgrade-on-DL360-Gen9-Error-Warning-unable/td-p/6719330

I also tried different USB sticks without success.

Thanks

[Anu_K]

Hello ChrisB1,

You can try mounting the ISO using iLO virtual folder and then boot the server into SPP media.

Below videos will give you step by step instructions on how to perform the update:

• HPE ProLiant Servers - How to deploy Service Pack for ProLiant (SPP) in online mode: https://support.hpe.com/hpesc/public/videoDisplay?videoId=vtc00000206en_us
• HPE ProLiant Servers - Creating custom bootable SPP ISO/ZIP: https://support.hpe.com/hpesc/public/videoDisplay?videoId=vtc00000202en_us
• HPE ProLiant Servers - Deploying Service Pack for ProLiant In Offline mode: https://support.hpe.com/hpesc/public/videoDisplay?videoId=vtc00000192en_us

If you do not have iLO configured on the server you can refer to this link for detailed instructions: https://support.hpe.com/hpesc/public/docDisplay?docId=a00029920en_us&docLocale=en_US

Hope it helps!

Note: "While I am an HPE Employee, all of my comments (whether noted or not), are my own and are not any official representation of the company."

[Ihaqueit]

my fisrt suggestion would be to create the USB key using the utilities in the SPP. under the /usb directory there is a shell script for Linux and hpusbkey.exe for Windows

[ChrisB1]

Hello, thank you for you answers.

@Ihaqueit: That's exactly what I tried without success in my attempts 2 and 4. The tool finishes with success (no error messages), but as described the server boots directly to grub.

@Anu_K As far as I understand this, the iLO virtual folder method is a functonality that needs an iLO Advanced license. I'm still in the evaluation phase and am not sure, if I'm going to keep the server. Therefore an iLO Advanced license is not an option at the moment.
But honestly I don't really understand, why "burning" the ISO to an USB stick is that complicated in this case. I never had those problems before with any other bootable ISO (e.g. Debian, Ubuntu, pfSense, proxmox, ...). Is there anything else I can try to make I work?
In case it matters: I ran the HP USB tool contained in the SPP ISO on on Win10 x64 machine. Should be fine, I guess?

Thanks

[sudhirsingh]

@ChrisB1

Seems like some issue with the USB utility present in the SPP bundle (SPP2021.04 and SPP2021.05), as per below customer bulletin.

Advisory: (Revision) HPE Service Pack For ProLiant (SPP) - SPP Version 2020.03.2, 2021.04.0 and 2021.05.0 USBKEY.EXE Utility for Microsoft Windows Operating Systems Does Not Function Properly

https://support.hpe.com/hpesc/public/docDisplay?docId=a00109613en_us&docLocale=en_US

Please use USB utility from SPP2020.03.0 or use 3rd party utility like "Rufus".

Hope this help!

Regards,

Sudhir

[ChrisB1]

@sudhirsingh 

I tried balenaEther on Mac an rufus on Windows. Both attempts ended in the same result.

• The server boots from USB -> fine
• I'm ask, whether I want to do an automatic or manual update -> fine
• Whatever I choose I see a full screen HPE logo and after that the Shell
• After "Starting initrd..." I get

"Warning!!! Unable to mount the file system [cdrom]

"Warning!!! Unable to mount the file system

[ChrisB1]

After I tried the USB creator tool in older SPPs without success I tried something I would consider ridiculous:

• Create and download an custom DVD so that it is below 4GB in size
• burn it to DVD (who has a DVD burner nowadays??)
• booted from DVD
• works (exactly the same ISO didn't work on multiple USB-sticks that where created with multiple tools)

Is this really the consequence? The complete SPP can not be used because there are no >10GB DVDs and you have to create a custom SPP and also use it via DVD???

It's 2021 and not 2001...

[sudhirsingh]

@ChrisB1
Did your issue fixed?

Appreciate if you could post the solution here if the issue resolved.

Incase still have issue then i would suggest you to update the Intelligent Provisioning and check or
Raise a case with HPE Support. 

Regards,
Sudhir

[Tyrmida]

Boot the USB from a USB-2 port instead of a USB-3 port is the solution to this.

The SPP 2021.05 doesn't have the USB-3 drivers available.