Proliant Microserver Gen10 Plus - cannot install SPP

[Jesper Holck]

I have a Gen10 Plus Microserver running Debian, and this works very smoothly, thank you. 

Now I want to update the Firmware from 2022 to the newest version, released September 12, 2023. I have downloaded the iso-file, and from this made a bootable USB stick. The machine boots, an everything seems to work, until I meet the question whether I want an automatic or manual update. No matter my answer, I get this response:

Loading kernel...
Loading initial ramdisk...
Warning!!! Unable to mount the file system [cdrom]
Warning!!! Unable to mount the file system
Preboot maintenance mode

I've traced the issue a bit. In the file /boot/grub/grub.cfg  we find this:

menuentry "Automatic Firmware Update Version 2023.09.00.00" {
  set gfxpayload=keep
  echo "Loading kernel..."
  linux /system/vmlinuz media=cdrom root=/dev/ram0 splash quiet hp_fibre cdcache TYPE=AUTOMATIC AUTOPOWEROFFONSUCCESS=no AUTOREBOOTONSUCCESS=yes modprobe.blacklist=aacraid,mpt3sas ${linuxconsole}
  echo "Loading initial ramdisk..."
  initrd /system/initrd.img
}

menuentry "Interactive Firmware Update Version 2023.09.00.00" {
  set gfxpayload=keep
  echo "Loading kernel..."
  linux /system/vmlinuz media=cdrom root=/dev/ram0 splash quiet hp_fibre cdcache TYPE=MANUAL AUTOPOWEROFFONSUCCESS=no modprobe.blacklist=aacraid,mpt3sas  ${linuxconsole}
  echo "Loading initial ramdisk..."
  initrd /system/initrd.img
}

So, on another Debian server, I've tried to mount /system/initrd.img, but the image doesn't appear to contain a recognizable filesystem. The "file" command tells me the initrd.img is a squashfs image, but the first bytes in the file doesn't contain a recognizable Squashfs super block.

I will appreciate any help or suggestions

Jesper, Denmark

[Jesper Holck]

I found out that I can indeed mount the /system/initrd.img file on another Debian server, if I just specify sysfs as file system, e.g.

mount -o loop -t sysfs initrd.img /mnt/initrd/

But that doesn't solve my problem. Where do the warning messages come from? Which filesystem can't be mounted? Why?

[Suman_1978]

Hi,

Debian is not listed as supported OS.
https://support.hpe.com/hpesc/public/docDisplay?docLocale=en_US&docId=a00134494en_us
https://techlibrary.hpe.com/us/en/enterprise/servers/products/service_pack/spp/index.aspx

Thank You!
I work with HPE but opinions expressed here are mine.
HPE Tech Tips videos on How To and Troubleshooting topics

[Jesper Holck]

Hi Suman, 

Thanks for your reply "Debian is not listed as a supported OS"

But shouldn't I still be able to boot from a USB stick, and install the BIOS updates that way, in "offline mode"?

[Suman_1978]

Hi,

Yes offline should happen if the server is supported.
Do you have iLO in this server, if Yes you can deploy virtually, here are some videos for help.

https://support.hpe.com/hpesc/public/videoDisplay?videoId=vtc00000192en_us
https://support.hpe.com/hpesc/public/videoDisplay?videoId=vtc00020151en_us
https://support.hpe.com/hpesc/public/videoDisplay?videoId=vtc00000202en_us

Try installing SPP via IP, page# 68
https://www.hpe.com/psnow/doc/a00073430en_us

Still having problems, please contact HPE Support to log a case.

Thank You!
I work with HPE but opinions expressed here are mine.
HPE Tech Tips videos on How To and Troubleshooting topics

[ksram]

Hi @Jesper Holck,

Good day!

Yes, you can perform the update using Offline Method.

Downloading and Installing an SPP : https://support.hpe.com/hpesc/public/docDisplay?docId=emr_na-a00026884en_us

Download Link : https://techlibrary.hpe.com/us/en/enterprise/servers/products/service_pack/spp/index.aspx

Thank you
RamKS

[Jesper Holck]

@ksram 

I wasn't able to do the updates via the "offline method", unfortunately. As described, I could make the server boot from the usb-stick, but the update process stalled each time with the indicated error messages.

So I decided to take the "Ilo way" ... I bought the small piece of hardware needed to make a special Ilo network port, installed the hardware, and after this I could connect to the Ilo via a browser on a workstation on the network. From there, the biggest problem was to find out which firware updates etc. to choose. It would be so nice if HP could make a list of updates relevant for my 2 servers.

But now I have updated both the Ilo itself and also done various firmware / driver updates

[ksram]

Hi,

Good day!

The SPP Package contains all the necessary Firmware and packages for almost all the Servers.

Running this would give a inventory list which contains the current Firmware version and also the Versions available in the particular SPP.

or the other way is to check the Support site with to the components installed on the Server to get the Firmware details.

Additionally you can subscribe to alerts or Firmware which can help in getting to know the latest firmware / Driver releases

Thank you
RamKS