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"?

Skærmbillede 2023-10-09 104330.png

[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

[GabHP]

Hi,

I am experiencing the same issue with the latest (2026) version of the SPP: upon booting a USB key, it crashes saying that it couldn't mount the filesystem cdrom. It isn't a CDROM that I'm booting, it's a USB key.

Is there any way to do this in offline mode? I don't have and can't afford iLO.

Thanks!

Gab

[GabHP · Accepted solution]

OK, I solved the problem, which clearly has been around for several years without indication of going away.

If you are a Linux user trying to apply an SSP in "offline mode" (i.e, by booting your server from a USB stick/key/drive), you can't simply `dd` the ISO because it is dsigned to be an optical disc. Insted, the process that you need to follow is roughly this (as of the 2026 SSP for the Microserver Gen10 plus v2):

1. In your USB stick: make bootable partition, mark it EFI

2. Format the partition in vfat (in theory ext2 and ext3 are accepted, be my guest to try this out)

3. In the ISO that you downloaded, look for the /usb/usbcreator.sh and either find a way to execute it or just copy what the script does ($1 is origin, $2 is mounted partition in previous step). You will need to copy everything - add more firmware files to /packages if needed, but I wouldn't go about removing stuff as then SUP might not work

4. In the USB drive, ensure that grub's files in /efi/boot also resides in /boot - don't overwrite the binaries. I copied the config files and themes - some other variations may work. Be my guest if you wish to try

5. Replace grub.cfg in /boot with grub_usb.cfg (also replace the appropriate .sig file - haven't tried without; be my guest if you want to try that)
6. I have also copied whatever is /efi/boot to /efi for good measure; it might work without this step, try this out if you fancy (at this point I was over cautious as I wanted to stop rebooting the server over and over again)

That's it - now you can boot the USB drive in UEFI mode and it should work.

If anything of the above sounds alien to you, then it's a good opportunity to learn something new.

If anything of the above sounds alien to you _and_ you have a boss shouting at you along the lines of "Just get it done!", then ask them politely to purchase an iLO interface for your server(s), which is apparently how HP proiritises the development of their upgrade software.

If anybody from HP is reading, this is a good opportunity to create a feedback ticket or equivalent internally and get this SSP redesigned so that it's a bit more open.

Good luck!

Gab

[Thaufique_Mod]

Hello @GabHP,

Glad to hear that, thanks for sharing the solution with community peers.