iDRAC7 Upgrade Path

Alternatively, if you don't want to go through the dance of step updating the iDRAC/LCC a bunch of times, my quicker and easier solution is to:

Download the LCC update image, either the windows .exe or linux .bin, doesn't matter. currently "iDRAC with Lifecycle Controller v. 2.63.60.62". Don't run the exe, but open it with an archive manager like WinZip, as it is a self extracting archive. Inside you should find a "payload" directory, containing "firmimg.d7".

Extract this file. Access the iDRAC Web UI, and use the update/rollback, "local file" "single update" etc procedure (may be different depending on your currently installed firmware), but load in the .d7 file as the update file.

The iDRAC will receive this, reflash itself to upgrade, the iDRAC will restart, and after you login you should have HTTPS support, at which point you can either use the LCC or via the iDRAC do the updates, using https://downloads.dell.com as the update server, and you should know be able to install all the updates.

Loading the .d7 file directly bypasses the issue that the bin file is signed using a hash algorithm that old LCC versions are unable to handle, causing it to reject the update, as it cannot verify it is authentic.

Thanks Chris and squigley for your replies.

I followed the upgrade path provided by Chris and no issues so far.

Cheers.

Will this path work for a server that is on 1.51.51 build 1 iDrac7 & LC 1.3.0.850?

Hello,

Is this same for Dell R720?

Hello,

Yes, it is the same recommendation for all PowerEdge Servers. When starting firmware version is too old is much better to update step by step. Instead of updating from a very old to the latest firmware version.

Regarding the firmware download. You can also find directly the specific firmware versions in the download page: https://dell.to/2YdLdFX

Regards.

Hi ,

Will that work for iDRAC7 R720xd as well ?

Hi Philip,

Yes this process works for all IDRAC7.

Best regards,

I have the same machine, a R420 with the PERC S110 running, and I still cant see nothing about storage in the IDRAC. I tried with AHCI aswell and the disks still doesnt shows up in the iDRAC (I just received these machines, they are in the testbed). Im running it with 2 120gb SSD Sata disks.

my firmwares right now:

bios: 2.9.0
firmware version: 2.63.60.62
LCC firm: 2.63.60.62
idrac firm version: 2.63.60.62

Anything else I can try?

When you pull up the iDRAC web interface to look at storage, what are you able to see? If possible, a screenshot may be best.

Hi,

I have a feeling that the SSDs aren't compatible with the server. Are the SSDs hotswaps? https://dell.to/2EEEPBC. Though, let try troubleshooting before we can conclude it's incompatible.

Could you do a racadm racreset via SSH: https://dell.to/3hzKsj2 and check if it helps.

If it doesn't work, remove the power cable, press and hold on the power button for 15secs. Then install power cables back to turn the system to check if the SSD appears on iDRAC storage tab.

If you have not updated the controller's firmware, please update it via iDRAC.

Lastly, all else fails, try Repurpose/Retire system on storage components: https://dell.to/3hBaG4B

Let us know the outcome.

This picture wasnt taken from me but that is EXACTLY what I get, everything is identical.

Hi, the ssds are compatible with the R430, they're working in it right now. Im not sure if you meant they werent compatible with IDRAC when you refered to "server". I guesse the ssds are hotswappable because when I remove one of them and insert it back, the Vyos recognizes a SSD got sticked in and gives me the option to rebuild the raid.

I guesse the firmware is updated. Its the onboard S110 and the system's bios is updated to its latest version, I guess this update updated the whole system, all online components.

Hi,

What I meant on not compatible are such issue may arise, although, it does work. Are you running Windows? Have you tried installing OMSA 9.1 to check if the disk info is able to be displayed?

Thank you for this post I wish I've read before sending my R320 (bought it as a student for some cool projects) to the grave by upgrading to the LCC and iDRAC combined version from a legacy iDRAC version.

Now I got a refurbished R420 and I really like the iDRAC functionality. Unfortunately, the previous owner seems to have upgraded the BIOS to 2.6.0 but forgot to upgrade the iDRAC which is still at 1.40.40.

My question now is if I can take your suggested path omitting the BIOS upgrade steps or whether I should just leave everything as is (which disturbs me quite a bit because of the outdated cipher suites that version uses etc.).

On a side note: I've got myself a dedicated iDRAC management card which happens to work alongside with the iDRAC Enterprise license that is present on the server. Could I hence install the latest iDRAC & LCC on an SD card or is that a misunderstanding of mine?