Users Guide

Updating device firmware
Using iDRAC, you can update the iDRAC, BIOS, and all device firmware that is supported by using Lifecycle Controller update such as:
• Fibre Channel (FC) cards
• Diagnostics
• Operating System Driver Pack
• Network Interface Card (NIC)
• RAID Controller
• Power Supply Unit (PSU)
• NVMe PCIe devices
• SAS/SATA hard drives
• Backplane update for internal and external enclosures
• OS Collector
CAUTION: The PSU firmware update may take several minutes depending on the system configuration and PSU model.
To avoid damaging the PSU, do not interrupt the update process or power on the system during PSU firmware update.
You must upload the required firmware to iDRAC. After the upload is complete, the current version of the firmware installed on the device
and the version being applied is displayed. If the firmware being uploaded is not valid, an error message is displayed. Updates that do not
require a reboot are applied immediately. Updates that require a system reboot are staged and committed to run on the next system
reboot. Only one system reboot is required to perform all updates.
After the firmware is updated, the System Inventory page displays the updated firmware version and logs are recorded.
The supported firmware image file types are:
• .exe — Windows-based Dell Update Package (DUP)
• .d9 — Contains both iDRAC and Lifecycle Controller firmware
For files with .exe extension, you must have the System Control privilege. The Remote Firmware Update licensed feature and Lifecycle
Controller must be enabled.
For files with .d9 extension, you must have the Configure privilege.
NOTE:
After upgrading the iDRAC firmware, you may notice a difference in the time stamp displayed in the Lifecycle
Controller log until the iDRAC time is reset using NTP. The Lifecycle log displays the BIOS time until the iDRAC time is
reset.
You can perform firmware updates by using the following methods:
• Uploading a supported image type, one at a time, from a local system or network share.
• Connecting to an FTP, TFTP, HTTP or HTTPS site or a network repository that contains Windows DUPs and a corresponding catalog
file.
You can create custom repositories by using the Dell Repository Manager. For more information, see Dell Repository Manager Data
Center User's Guide. iDRAC can provide a difference report between the BIOS and firmware installed on the system and the updates
available in the repository. All applicable updates contained in the repository are applied to the system. This feature is available with
iDRAC Enterprise license.
• Scheduling recurring automated firmware updates by using the catalog file and custom repository.
There are multiple tools and interfaces that can be used to update the iDRAC firmware. The following table is applicable only to iDRAC
firmware. The table lists the supported interfaces, image-file types, and whether Lifecycle Controller must be in enabled state for the
firmware to be updated.
Table 11. Image file types and dependencies
.D9 Image iDRAC DUP
Interface Supported Requires LC enabled Supported Requires LC enabled
BMCFW64.exe utility Yes No No N/A
Racadm FWUpdate
(old)
Yes No No N/A
Racadm Update (new) Yes Yes Yes Yes
iDRAC UI Yes Yes Yes Yes
64 Setting up managed system