Owner's Manual

8 Getting Started With Dell Update Packages
Likewise, updating only the miniport driver of a storage controller may also
create problems. The Update Packages will now support installation of
a single driver for a device as well as multiple drivers, in a single package.
Each DUP contains the execution logic to verify that the update will work on
your system. By using DUPs, you are not required to use any Dell
OpenManage software applications, you do not need to create alternative
media, and you do not have to reboot your system to MS–DOS
®
to apply the
updates. Each DUP also carries a digital signature to ensure reliable and
trusted authentication. See "Verifying the Digital Signature" for more
information.
Administrators can apply DUPs on the Windows operating system by running
the packages in the stand-alone mode. In this mode, the packages present an
interactive GUI that provides administrators with certain choices, such as
whether to reboot if the update requires a system reboot before taking effect.
The GUI that is available through DUPs running in stand-alone mode presents
dialog boxes to notify administrators of errors that may occur if the DUPs cannot
be applied to the system or if the prerequisites are not met. The GUI also lists
the purpose of the package, the devices it updates, the BIOS, driver, or
firmware version to which it updates, supported operating systems, supported
Dell platforms, and prerequisites (if any). DUP has a welcome display which
lists information about the new features and any known issues with the
package.
You can use DUPs interactively, which is ideal for applying a limited number
of updates. You can also use DUPs in batch mode to accommodate large
environments with multiple systems or to process multiple updates per
system. In addition, you can use remote scripting with systems management
software solutions.
This guide is designed to familiarize you with DUPs so that you can begin
applying them to simplify the system software maintenance on your Dell
systems. The "Using Dell Update Packages" section of this guide provides
sample scenarios for using Update Packages.