Tag: bios

Updating SuperMicro motherboard BIOS via IPMI using FreeDos bootable ISO

So I struggled to come up with a working solution for updating the SuperMicro motherboard bios using the IPMI with FreeDos.

One method I tried is creating a custom bootable FreeDos ISO and allowing the live environment in the boot menu. -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ik_PlhwZaTk

The method does have it’s potentials, I was able to get everything to boot and add the files to the ISO. However, after the ISO is booted up, I cannot access the content on the ISO itself.

The author of the video mentioned that in order the ISO to work in an IPMI environment, it need to make adjustment to the memdsk image due to the USB cdrom driver. But didn’t elaborate further on his comment… So I eventually gave up.

The second method is using this premaid ISO of FreeDos 1.1 I’ve found-> https://pingtool.org/bootable-dos-iso-bios-upgrade/

Everything is good, I’m able to put my custom files on the ISO and see the content. However, the issue comes when trying to execute the .exe file. FreeDos 1.1 have some sort of memory limitation that the SuperMicro updater (AMI_1.bat / AFUDOSU.EXE) cannot run. Tried a few things with the ISO, but couldn’t get it to update to 1.2. So gave up on this method.

I eventually found this fully working premaid ISO -> https://github.com/Starttoaster/SuperMicro-BIOS-Upgrade-Image

This ISO is based on FD1.2 and can access the content on the ISO without issue.

To load your custom files onto the ISO, simply

  1. Download and install MagicISO
  2. Open the downloaded ISO with MagicISO
  3. Drag your custom files into the BIOS folder
  4. Save the ISO

Note that if your updated is based off AFUDOSU and it complains that it cannot find it. You need to rename AFUDOSU.SMC to AFUDOSU.EXE

Then once you have it ISO booted up, run the binary manually

AFUDOSU.EXE BIOSFILENAME /P /B /N /K /R

That’s it.

Flashing Riverbed Ex-560 to R210 ii BIOS & Password & IDRAC6 resets

  1. Use Rufus to make a bootable freedos USB
  2. Download the latest r210ii bios – https://dl.dell.com/FOLDER04826304M/1/PER210II_020900.exe and put it on the USB you just made
  3. Boot the server up and boot to the USB
  4. Execute the following 
per210ii_020900 -wipeclean -forcetype

Your server should now be flashing and it will reboot shortly

If you need to have the password for the BIOS and the IDRAC password reset , then you will need to open up the case. Locate the CMOS battery and then change the following jumper (at 7 oclock position of the battery and right of the four colour plug).

Power on the server and all the password should be gone.

Revert the jumper back to original position once done.