Supermicro BMC firmware

Setting up the new replica server, I kept running into problems during the initial firmware update.  All IPMI settings and hardware data were inaccessible after BMC firmware update. System otherwise works as expected.  This condition persisted no matter if I went to DEL setup or F11 boot menu.  I could hang out in the UEFI shell, or etc.

It was not that the sensor data was “not present”.  It was that the list of sensors was missing.  Also, System MAC address, and BIOS version info was missing.  The FRU data was empty, as well as the Hardware Information.  All of the IPMI settings were blank, and could not be set.  The diagnostic data page gave “File not found”.  The iKVM was inaccessible, and the system could not be put into maintenance mode, powered off, powered on, or reset from the IPMI interface.  All of the system logs were blank and inaccessible.  Support was not super helpful, but they were responsive.  Supermicro is one of the top tier system makers.  They OEM for IBM, but that equipment is not quite as touchy.

The solution is to be very finicky about the BMC firmware update.

Get the right version for your system here:
https://www.supermicro.com/support/resources/bios_ipmi.php

My system used this code:
https://www.supermicro.com/Bios/softfiles/12085/X11SDVN_BIOS_1_3a_IPMI_1_31_03.zip
Manufacturer Name: Supermicro
Product PartNum: SYS-E300-9D
Chassis Part Number: CSE-E300
Board Product Name: X11SDV-4C-TLN2F
BIOS Vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
Processor: Intel(R) Xeon(R) D-2123IT CPU @ 2.20GHz

Update the code with extra patience
Use the AwUpdate utility to update the IPMI/BMC firmware
.\AwUpdate -f ......\WS_X11AST2500_131_03.bin -i lan -h 192.168.1.210 -u ADMIN -p ADMIN
NOTE: This can be on some other system as long as you can connect TCP between the two.
NOTE: No -r, and in the web UI, we would uncheck all of the “preserve settings” options.

Let all 5 parts (0 through 4) complete
Wait for the “New firmware is updating” to complete
Wait for the system to reboot.

Monitor the console
Wait for a longer version of IPMI Initialization
Wait for a longer than usual DXE — ACPI Initialization
Wait for the red LED to come on
Wait at least 5 more minutes (try 10)

At this point, you should see that it responds to F11 or DEL, but stays hung.
CTRL-ALT-DEL and everything should be populated and working.

The Unit IDentity LED may be stuck red.
You cannot clear the UID red state any way other than pulling the power cord.
Let it drain for 30 seconds, and plug back in.

After this, everything works, AND the UID LED setting in the IPMI web interface will switch from blink blue to off.


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