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Updating Dell BIOS via DRAC Access

Occasionally, a BIOS upgrade is needed on a server. For Dell servers, this can be accomplished using the DRAC facilities to access the console and perform the function.

The following instructions are based on iDRAC7. Earlier versions and servers that do not have EUFI will have different prompts and utility functions.

1. First, you'll need to get the BIOS from the Dell support site.

   The easiest way to locate the downloads that you need is to provide the service tag in the Support For Enterprise IT Users section.

   Navigate to the BIOS elements and you'll find a number of different formats. Locate the one with .efi as the file extension.

   The description indicates that this is used on a IA-64 system. However, this is slightly misleading as the file can certainly be used via the BIOS/EUFI facilities, so save the file to a location of your choice.

2. Now, you'll need to make a CD image (.iso or .img format).

   There are a number of utilities available which will make this task easier. MagicISO is very simple, so that will be used in this example.

3. Launch the MagicISO UI:
4. To add the file, right-click in the upper right-hand pane.
5. Select Add Files.
6. Locate and select the BIOS file and press Open. The file displays in the list.
7. Select the disk icon in the toolbar or select File -> Save from the menu.
8. Navigate to a folder of your choice, enter a file name and press Save. That completes the image creation.

Now, use the DRAC console and boot the target server.

1. At the initial screen, press F11 to invoke the Boot Manager.
2. Highlight System Utilities and press Enter.
3. Before selecting the BIOS Update File Explorer, we need to 'attach' the CD image that we created earlier. Select Virtual Media from the menu:
4. Select Add Image.
5. Navigate to the location where you saved the .iso, select it and press Open.
6. Select the Mapped checkbox. Do not close this window. Return to the system utilities dialog and select BIOS Update File Explorer.
7. The virtual CD should be the first one in the list, select it.
8. Select the BIOS file. The current and new version details will be presented.

   The system used for the purposes of generating this documentation is already at the desired version. If it actually needed updating, then select Continue BIOS Update.

9. Follow the subsequent instructions and be sure not to interrupt the update process.
10. Once complete, the system can be rebooted normally.
11. Close the Virtual Media window to disconnect the .iso.