Bios update on DELL customized s5000PALR / FS12

[idata]

I recently purchased a used dell FS12 2u server on ebay. This is an off-lease unit from dell's DCS division which creates "custom" servers for large data center customers.

Its using a vanilla s5000PALR motherboard, but with a dell tweaked bios. I've been trying to update to the latest vanilla bios, but the IDA update will not apply it as it doesn't match the system.

I have tried to build a usb key to boot into DOS, to try the dos update utility, but that hangs at the win98 loading screen (that brings back memories).

Is there anyway to force the update?

From what I can tell, its a standard s5000PALR M/B with dual e5420's, and a Perc 6/I raid card. The SATA/SAS midplane is by newisys, and the whole unit seems to be a dell branded version of the newisys 8200.

[Daniel_O_Intel]

If the IDA string check fails, that means the board hardware has been changed significantly enough that trying to apply the Intel BIOS would quite possibly do bad things.

I would recommend either leaving the BIOS as-is, or updating with a DELL OEM specific BIOS from them.

[idata]

Unfortunately as this isn't a standard dell system, they don't hae driers etc for it.

This is the MB identification:

And the info from the bios:

When I try and update, it seems to initially like the package:

But then fails with:

[DSilv11]

Check the BIOS jumper location. If it is set incorrectly, the BIOS update will not work. (but i would not expect that error message.) Page 51 http://download.intel.com/support/motherboards/server/s5000pal/sb/s5000pal_s5000xal_tps_r2_0.pdf http://download.intel.com/support/motherboards/server/s5000pal/sb/s5000pal_s5000xal_tps_r2_0.pdf

The BIOS ID string string in the photos looks correct and unaltered so i am supprized the update failed.

Making a new dos bootable fob is likly the best option, or you can down load and try the One Flash Update tool to load from windows or linux and see if it works for you.

http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&DwnldID=16921&lang=eng&OSVersion=&DownloadType=Utilities%2C%20Tools%20and%20Examples http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&DwnldID=16921&lang=eng&OSVersion=&DownloadType=Utilities%2C%20Tools%20and%20Examples