S1200BTS BIOS update via Windows

[TSher2]

I have a remote server running an S1200BTS board. I'm getting some odd problems, which I think may be BIOS related. How can I get the current BIOS version remotely through Windows Server 2008, and can I update the BIOS remotely through Windows, or do I need to send someone onsite to do it?

Thanks.

[Edward_Z_Intel]

Yes there is a tool called "Intel® One Boot Flash Update utility" (OFU), which allows you to update BIOS in Windows or Linux. It's included in the https://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&DwnldID=21059&lang=eng BIOS and Firmware Update, Configuration Utilities for Windows*/Linux*/WinPE/UEFI.

However the problem is the BIOS/Firmware package for OFU is not the latest yet... If you use OFU, you can update to BIOS 35. If you want to update to latest version 41, you'll have to use EFI package.

I'll check if the OFU update package will be released soon.

[TSher2]

Is there a way I can check the current BIOS level from Windows?

[Edward_Z_Intel]

Yes you can do it using the OFU utility:

flashupdt -i

-i : Displays the current BIOS, BMC, and SDR versions of the system.

This option can also be used in conjunction with -u to display

the version information contained in the update package files.

[TSher2]

Thanks for all your help.

When I run the flashupdt -i I get the BIOS information, but when I run

flashupdt.exe -u flashupdt.cfg I get the following error

One Boot Flash Update Utility Version 11.0 Build 11

Copyright (c) 2012 Intel Corporation

Invalid input in file '.\flashupdt.cfg' at line 25:

Error : Invalid command specified in the CFG file. Command not supported.

The line 25 that's having problems appears to be

FWDNAME "BMC_01.13.2825.bin" filetype=fwimg

Here's the entire CFG file:

//****************************************************************************

//

// Intel Corporation

// Jones Farm, Hillsboro, Oregon

// (503) 696-8080

//

// Intel Corporation Proprietary Information

// Copyright (c) 2008 Intel Corporation, All Rights Reserved

//****************************************************************************

//

// One Boot Flash Update Package for S1200BT

//

CONFIGURATION "XXX" "S1200BTL:S1200BTS,2.0"

// Check for BMC & BIOS dependencies

PROBE BIOSVER "20+"

FOUND "BIOSOK" "BIOSNOTOK"

IFSET "BIOSOK"

FWDNAME "BMC_01.13.2825.bin" filetype=fwimg

CFGNAME "MASTER.CFG"

BIOSNAME "BTP_035.cap"

IMENAME "ME_02_02_00_036_LC.cap"

ELSE

IFSET BIOSNOTOK

DISPLAY "ERROR: Current BIOS is not compatible to be updated to this package!"

ENDIF

ENDIF //BMC & BIOS CHECK

// End of configuration file

How can I fix this?

[Edward_Z_Intel]

Can you try to extract the firmware package to a different folder and give the complete path in the command? For example, extract the firmware to C:\Temp, and run:

flashupdt -u C:\Temp\flashupdt.cfg

[Edward_Z_Intel]

Here is the link to the latest OFU BIOS/FW package. It was uploaded several months back, but somehow it doesn't show up in the download list:

https://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&DwnldID=22574 https://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&DwnldID=22574

[TSher2]

Ok, I downloaded the latest package and I unzipped the OFU utility to c:\firmware.updater and the BIOS package to c:\bios41 and ran the command:

flashupdt.exe -u \bios41\flashupdt.cfg

And I get the same error as before. I must be doing something wrong.

[Edward_Z_Intel]

The OFU utility needs driver installation. Have you completed that by running install.cmd under Drivers\Win folder, choose x86 or x64 (depending on the operating system)?

[TSher2]

Yes, I installed the driver and rebooted. I even uninstalled it and tried again. Both times it says it successfully installed, but the error still occurs.

[TSher2]

Yes, I installed the driver and rebooted. I even uninstalled it and tried again. Both times it says it successfully installed, but the error still occurs.

[Edward_Z_Intel]

Oh I just noticed that you're using a S1200BTS board instead of S1200BTL... That update package is for S1200BTL only. So far we don't have an OFU package for S1200BTS, so you may need to update BIOS under EFI...

Sorry again for the misunderstanding and inconvenience it caused.