How to Upgrade IBM Power server firmware fixes through AIX or Linux without an HMC

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Installing server firmware fixes through the operating system is a disruptive process. You will need to restart the system.

Notes:

  1. If your system is managed by an HMC, you must apply server firmware through the HMC. For details, see Managed system updates in Updates.
  2. If you have a System i® model running IBM® i, you must either apply server firmware through an HMC or through an IBM i logical partition. If you have a POWER6® Power Systems™ server that is managed by an HMC, you must use the HMC.
  3. By default, the server firmware is installed on the temporary side only after the existing contents of the temporary side are permanently installed on the permanent side. (This process is performed automatically when you install a server firmware fix.)
  4. If you are unable to start your AIX or Linux operating system or server, refer to Obtaining fixes through AIX or Linux when you are unable to start the system.

Perform Steps 1 through 6 to get server firmware fixes through AIX or Linux when you do not have an HMC.

Step 1. View existing firmware levels for AIX or Linux

The Advanced System Management Interface (ASMI) is the user interface to access the server firmware. You can also use the AIX or Linux operating system to view the firmware levels.
  1. Select from the following options:
    • To use the ASMI (AIX or Linux): On the ASMI Welcome pane, view the existing level of server firmware in the upper-right corner below the copyright statement, for example, EM310_006.
    • To use the AIX command prompt (you must have AIX diagnostics installed on your server), continue with step 2.
    • To use the Linux command prompt, continue with step 4.
  2. At an AIX command prompt, enter the following command: 
    lsmcode
    The existing levels of server firmware are displayed. For example, you might see output similar to the following:

    DISPLAY MICROCODE LEVEL                                                   802811
IBM,8231-E1C

The current permanent system firmware image is AL740_088
The current temporary system firmware image is AL740_088
The system is currently booted from the temporary firmware image.

Use Enter to continue.
    Notes:

    • The permanent level is also known as the backup level.
    • The temporary level is also known as the installed level.
    • The system was booted from the temporary side, so at this time, the temporary level is also the activated level.
  3. Continue with Step 2. View or download the firmware fix.
  4. To view existing levels of server firmware for Linux, you must have the following service tools installed on your server:
    • Platform Enablement Library – librtas-xxxxx.rpm
    • Service Aids – ppc64-utils-xxxxx.rpm
    • Hardware Inventory – lsvpd-xxxxx.rpm

    where xxxxx represents a specific version of the RPM file.

    Note: If you do not have the service tools on your server, refer to Obtaining service and productivity tools for Linux.
  5. After the service tools are installed on the server running Linux, enter the following at a Linux command prompt: 
    lsmcode

    The existing level of server firmware is displayed. For example, you might see output similar to the following:

    Version of system firmware is: AL740_088 (t)  AL740_088 (p)  AL740_088 (t)

    The following table provides descriptions for each of the server firmware levels displayed in the output.

    Table 1. Server firmware levels
    Server firmware levels displayed
    AL740_088 (t) AL740_088 (p) AL740_088 (t)
    The installed level.Also known as the temporary level. The backup level.Also known as the permanent level. The activated level.The level on which the server is currently running.
  6. Continue with the next step.

Step 2. View or download the firmware fix

Follow this procedure to view or download the firmware fix. You can download the fix directly to your server, or you can download it to a computer with an Internet connection and create a fix CD that you apply on the server. If necessary, contact service and support to order the fix on CD. You can also download the firmware fix to a computer that has a network connection to your server and use FTP to download the firmware fix from the computer to the server.

Note: If you plan to create a CD, you will need a CD burner and software.
  1. From a computer or server with an Internet connection, go to the Fix Central Web site at http://www.ibm.com/support/fixcentral/.
  2. Choose from the following options:
    1. If you have a System p® server, select System p in the Product Group list.
    2. If you have a POWER6 Power Systems server, select Power in the Product Group list.
  3. Select Firmware and HMC in the Product list.
  4. If prompted, select POWER5 and POWER6 class in the Processor type list.
  5. Select your Machine Type-Model and click Continue.
  6. Follow the on-screen prompts to download the fix file.
  7. Select from the following options:

Step 3. View and unpack the RPM file that contains the server firmware

If you created a CD with the RPM file, you will need to view and unpack the RPM file that contains the server firmware.
  1. Select from the following options:
    • If you created a CD with the RPM file, continue with the next step.
    • If you downloaded the RPM file to your server from the Fix Central Web site at http://www.ibm.com/support/fixcentral/ or by using the FTP method, continue with step 6.
  2. Insert the CD that contains the RPM file into the media drive on your server.
  3. To mount the CD, select from the following options (you need root user authority):
    • If you are working on an AIX system, enter the following at an AIX command prompt: 
      mount /dev/cd0 /mnt
    • If you are working on a Linux system, enter one of the following commands at a Linux command prompt: 
      mount -t iso9660 /dev/cdrom /mnt

      or

      mount -t iso9660 /dev/dvdrom /mnt
  4. Select from the following options:
    • If the mount was successful, continue with step 6.
    • If the mount was unsuccessful, continue with the next step.
  5. If you received the message,
    mount: 0506-324 Cannot mount /dev/cd0 on /mnt, perform the following steps to mount the CD:

    1. Enter the command: 
      /usr/sbin/mount -v 'cdrfs' -f'' -p'' -r'' /dev/cd0 /mnt

      The quotation marks following the f, p, and r are two single quotation marks with no space between them.

      Note: If you prefer, you can use the System Management Interface Tool (SMIT) to mount the CD.
    2. Continue with the next step.
  6. To view the RPM file name, enter the following command at the AIX or Linux command prompt:
    • If the RPM file is on CD, type: 
      ls /mnt
    • If the RPM file is on the server, type: 
      ls /tmp/fwupdate
    The name of the RPM file is displayed. For example, you might see output similar to the following:

    01EM3xx_yyy_zzz.rpm
  7. To unpack the RPM file, enter one of the following commands at the AIX or Linux command prompt:
    • If you want to unpack from a CD, enter: 
      rpm -Uvh --ignoreos /mnt/filename.rpm
    • If you want to unpack from the server’s hard drive, enter: 
      rpm -Uvh --ignoreos /tmp/fwupdate/filename.rpm
      where filename is the name of the RPM file that contains the server firmware. For example, 01EM3xx_yyy_zzz.rpm.

      Note: When you unpack the RPM file, the server firmware fix file is saved in the /tmp/fwupdate directory on the server’s hard drive in the following format: 01EM3xx_yyy_zzz.img.
  8. Continue with the next step.

Step 4. Apply server firmware fixes through AIX or Linux to the temporary side of the service processor

Important:

  • Do not interrupt this process after you begin.
  • Do not attempt to log into the ASMI, or use any of the ASMI’s functions, while a firmware installation is in progress.
  1. Ensure you are starting the system from the temporary side of the service processor; the firmware installation will fail if the system has booted from the permanent side. To learn which side you are starting from, and how to change to the other side if necessary, refer to Working with the temporary and permanent side of the service processor.
  2. To use the update_flash command (AIX or Linux) to install the server firmware, continue with step 3.
    Note: If you have AIX installed, you can choose to use the AIX diagnostics to install the fix. However, if you plan to install the fix from CD, you will need to obtain the Microcode Updates Files & Discovery Tool CD to use the AIX diagnostics.
  3. You will need the server firmware fix file name in the next step. To view the name, enter the following at an AIX or Linux command prompt:
    Note: To perform this step, you must have root user authority.
    ls /tmp/fwupdate
    The name of the server firmware fix file is displayed. For example, you might see output similar to the following:

    01EM3xx_yyy_zzz.img
  4. To install the server firmware fix, select from the following options:
    • If you are updating AIX, enter the following at an AIX command prompt: 
      cd /tmp/fwupdate
/usr/lpp/diagnostics/bin/update_flash -f fwlevel
    • # rpm -Uvh --ignoreos 01AL740_100_042.rpm
01AL740_100_042             ##################################################
# cd /tmp/fwupdate
# ls
01AL740_100_042.img
# /usr/lpp/diagnostics/bin/update_flash -f 01AL740_100_042
Error in opening the file 01AL740_100_042
#  /usr/lpp/diagnostics/bin/update_flash -f 01AL740_100_042.img
The image is valid and would update the temporary image to AL740_100.
The new firmware level for the permanent image would be AL740_088.

The current permanent system firmware image is AL740_088.
The current temporary system firmware image is AL740_088.

***** WARNING: Continuing will reboot the system! *****

Do you wish to continue?
Enter 1=Yes or 2=No
1

SHUTDOWN PROGRAM
Tue May 14 10:08:53 IST 2013
0513-044 The sshd Subsystem was requested to stop.

Wait for 'Rebooting...' before stopping.
Error reporting has stopped.
Advanced Accounting has stopped...
Process accounting has stopped.
nfs_clean: Stopping NFS/NIS Daemons
0513-004 The Subsystem or Group, nfsd, is currently inoperative.
0513-044 The biod Subsystem was requested to stop.
0513-044 The rpc.lockd Subsystem was requested to stop.
0513-044 The rpc.statd Subsystem was requested to stop.
0513-004 The Subsystem or Group, gssd, is currently inoperative.
0513-004 The Subsystem or Group, nfsrgyd, is currently inoperative.
0513-004 The Subsystem or Group, rpc.mountd, is currently inoperative.
0513-004 The Subsystem or Group, ypserv, is currently inoperative.
0513-004 The Subsystem or Group, ypbind, is currently inoperative.
0513-004 The Subsystem or Group, yppasswdd, is currently inoperative.
0513-004 The Subsystem or Group, ypupdated, is currently inoperative.
0513-004 The Subsystem or Group, nis_cachemgr, is currently inoperative.
0513-004 The Subsystem or Group, rpc.nisd, is currently inoperative.
0513-004 The Subsystem or Group, rpc.nispasswdd, is currently inoperative.
0513-044 The qdaemon Subsystem was requested to stop.
0513-044 The writesrv Subsystem was requested to stop.
0513-044 The clcomd Subsystem was requested to stop.
0513-044 The lldpd Subsystem was requested to stop.
0513-044 The ecpvdpd Subsystem was requested to stop.
0513-044 The ctrmc Subsystem was requested to stop.
0513-044 The IBM.ServiceRM Subsystem was requested to stop.
0513-044 The IBM.MgmtDomainRM Subsystem was requested to stop.
0513-044 The IBM.DRM Subsystem was requested to stop.
0513-044 The cas_agent Subsystem was requested to stop.
All processes currently running will now be killed...
Unmounting the file systems...
umount: 0506-349 Cannot unmount /dev/hd10opt: The requested resource is busy.
umount: 0506-349 Cannot unmount /dev/hd1: The requested resource is busy.

      where fwlevel is the specific file name of the server firmware fix, such as 01EM3xx_yyy_zzz.img

    • If you are updating Linux, enter the following at a Linux command prompt: 
      cd /tmp/fwupdate
/usr/sbin/update_flash -f fwlevel

      where fwlevel is the specific file name of the server firmware fix, such as 01EM3xx_yyy_zzz.img

    During the server firmware installation process, reference codes CA2799FD and CA2799FF are alternately displayed on the control panel. After the installation is complete, the system is automatically powered off and powered on.

    Note: If you receive a message stating:
    This partition does not have the authority to perform the requested function, see Message regarding a server that was previously managed by an HMC.
  5. Continue with the next step.

Step 5. Verify that the fix installed correctly

  1. Select from the following options:
    • To use the AIX or Linux command prompt (the operating system must be running and the diagnostics must be available), continue with the next step.
    • To use the ASMI, view the level of server firmware displayed in the upper-right corner below the copyright statement on the ASMI Welcome pane; for example, EM310_006. If the level of server firmware displayed is not the level that you installed, refer to step 4.
  2. Enter the following at a command prompt: 
    lsmcode

    The existing levels of server firmware are displayed. For example, you might see output similar to the following:

    DISPLAY MICROCODE LEVEL                                                   802811
IBM,8231-E1C

The current permanent system firmware image is AL740_088
The current temporary system firmware image is AL740_100
The system is currently booted from the temporary firmware image.

Use Enter to continue.
    Notes:

    • The permanent level is also known as the backup level.
    • The temporary level is also known as the installed level.
    • The system was booted from the temporary side, so at this time, the temporary level is also the activated level.
  3. Verify that the level of server firmware displayed is the level that you installed.
  4. If the level of server firmware displayed is not the level that you installed, perform the following steps:
    1. Retry the fix procedure. If you created a CD or DVD for this procedure, use a new media.
    2. If the problem persists, contact your next level of support.

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