Forcing Dell Firmware Upgrade

If You know what You are doing, use the /forcetype flag with dos-based dell bios-update executables (tested with several poweredge series servers)

Dell Openmanage in Esxi 4 installieren

Wenn noch nicht geschehen, zunächst vSphere CLI installieren,

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Openmanage Dienstprogramme in Esxi Hostsystem installieren


Passende OMSA ESXi Datei bei Dell herunterladen, derzeit
OM-SrvAdmin-Dell-Web-6.3.0-2075.VIB-ESX40i_A00.9.zip

C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware vSphere CLI\bin>vihostupdate.pl --server 192.xxx.xxx.xxx -i -b OM-SrvAdmin-Dell-Web-6.3.0-2075.VIB-ESX40i_A00.9.zip

Enter username:
Enter password:
Please wait patch installation is in progress ...
The update completed successfully, but the system needs to be rebooted for the c
hanges to be effective.
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Providing single remote Applications from Windows XP under ESXi using RemoteApp RDP

Instead of opening the entire remote desktop on a Windows XP Machine, it is often desirable to provide only a single application  (running on Windows XP in a Vware ESXi Server)  via RDP to local  clients.
The advantage of RemoteApp is seamless integration of the remote application windows with the clients local desktop and usually a better performance/user experience than, for example VNC single window mode.
Think of it as an "impoverished scientist's citrix metaframe" kind of thing.
Please note that since XP SP2 concurrent RDP sessions are disabled - enabling it involves patching termsrv.dll and some registry settings - which seems to work but will not be covered here.


There are several howto's for enabling Remoteapp on the web, but i want to document/summarize the steps needed to make this work with Windows XP pro as host and client.

My Setup

:
Server: Windows XP pro SP3 fresh install running inside VMware ESXi 4.x
Client: Notebook with Windows XP pro SP3

Configuring the Server

1. Make sure that XP pro Service Pack 3 is installed
2. Download and install
   
   
   http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=2F376F53-83CF-4E5B-9515-2CB70662A81B&displaylang=en
   
   
   (make sure the selected language matches the language of your XP server)
3. 
   Download and install
   
   
   http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=72158b4e-b527-45e4-af24-d02938a95683&displaylang=en
   
   
   (make sure the selected language matches the language of your XP server)
   
4. run regedit on the XP host and find the key TsAppAllowList
   
   (HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Terminal Server\TsAppAllowList)
   
5. Add a new key "Applications"
6. in HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Terminal Server\TsAppAllowList\Applications , add a new subkey for each program you you want to ake available through RDP Remoteapp.
   
7. 
   We will take SYSTATs free MySTAT statistics package as an elaborate
   Example:
   
   • Create a sub-key named "mystat"
   • In HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Terminal Server\TsAppAllowList\Applications\mystat , add a string value named "Path" containing the full path to the Program, e.g. "C:\Programme\MYSTAT12\App\MYSTAT.exe""
     

Configuring the Client

Download and install http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=72158b4e-b527-45e4-af24-d02938a95683&displaylang=en (make sure the selected language matches the language of your XP client)
1. 
   configure a normal Rdesktop connection to your host and click "save_as" to save the rdp_file to Your desktop using a descriptive filename such as "mystat12_test.rdp"
   
2. 
   Use a text editor (like notepad or PSpad) to edit "mystat12_test.rdp"
   Add (or change) the following lines:
   
   
   
remoteapplicationmode:i:1
remoteapplicationprogram:s:||mystat
disableremoteappcapscheck:i:1
alternate shell:s:rdpinit.exe

   
   
   If you want specific local drives mapped on the server, add:
   drivestoredirect:s:Lokaler Datenträger (C:);DynamicDrives
   (syntax wants actual name of your drives)
   
   Or if You want to map all local Drives:
   drivestoredirect:s:*
   
   
   If you want to log on as a predefined user (with the option to save your password for later logins), add a line specifying the user name:
   
   
username:s:your_username_on_the_host_here

   
   
   
3. A listing of my working example file follows:
   
   
screen mode id:i:2
desktopwidth:i:1024
desktopheight:i:768
session bpp:i:24
winposstr:s:0,1,0,0,986,740
full address:s:192.168.1.214
compression:i:1
keyboardhook:i:2
audiomode:i:0
username:s:myuser1
redirectdrives:i:0
redirectprinters:i:1
redirectcomports:i:0
redirectsmartcards:i:1
displayconnectionbar:i:1
autoreconnection enabled:i:1
shell working directory:s:
disable wallpaper:i:1
disable full window drag:i:0
disable menu anims:i:0
disable themes:i:0
disable cursor setting:i:0
bitmapcachepersistenable:i:1
allow desktop composition:i:1
allow font smoothing:i:1
redirectclipboard:i:1
redirectposdevices:i:0
drivestoredirect:s:Lokaler Datenträger (C:);DynamicDrives
authentication level:i:0
prompt for credentials:i:0
negotiate security layer:i:1
remoteapplicationmode:i:1
remoteapplicationprogram:s:||mystat
disableremoteappcapscheck:i:1
alternate shell:s:rdpinit.exe
gatewayhostname:s:
gatewayusagemethod:i:4
gatewaycredentialssource:i:4
gatewayprofileusagemethod:i:0
promptcredentialonce:i:1
audiocapturemode:i:0
videoplaybackmode:i:1
connection type:i:2
redirectdirectx:i:1
use redirection server name:i:0


   

Mount local Filesystes in Remote Desktop Session

RDP 5 redirect all drives (0 or 1).
redirectdrives:i:1

RDP 6 settings:
drivestoredirect:s:
redirect none

drivestoredirect:s:*
redirect all drives, as well as drives connected later

--does not work on RDP 7:
drivestoredirect:s:C:;G:;DynamicDrives
redirect just the C, G, and subsequently connected drives.


New syntax in RDP 7 for drive list, wants full name of the drive:

drivestoredirect:s:Lokaler Datenträger (C:);DynamicDrives

drivestoredirect:s:*
redirect all drives, as well as drives connected later

activate sshd in Esxi 4.x host system

Although not officially supported by VMware, it is sometimes necessary to have ssh access to your Esxi host system.
At the physical console of the Esxi 4.x host system,
type

Alt+F1

to switch the console

(blind)-type:

unsupported


you will be prompted for the root password

edit /etc/inetd.conf using vi (caution: us keyboard layout):

vi /etc/inetd.conf

uncomment the line

#ssh stream tcp .....

save and quit vi (using ESC :wq)

either reboot your host system or restart inetd as follows:

find the pid of inetd:

ps aux| grep inetd


kill -HUP <your inetd pid>


--  sshd is now active on port 22
log out (by typing exit) and switch to the default console by typing ALT+F2
ready!

Dell Poweredge Firmware unter Linux aktualisieren

Das Problem: ein gebrauchter Dell Poweredge 1950 mit PERC 5/i und PERC 5/e RAID Controllern soll ein aktuelles Bios und aktuelle Firmware bekommen. Auf dem Server läuft standardmäßig VMware Esxi 4, zusätzlich ist Ubuntu Server 10.0x lucid installiert. Dell Utility DVDs liegen nicht vor, es soll keine Windows-Installation auf den Server.

Lösungsversuch 1:

Dell Firmware Pakete unter Ubuntu 10.0x installieren - gescheitert, da keine aktuellen Repositories gefunden wurden

Lösung:

da die 4 internen SAS Wechselplatten schon belegt waren, wurde eine externe eSata Festplatte mit dem Kabel
"140420803848 Delock Kabel SAS Infiniband > 4x SATA 4x"
(Bezug bei oli.k computer und internetservice e.K. f. ca 39.- EUR)
und Adapterstecker SATA/eSata an den PERC 5/e angeschlossen und mittels PERC Bios utillity eine virtuelle Platte (RAID 0) darauf angelegt.
Dort wurde ein CentOS 5.5 64bit Basissystem mittels eines auf CD gebrannten CentOS Netinstall ISOs installiert. (Vorsicht: der CentOS installer anaconda versucht, Grub in den MBR der ersten Festplatte zu installieren /dev/sda - dort würde er den Esxi Bootloader zerstören! Abhilfe: CentOS über eine BootCD booten)
Sobald das CentOS lief, führten folgende Schritte zum Erfolg
(siehe auch Doku auf http://linux.dell.com/repo/hardware/latest/)

- als root am CentOS system anmelden

- Repositories bekannt machen, Firmwareools installieren, Firmware updaten, warm rebooten:

wget -q -O - http://linux.dell.com/repo/hardware/latest/bootstrap.cgi | bash

# bin nicht sicher, ob srvadmin-all für die firmware tools benötigt wird, wenn kein dell openmanage gewünscht
yum install srvadmin-all

yum install dell_ft_install

yum install $(bootstrap_firmware)

# vorhande Firmware auflisten
inventory_firmware

update_firmware

update_firmware --yes

reboot


Update verlief ohne Fehler.
Partieller output log der Sitzung:

Package Arch Version Repository Size
==============================================================================================
Installing:
BCM5708_Copper_LOM_ven_0x14e4_dev_0x164c noarch a10-1 dell-omsa-indep 1.2 M
BMC_Firmware_componentid_05814_for_PowerEdge_1950 noarch a14-1 dell-omsa-indep 255 k
HD_146G_SAS6_10K_2_5_SGT_FRFLY_componentid_20606 noarch a02-1 dell-omsa-indep 504 k
PERC_5_E_Adapter_ven_0x1028_dev_0x0015_subven_0x1028_subdev_0x1f01
noarch a11-1 dell-omsa-indep 992 k
PERC_5_i_Integrated_ven_0x1028_dev_0x0015_subven_0x1028_subdev_0x1f03
noarch a09-1 dell-omsa-indep 992 k
SAS_Backplane_Firmware_componentid_11204 noarch a01-1 dell-omsa-indep 21 k
Server_BIOS_componentid_00159_for_PowerEdge_1950 noarch 2.6.1-1 dell-omsa-indep 455 k
Installing for dependencies:
dell_ie_nic_broadcom x86_64 1.1.0-2 dell-omsa-indep 1.3 M

Transaction Summary
==============================================================================================
Install 8 Package(s)
Upgrade 0 Package(s)

Total download size: 5.6 M



# command update_firmware --yes
Running updates...
100% Installing dell_dup_componentid_00159 - 2.6.1
Done: The BIOS image file is successfully loaded. Reboot your system to complete the
update. Do not shutdown, cold reboot, power cycle, or switch off your system
before the BIOS update is complete. Restart your system for the update to take
effect since the update will be incomplete until you reboot the system.

100% Installing pci_firmware(ven_0x1028_dev_0x0015_subven_0x1028_subdev_0x1f03) - 5.2.2-0072
Done: The operation was successful.

100% Installing dell_dup_componentid_05814 - 2.37
Done: Update Successful.

100% Installing pci_firmware(ven_0x14e4_dev_0x164c) - 5.2.7
Done: Update success.

100% Installing pci_firmware(ven_0x1028_dev_0x0015_subven_0x1028_subdev_0x1f01) - 5.2.2-0076
Done: The operation was successful.

100% Installing pci_firmware(ven_0x14e4_dev_0x164c) - 5.2.7
Done: Update success.


###########################
Resolving Dependencies
--> Running transaction check
---> Package BCM5708_Copper_LOM_ven_0x14e4_dev_0x164c.noarch 0:a10-1 set to be updated
--> Processing Dependency: dell_ie_module(BROADCOM_FRMW) for package: BCM5708_Copper_LOM_ven_0x14e4_dev_0x164c
---> Package BMC_Firmware_componentid_05814_for_PowerEdge_1950.noarch 0:a14-1 set to be updated
---> Package HD_146G_SAS6_10K_2_5_SGT_FRFLY_componentid_20606.noarch 0:a02-1 set to be updated
---> Package PERC_5_E_Adapter_ven_0x1028_dev_0x0015_subven_0x1028_subdev_0x1f01.noarch 0:a11-1 set to be updated
---> Package PERC_5_i_Integrated_ven_0x1028_dev_0x0015_subven_0x1028_subdev_0x1f03.noarch 0:a09-1 set to be updated
---> Package SAS_Backplane_Firmware_componentid_11204.noarch 0:a01-1 set to be updated
---> Package Server_BIOS_componentid_00159_for_PowerEdge_1950.noarch 0:2.6.1-1 set to be updated
--> Running transaction check
---> Package dell_ie_nic_broadcom.x86_64 0:1.1.0-2 set to be updated
--> Finished Dependency Resolution

Dependencies Resolved

==============================================================================================
Package Arch Version Repository Size
==============================================================================================
Installing:
BCM5708_Copper_LOM_ven_0x14e4_dev_0x164c noarch a10-1 dell-omsa-indep 1.2 M
BMC_Firmware_componentid_05814_for_PowerEdge_1950 noarch a14-1 dell-omsa-indep 255 k
HD_146G_SAS6_10K_2_5_SGT_FRFLY_componentid_20606 noarch a02-1 dell-omsa-indep 504 k
PERC_5_E_Adapter_ven_0x1028_dev_0x0015_subven_0x1028_subdev_0x1f01
noarch a11-1 dell-omsa-indep 992 k
PERC_5_i_Integrated_ven_0x1028_dev_0x0015_subven_0x1028_subdev_0x1f03
noarch a09-1 dell-omsa-indep 992 k
SAS_Backplane_Firmware_componentid_11204 noarch a01-1 dell-omsa-indep 21 k
Server_BIOS_componentid_00159_for_PowerEdge_1950 noarch 2.6.1-1 dell-omsa-indep 455 k
Installing for dependencies:
dell_ie_nic_broadcom x86_64 1.1.0-2 dell-omsa-indep 1.3 M

Transaction Summary
==============================================================================================
Install 8 Package(s)
Upgrade 0 Package(s)

Total download size: 5.6 M
Is this ok [y/N]: y
Downloading Packages:
(1/8): SAS_Backplane_Firmware_componentid_11204-a01-1.noarch.rpm | 21 kB 00:00
(2/8): BMC_Firmware_componentid_05814_for_PowerEdge_1950-a14-1.noarch. | 255 kB 00:01
(3/8): Server_BIOS_componentid_00159_for_PowerEdge_1950-2.6.1-1.noarch | 455 kB 00:01
(4/8): HD_146G_SAS6_10K_2_5_SGT_FRFLY_componentid_20606-a02-1.noarch.r | 504 kB 00:01
(5/8): PERC_5_i_Integrated_ven_0x1028_dev_0x0015_subven_0x1028_subdev_ | 992 kB 00:02
(6/8): PERC_5_E_Adapter_ven_0x1028_dev_0x0015_subven_0x1028_subdev_0x1 | 992 kB 00:03
(7/8): BCM5708_Copper_LOM_ven_0x14e4_dev_0x164c-a10-1.noarch.rpm | 1.2 MB 00:03
(8/8): dell_ie_nic_broadcom-1.1.0-2.x86_64.rpm | 1.3 MB 00:03
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total 308 kB/s | 5.6 MB 00:18
Running rpm_check_debug
Running Transaction Test
Finished Transaction Test
Transaction Test Succeeded
Running Transaction
Installing : dell_ie_nic_broadcom 1/8
Installing : BMC_Firmware_componentid_05814_for_PowerEdge_1950 2/8
Installing : PERC_5_E_Adapter_ven_0x1028_dev_0x0015_subven_0x1028_subdev_0x1f01 3/8
Installing : Server_BIOS_componentid_00159_for_PowerEdge_1950 4/8
Installing : BCM5708_Copper_LOM_ven_0x14e4_dev_0x164c 5/8
Installing : HD_146G_SAS6_10K_2_5_SGT_FRFLY_componentid_20606 6/8
Installing : SAS_Backplane_Firmware_componentid_11204 7/8
Installing : PERC_5_i_Integrated_ven_0x1028_dev_0x0015_subven_0x1028_subdev_0x1f0 8/8
Installed:
BCM5708_Copper_LOM_ven_0x14e4_dev_0x164c.noarch 0:a10-1
BMC_Firmware_componentid_05814_for_PowerEdge_1950.noarch 0:a14-1
HD_146G_SAS6_10K_2_5_SGT_FRFLY_componentid_20606.noarch 0:a02-1
PERC_5_E_Adapter_ven_0x1028_dev_0x0015_subven_0x1028_subdev_0x1f01.noarch 0:a11-1
PERC_5_i_Integrated_ven_0x1028_dev_0x0015_subven_0x1028_subdev_0x1f03.noarch 0:a09-1
SAS_Backplane_Firmware_componentid_11204.noarch 0:a01-1
Server_BIOS_componentid_00159_for_PowerEdge_1950.noarch 0:2.6.1-1

Dependency Installed:
dell_ie_nic_broadcom.x86_64 0:1.1.0-2

Complete!
[root@localhost ~]# update_firmware