Supermicro Failed Update BIOS — How to Recovery SUM

Download SUM

https://www.supermicro.com/en/solutions/management-software/supermicro-update-manager

https://www.supermicro.com/SwDownload/UserInfo.aspx?sw=0&cat=SUM

tar xvzf sum_2.5.0_Linux_x86_64_20200722.tar.gz

cd sum_2.5.0_Linux_x86_64

 

Download BIOS

https://www.supermicro.com/en/products/motherboard/X10DRW-E

unzip X10DRWN9_B22.zip

sum -i 192.130.21.19 -u naymen -p qwerty -c UpdateBios --file /home/files/X10DRWN9.B22 --force

Please down’t power off system

[naymen@naymen sum_2.5.0_Linux_x86_64]$ ./sum -i 192.130.21.19 -u naymen -p qwerty -c UpdateBios --file /home/files/X10DRWN9.B22 --force
Supermicro Update Manager (for UEFI BIOS) 2.5.0 (2020/07/22) (x86_64)
Copyright(C) 2013-2020 Super Micro Computer, Inc. All rights reserved.

WARNING: BIOS setting will be reset without option --preserve_setting

    
Managed system...........192.130.21.19
    Board ID.............0864
    BIOS build date......2016/07/26
Local BIOS image file..../home/files/X10DRWN9.B22
    Board ID.............0864
    BIOS build date......2019/11/22

Status: Start updating BIOS for 192.130.21.19

************************************WARNING*************************************
    Do not remove AC power from the server.
********************************************************************************

Uploading BIOS.....................................................
..................................................
..............................................Done

Preparing updating BIOS........Done
Updating BIOS...>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Done

Status: BIOS is updated for 192.130.21.19

Note: You have to reboot or power up the system for the changes to take effect

Recovery of a failed Supermicro BIOS update using the Supermicro Update Manager (SUM) involves several steps that need to be executed carefully. Here’s how you can recover your system after an unsuccessful BIOS update attempt:

Prerequisites

Before starting the recovery process, ensure that:

• You have access to a USB flash drive or SD card for creating bootable media.
• The latest version of SUM is downloaded from the official Supermicro website.
• A backup copy of the current working BIOS file if available (though this might not always be possible in case of failure).

Step-by-step Guide to Recover Using SUM

Step 1: Create Bootable Media

Create a bootable USB flash drive with SUM by following these instructions:

1. Download the latest SUM ISO image from the Supermicro support site.
2. Use tools like Rufus or Etcher to create a bootable USB stick on Windows/Linux/MacOS systems.
3. Ensure the correct settings are chosen during creation (UEFI mode recommended for modern servers).

Step 2: Prepare Your Server for Recovery

If your server isn’t booting into the OS due to the failed BIOS update, proceed as follows:

1. Power off the server completely.
2. Remove any unnecessary peripherals except keyboard/mouse/video cable.
3. Insert the prepared bootable USB media into one of the front ports (preferably).

Step 3: Enter BIOS Setup

1. Press DEL or F2 repeatedly while powering up until entering BIOS setup screen.
   • If unable to enter BIOS, try clearing CMOS via jumper reset or battery removal (check motherboard manual for details).

Step 4: Load Default Settings

In some cases where the BIOS is partially corrupted but still accessible, loading default values may help resolve issues temporarily before proceeding further.

1. Go to “Load Optimized Defaults” option within Advanced Menu > Reset Options.
2. Save changes and exit (F10, then confirm).

Step 5: Boot from SUM

Once the system reboots again, select the appropriate boot device corresponding to your created bootable USB media.

Step 6: Launch SUM Interface

After successfully booting from USB, launch SUM interface:

1. Select “Update Firmware/BIOS” from main menu.
2. Choose “BIOS” when prompted for firmware type selection.
3. Navigate through options provided by SUM to find the correct BIOS version compatible with your hardware model.

Step 7: Perform Flash Operation

Finally, perform the actual flash operation under SUM supervision:

1. Follow prompts shown on-screen regarding confirmation dialogs.
2. Wait patiently till completion; do NOT interrupt the process!
3. Reboot once finished successfully.

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Troubleshooting Tips

• No Display Output: Check connections between display output cables & graphics cards. Try alternate outputs if necessary.
• Stuck at POST Screen: Attempt another round of BIOS reset followed by SUM recovery procedure.
• Missing BIOS File: Verify compatibility between selected BIOS binary vs target platform (motherboard revision etc.).

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Conclusion

By following these detailed steps, it should be possible to recover most common scenarios related to failed BIOS updates using Supermicro’s dedicated toolset SUM. Always exercise caution especially during critical stages such as flash operations.