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Creating bootable USB drive or DVD using Bootable Media Creator (BoMC)

1. Find USB pen drive of 4GB or greater which you don't mind wiping out. Plug into computer. Alternatively, get a blank writable DVD
2. Determine the model(s) of the machine(s) you want to update (e.g. x3550M2) as you will need to get the right version of the BoMC. The pages listed below will show the supported models if you click on Show Supported Systems.
   • The Lenovo version (14.x) covers most modern models (System x M3 and later and ThinkSystem)
   • The IBM version (9.64) covers M2 versions (and newer, but not M5)
   • The IBM version (2.31) covers machines without M2/M3/M4 at the end of the name such as x3550 and x3650
3. Click on OS (probably Microsoft Windows) and appropriate version number
4. Follow through dialogs and download file named similar to lnvgy_utl_lxce_bomc01r-11.4.0_windows_i386.exe (newer hardware) or ibm_utl_bomc_2.31_windows_i386 (older hardware)
5. Run downloaded .exe. N.B. on Windows 7/2008R2 or later you must run as administrator by right-clicking on the .exe and choose Run as administrator. Failure to do so will make the program hang when connecting to the Internet. You will also be warned.
6. If you've run the tool before, you can load in a saved configuration by ticking the Load in a previously saved configuration box, clicking Next and then browsing to the config.txt file saved out. Otherwise, just click Next
7. On Media Purpose ensure Updates is ticked and then click Next. Other options can be left unset, but make yourself familiar with them as they may be useful:
   • Diagnostics - bundled the dynamic system analysis (DSA) tool
   • Deployment - replacement for ServerGuide
   • Enable Task AutoRun - allows you to automatically run updates at boot
   • Create media to use a text-based (non-graphical) user interface - if running over a serial console perhaps
8. If you have very recently run the tool and simply want to create another bootable device, choose Look in a local directory. The path (current dir + \workingdir) should be fine. Click Next
9. Otherwise, choose Check the IBM web site and UpdateXpress System Packs. Firmware files will be downloaded afresh (yes, it doesn't check whether or not they are already there...). The following extra stages will be required after clicking Next:
   1. Set proxy if required and click Next
   2. Pick systems you wish to support. No point in going crazy, just pick likely targets (e.g. all revisions of x3550 and x3250)
   3. Target Directory should be fine (current dir + \workingdir). Click Next
10. On Media Format, pick your destination type. If using a USB drive, you should pick USB as the device type and then pick the drive letter. Double-check so as to not wipe out anything else! For a DVD pick CD/DVD and then choose to Write to image file. Click Next
11. Leave Do not use unattended mode and click Next
12. Check settings and, optionally, save configuration out if you want to use it again later. Click Next
13. Wait for completion (may take hours especially with a lot of machines and using USB)
14. If using DVD, write the completed .iso file to your DVD media

Using the tools

WARNING: if using a M2 machine please check the current IMM version. See below for important information

1. Insert USB drive or DVD
2. Boot server and boot from USB or CD/DVD as appropriate (might be F12 to choose boot device)
3. Wait for boot
4. If GUI was chosen when creating media, click on Updates
5. Check machine type is supported
6. Click on click here to start update
7. Accept licence terms
8. Wait for scan
9. Check hardware and updates match what is really there
10. Either wait for countdown or click Next
11. Wait for completion

IMM versions (IMPORTANT!)

From the documentation (highlights added in bold):

M2 machines (such as x3550M2) shipped with early versions of IMM (we've seen 1.05 on most). This means you must NOT upgraded directly to the latest (1.31 at the time of writing). You must first upgrade to 1.10. This version can be found on the USB drive built above as file ibm_fw_imm_yuoo57h_linux_32-64.bin.

To upgrade, you must use the IMM management interface to upgrade itself. This requires connecting up the IMM port on the server (left-most at rear) to the network and completely removing power from the server before reconnecting. The machine will then get a DHCP address and, after initialising, you will be able to access its management interface through a web-browser.

The actual upgrade procedure is not described here. We recommend this is done on-site by one of our technicians.