Lifecycle Controller (LC) can update most PowerEdge firmware before the OS starts, so it works the same whether the server runs Windows, Linux, VMware ESXi or nothing yet. You point it at a repository: Dell's online catalog, your own share or a USB drive. It lists the components that have newer versions and installs the ones you select, restarting the server as needed. This guide follows the Lifecycle Controller User's Guide and Dell KB 000128133. It applies to PowerEdge 14G, 15G and 16G with iDRAC9.
Before you start
- Plan a maintenance window. The server restarts, possibly several times.
- For the online catalog, Dell recommends updating iDRAC to the latest version first. iDRAC and Lifecycle Controller share one firmware package.
- If BitLocker is in use with the TPM, have the recovery key ready. Updating BIOS, RAID controller or NIC firmware can trigger a recovery prompt.
- For a network repository, set the LC network first under Settings > Network Settings. It uses one of the server's NIC ports and does not change the OS network settings.
- Back up data and record the current versions so you can compare them afterwards.
What Lifecycle Controller can and cannot update
| Component | Rollback supported | Restart needed |
|---|---|---|
| BIOS, RAID controller, NIC, iDRAC, PSU, backplanes, FC cards, BOSS, NVMe PCIe SSDs | Yes | Yes |
| SAS HBA | Yes (HBA345 and later) | Yes |
| CPLD | No | Yes (iDRAC restarts afterwards) |
| Diagnostics, OS Driver Pack | No | No |
The LC interface cannot update SAS and SATA hard drives or SSDs, TPM, GPU, DPU, FPGA, or the PDB CPLD. Use iDRAC (iDRAC9 System Update) or an OS-based update package for those.
Step 1 — Choose your repository
| Source | When to use it |
|---|---|
| Network Share > HTTPS to downloads.dell.com | The server can reach the internet, directly or through a proxy. Dell's site accepts HTTPS only, not FTP or HTTP. |
| Network Share (CIFS, NFS, HTTP, HTTPS) | An internal repository built with Dell Repository Manager (DRM) |
| FTP Server | An internal FTP repository built with DRM, with or without a proxy. FTP updates from ftp.dell.com are not supported. |
| Local Drive (USB, DVD, virtual media) | No network. Use a Server Update Utility (SUU) DVD or ISO, or a DRM repository on a FAT32 USB drive (allow 8 GB for a full repository). |
A repository is a Catalog.xml file plus the update packages (DUPs) it describes. Dell's guide notes that the catalog lists every compatible version. If you want control over which versions servers receive, build a custom repository with DRM.
Step 2 — Run the Firmware Update wizard
- Restart the server and press F10 to start Lifecycle Controller.
- In the left pane, click Firmware Update. In the right pane, click Launch Firmware Update.
- Select the repository type and click Next.
- Enter the access details:
- Dell online: choose Network Share, then HTTPS. Enter
downloads.dell.comin Share Name/Address andcatalogin File Path or Update package path. If you use a proxy, tick Enable Settings and enter the proxy server, port, credentials and type. - CIFS: share as
\\192.168.20.26\shared_folder, plus domain\user and password. - Catalog location: if the catalog is in the share root, leave the file name out of the path. If it is in a subfolder, enter the subfolder name. Paths are limited to 256 characters and must not contain spaces or the characters : * ? " < > | # % ^.
- Dell online: choose Network Share, then HTTPS. Enter
- Click Test Network Connection to check the share or proxy, then click Next.
- On Select Updates, compare Current and Available for each component. LC pre-selects components that have a newer version. Clear anything you want to hold back, then click Apply.
Step 3 — Let it finish without interruption
Warning: Do not reboot, shut down or remove power from the server or iDRAC while an update runs, including Ctrl+Alt+Del or iDRAC power controls. Dell warns that interruptions can corrupt firmware. Back up first and wait for the jobs to complete.
- With several updates, LC orders them to keep restarts to a minimum. The server may restart between updates and then return to LC by itself to continue.
- iDRAC resets while updating itself. If an iDRAC update is interrupted, wait up to 30 minutes before you try again.
- For PSU firmware, the system turns off after the first task, updates the PSU for a few minutes and then powers on again.
- OS Driver Pack, OS Collector and diagnostics updates do not restart the server.
Afterwards, confirm the new versions in iDRAC under System > Inventory (Firmware Inventory section) and check the Lifecycle Log for errors.
Firmware rollback
Warning: Rolling back puts the earlier firmware back in place. Only do it when the new version causes a problem. Back up first, and check whether the older version has known security fixes missing. With SEKM enabled, rolling back to a non-SEKM iDRAC or PERC version fails.
- Press F10 and click Firmware Update, then Launch Firmware Rollback.
- Select the image to roll back to and click Apply. The server may restart between components.
Rollback works for BIOS, iDRAC with LC, RAID controller, NIC, enclosure, backplane, FC cards, BOSS-S1, NVDIMM and PSU. It does not work for diagnostics, OS driver packs, CPLD or the OS collector. A previous version is kept only if the component was updated at least once with LC, LC Remote Services or a DUP. After a second update, the factory image is no longer available.
Frequently asked questions
Why does LC say no updates are available?
Check the catalog path (use catalog for downloads.dell.com, and no file name when the catalog is in the share root). Make sure iDRAC is recent enough for the online catalog, and use Test Network Connection to check DNS and the proxy.
Can I update drive firmware here?
No. Lifecycle Controller does not update SAS or SATA drives. Use the iDRAC update page or Dell's OS-based update packages.
Checklist
- Maintenance window booked and BitLocker recovery keys at hand
- iDRAC updated first when you use the online catalog
- LC network and proxy set, and the connection test passed
- Updates reviewed (Current vs Available) before Apply
- No power actions until every update finished
- New versions and the Lifecycle Log checked afterwards
- Plan the next cycle: server firmware update strategy
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