MDT and BIOS Upgrade.

Question

MDT and BIOS Upgrade.

Rick Someone 411

I have a BIOS text with the newest version named. There's also a query run to see if the pc is equal to the current BIOS version.
I only have two pc's I'm trying this on, Panasonic CF33-1 and CF33S-1. I have the conditions separated for each.

The issue is: 1, running this manually has no intervention. The BIOS installs silently and reboots. Running it through MDT in the same fashion brings up a prompt which shows the old/new versions and asks if its ok to upgrade. Then, another prompt to make sure the power is plugged in (another ok).
Secondly, the BIOS runs, the pc reboots and gets back to the desktop. I see that another reboot is required as a step in the TS. However, after the BIOS upgrades and gets back to the desktop, it all stops and says a TS is already in progress.

I can provide the PS and the .cmd which is running the upgrades. It all seems correct, but the prompts shouldn't be there, and I don't understand how the BIOS reboot will allow MDT to continue.

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Answer 1

Amandayou-MSFT 11,156

Hi @Rick Someone ,

May we know which steps are we used to upgrade the bios? for example, the steps mentioned in this article:
https://www.joseespitia.com/2017/01/30/automate-your-bios-update-in-mdt/
Note: Non-Microsoft link, just for the reference.

Different vendors provide separate program to upgrade the bios and the silent switch varies, and mostly, /s or -s is the parameter. Could you check which parameter we are using based on the hardware vendor documentation?

In TS, the restart behavior is suppressed and the TS environment NeedReboot is set to yes, so that the restart behavior is controlled by the TS and it continues after the restart.

If we have referred to this article, but the issue still exist, please share the PS and the .cmd.

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Rick Someone 411 Reputation points

2022-01-26T15:40:29.413+00:00

I found an apparently decent link for Panasonic BIOS upgrades in MDT.
One issue though is I am still prompted for an OK to upgrade, and an
OK for the power supply being present. I think you can add that to the switch.

https://www.joseespitia.com/2017/01/30/automate-your-bios-update-in-mdt/

The main issue with this method is, even though the logic is there for the CF33 vs the CF33S, immediately
after the BIOS install, the pc reboots. Then it states to run a reboot. But after the first BIOS reboot, it gets to
the desktop and the TS breaks. I guess omitted from this page is how to suppress a BIOS reboot and only
have an MDT reboot.
I see his Folder structure is a bit off as well. There should be no \Custom\BIOS folder, because the PS isn't looking for that.
So I adjusted the location of the BIOS file.
All is well, but the prompts for OK and suppressing the BIOS from rebooting the pc. The PS is also on this page.

It seems he does a bios version check, then reboots. Great. But the BIOS install is going to do a reboot of its own, so
that info is omitted from the instructions.
Amandayou-MSFT 11,156 Reputation points

2022-01-27T06:32:45.367+00:00

Hi,

Could we show the screenshot of BIOS upgrade task in task sequence?

Besides, we run this manually has no intervention, how we run it manually? Could we show the detailed screenshot of it?

Best regards,
Amanda
Rick Someone 411 Reputation points

2022-01-27T15:49:18.34+00:00

My TS looks just like the one in the article, I modeled mine to mirror theirs.

When I state 'running it manually', I open a run command and copy in the Bios file, and follow it with a /s.
The BIOS just runs...doesn't ask me to verify that I want to go from version x to y....nor does then ask me to
check the power supply.

Running it with the same switch in MDT, I get prompted with both questions that I have to answer.
Then, after the BIOS installs, it reboots regardless of what is next in the TS. The BIOS will reboot the pc by
default, and nowhere in the article does it mention this. Only that you make the pc reboot with a Reboot command
in the TS. When the Bios install forces a reboot, the pc quits talking to the server because the Bios reboot occurred
Rick Someone 411 Reputation points

2022-01-27T19:18:06.94+00:00

One step done. Their silent switch is.... BIOSxxxx.exe UiMode=2

That doesn't prompt for anything from a user. But, the BIOS still reboots the pc.
Once its back to the desktop, it has lost communication to the server. It says there
is an existing instance of this running, would you like to start over or continue.
Obviously, I can click continue and it carries on, but that's not how it's supposed to be.
Amandayou-MSFT 11,156 Reputation points

2022-01-28T06:08:10.267+00:00
Hi,

We should verify some points:

When I state 'running it manually', I open a run command and copy in the Bios file, and follow it with a /s.

Command emulation runs in an mdt environment, we should use the System account to run it manually, whether we have used system account or not? If not, download PStools, and run the command referred to the following screenshot:

2.Their silent switch is.... BIOSxxxx.exe UiMode=2

Is the silent switch command in task sequence same as the command used manually? They should be consistent.

Besides, about UiMode=2, we could refer to this article:
http://supportishere.com/installing-panasonic-toughbook-bios-updates-in-a-task-sequence/
Note: Non-Microsoft link, just for the reference.
Rick Someone 411 Reputation points

2022-01-28T13:39:56.283+00:00

I ran this yesterday, and after the reboot it continued on to finish the TS. This morning, the BIOS updated, rebooted and now its again saying, an existing in-progress deployment was found. Ignore or start a new one?

This was the initial issue.
Rick Someone 411 Reputation points

2022-01-28T17:13:10.17+00:00

It is random. Sometimes there is a reboot and the TS continues, other times at the desktop is says there's an in-progress deployment found (dirty environment). I can supply both files here. I have the TS reboot to say NeedReboot to YES.
I also checked the box in the install application details to say 'reboot the computer after installing this application.'

Is that not telling MDT to do the reboot so it is in control of the reboot? The BIOS upgrade is going to do one as it is, then
AFTER the bios upgrade, it says I should add a reboot in the TS. The PC doesn't see that command because the bios rebooting the pc breaks the TS.
I still don't know what I'm missing here. What are you meaning by saying the restart is suppressed? The BIOS rebooting the pc? That happens whether you want it to or not. So what is suppressed and how?
The TS doesn't continue because it isn't MDT making the reboot, but the BIOS. Then....MDT does its own reboot, but its too late.
All the CMD says is

cd "%~dp0"
BiosUpdate_R21-5208.3s3 UIMode=2

169485-bios-check.txt
Amandayou-MSFT 11,156 Reputation points

2022-02-01T07:55:29.033+00:00

Hi,

It seems that there is no obvious problem detected with the task sequence. At such situation, since the BIOS upgrade tool is provided by Panasonic, if possible, please contact the Panasonic to check the BIOs silent command as they may have more resources for the tool.

If it is urgent, to get better support, I suggest you call Professional Support Services so that a dedicate engineer will help you solve this issue in a more efficient way. Thank you for your understanding.
To obtain the phone numbers for specific technology request please take a look at the web site listed below, we could contact the local engineer to assist us.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/13948/global-customer-service-phone-numbers

Best regards,
Amanda
Rick Someone 411 Reputation points

2022-02-01T18:37:11.52+00:00

I may need to reach out to the Panasonic team. They have in place a method that detects the current version in a text file you make. If the pc version is not like the current one, it updates it. However, they don't have much logic for what to do
if the version already exists. Not always, but sometimes I get prompted by a popup that says the BIOS is already at the current version, which requires an OK to move beyond to the next step in the TS.

Otherwise, I suppose it is working correctly at detecting the version and upgrading if it isn't equal to what you add into the text file.
Rick Someone 411 Reputation points

2022-02-03T15:02:27.217+00:00

What is the logic about restarts with the BIOS updates?

I have 3 models of Panasonic pc's. CF33S-1, and I have a Check Version PS for that, along with a restart "If all conditions are true: TS variable NeedReboot equals YES". The same with a CF33-1 and CF33-2H.

But the pc reboots 3 times, once for the 33S, the 33-1 and the 33-2H.

Firstly, it only needs a reboot IF the BIOS is upgraded, secondly, only for that model. So I dont have something right in the Options tab to not reboot if the version already is current. If not, reboot that model.

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MDT and BIOS Upgrade.

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