System and method for updating firmware

• US 7,055,148 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2000
• Issued: 05/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Holbrook, R Scott, Jung, Eugene L, Marsh, James L
• Primary Examiner(s): Chaki, Kakali
• Assistant Examiner(s): Roche, Trenton J.
• Application Number:
  US09/732,467
• Publication Number:
  US 20020073304A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,000 Days
• Field of Search: 717168-178, 713/187, 713 1- 3, 713/201, 714/7
• US Class Current: 717/172
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

A system and a method that uses a software application operable under a current firmware/operating system configuration to install a new firmware version without “compromising” the operating system are presented. The software application may configure a computer system to install a plurality of software fixes configured to enhance functionality under a new firmware/operating system environment after the firmware has been successfully upgraded. Such functionality enhancements may be associated with external peripherals, as well as, input/output circuit cards, processors, and the like. In addition, the software application may configure the computing device to “boot” under the new firmware/operating system environment upon subsequent system initializations. Furthermore, the software application permits the distribution of firmware upgrades via a network. The capability to install firmware remotely permits a system administrator to “push” the new firmware to a plurality of network coupled computing devices, thus avoiding manual intervention at each device.

Claims

1. A computer system communicatively coupled to a network, comprising:

an operating system;

a programmable non-volatile memory;

at least one microprocessor operatively coupled to execute at least one instruction from the programmable non-volatile memory in response to a boot request, the microprocessor configured to controllably write to the programmable non-volatile memory; and

at least one fixed storage device operatively coupled to the at least one microprocessor, wherein the at least one fixed storage device receives from the network at least a portion of a boot image comprising;

a system loader;

a firmware patch;

a configuration file modifiable to direct the system loader to execute the firmware patch instead of the operating system in response to a subsequent boot request; and

the firmware patch configured to write a firmware upgrade to the programmable non-volatile memory, the firmware patch comprising;

an install application;

a firmware revision containing at least one instruction different from firmware within the programmable non-volatile memory; and

a flash application having a bootable kernel, firmware update logic, and a non-volatile memory interface, wherein the firmware update logic is executable on the microprocessor to write the firmware revision to the programmable non-volatile memory.

2. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the at least one fixed storage device receives and stores new firmware.

3. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the at least one fixed storage device receives and stores an application.

4. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the bootable kernel comprises a system loader interface and reboot logic.

5. The computer system of claim 4, wherein the bootable kernel comprises an operating system.

6. The computer system of claim 4, wherein the bootable kernel comprises a file management system.

17. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the install application resets the configuration file in the boot image to select the operating system to execute on a subsequent boot after writing of the firmware revision.

18. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the firmware patch is executable on the microprocessor to verify whether the firmware revision can successfully upgrade the firmware within the programmable non-volatile memory.

19. The computer system of claim 18, wherein the firmware patch is executable on the microprocessor to report to a remote system whether the firmware revision can successfully upgrade the firmware within the programmable non-volatile memory.

7. A computer network, comprising:

a plurality of computer systems communicatively coupled to a network infrastructure, each of the plurality of computer systems configured with a non-volatile memory containing a common firmware version designated for replacement and a fixed storage device containing a boot image having appropriate instruction code suited to transition the respective computer system to an operational mode;

a user input device communicatively coupled to at least one computer system communicatively coupled to the network infrastructure, the at least one computer system configured with write access permission for the respective fixed storage device associated with each of the plurality of computer systems, wherein an input from the user input device initiates a transfer of a modified boot image to the plurality of computer systems, the modified boot image comprising a revised firmware, a configuration file, an install application, and a firmware patch having a bootable kernel different from an operating system operable on the respective computer system, the configuration file modifiable to select the firmware patch instead of the operating system for execution on a next boot, the install application executable in the respective computer system to verify whether the revised firmware is able to successfully upgrade the common firmware version.

8. A method for performing a firmware upgrade, comprising:

delivering, over a network, a firmware install patch containing new firmware, an install application, a configuration file, and a flash application to boot disks within respective plurality of networked computer systems, each of said computer systems having a version of a firmware designated for the firmware upgrade, wherein the flash application comprises a bootable kernel, firmware update logic, and a non-volatile memory interface;

initiating the install application contained within the firmware install patch;

modifying the configuration file in the firmware install patch to direct a system loader to execute the firmware install patch instead of an operating system in each computer system in response to a subsequent microprocessor reset;

initiating a microprocessor reset;

executing the flash application in response to the initiated microprocessor reset;

erasing, by the firmware update logic, the firmware within each of the plurality of networked computer systems in response to execution of the flash application; and

writing, by the firmware update logic, the new firmware to each of the plurality of networked computer systems in response to execution of the flash application in each of the plurality of networked computer systems.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the delivered firmware install patch comprises at least one executable configured to verify the version of the firmware stored in the computer system prior to writing the new firmware.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

installing an operating system that requires the new firmware;

installing a software patch that requires the new firmware;

resetting the configuration file to redirect the system loader to select the appropriate memory address upon a subsequent microprocessor reset to apply the upgraded firmware, operating system, and software patch; and

removing the firmware install patch from the computer system.

20. The method of claim 8, further comprising resetting the configuration file to direct the system loader to execute the operating system in each computer system upon a next microprocessor reset after writing the new firmware.

11. A computer system communicatively coupled to a network, comprising:

a programmable non-volatile memory having a first firmware;

at least one microprocessor operatively coupled to controllably write to the programmable non-volatile memory and execute at least one instruction from the programmable non-volatile memory in response to a boot request; and

at least one fixed storage device operatively coupled to the at least one microprocessor, the storage device containing a firmware patch and a configuration file configurable to select the firmware patch for execution on a next boot, the firmware patch comprising;

an install application;

a second firmware different from the first firmware; and

a flash application comprising;

a bootable kernel including a system loader interface and reboot logic;

a firmware update logic; and

a non-volatile memory interface to enable the firmware update logic to upgrade the first firmware in the programmable non-volatile memory with the second firmware,

the install application executable on the microprocessor to verify whether the second firmware is able to successfully upgrade the first firmware.

12. The computer system of claim 11, further comprising a system loader to execute the flash application upon the next boot based on the configuration file.

13. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the firmware update logic and the non-volatile memory interface store the second firmware on the non-volatile memory.

14. The computer system of claim 11, wherein upon the occurrence of a next boot after updating the first firmware with the second firmware, the second firmware and a system loader transfer an operating system to a random access memory communicatively coupled to the at least one microprocessor.

15. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the install application executes a file system operation.

16. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the file system operation results in the removal of the firmware patch from the at least one fixed storage device.

21. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the configuration file is resettable to enable execution of the operating system in response to a next boot after updating the first firmware with the second firmware.

22. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the fixed storage device further stores a boot image, the boot image containing the firmware patch and configuration file.