CSG2500 BIOS Update Procedure


Warning: 

System needs to be power cycled for the BIOS update to take effect. Services will be temporarily interrupted. 

Performing BIOS upgrade during a maintainance window is recommended. 

Serial console access, management access and IPMI/BMC access are recommended for debugging purpose.


Latest production version:

BIOS: FWA5070_bios_Versa_02_18.img (Version 2.18 06/12/25)

NVRAM: FWA5070_nvram_Versa_0x08_00.img (Version 8.0 06/12/25)


Step 1: 

Download the BIOS update package file "CSG2500_BIOS_E218_20250612.tar.gz" from the link below and copy it to CSG2500.

https://versanetworks.box.com/s/4bw9yd55jxuprug368jz3u4cqmu0vyjx

Filename: CSG2500_BIOS_E218_20250612.tar.gz

md5sum: 4b9af8a5c7b964e17afbeca71b6bf33c


Step 2: 

Extract the .gz file downloaded.


[admin@versa-flexvnf: ~] $ ls -l CSG2500_BIOS_E218_20250612.tar.gz

-rwxrwxrwx 1 root root 6722085 Jun 26 18:29 CSG2500_BIOS_E218_20250612.tar.gz

[admin@versa-flexvnf: ~] $ md5sum CSG2500_BIOS_E218_20250612.tar.gz

4b9af8a5c7b964e17afbeca71b6bf33c  CSG2500_BIOS_E218_20250612.tar.gz

[admin@versa-flexvnf: ~] $ 


[admin@versa-flexvnf: ~] $ sudo tar -xf CSG2500_BIOS_E218_20250612.tar.gz


[admin@versa-flexvnf: ~] $ cd CSG2500_BIOS_E218_20250612/

[admin@versa-flexvnf: CSG2500_BIOS_E218_20250612] $ sudo ls -l

total 26920

-rwxrwxrwx 1 admin versa     4203 Jun 26 17:59 CSG2500_BIOS_Update_Instructions.txt

-rw-r----- 1 root  root  26501254 Jun 26 16:54 FWA5070_bios_Versa_02_18.img

-rw-r----- 1 root  root   1048676 Jun 26 16:54 FWA5070_nvram_Versa_0x08_00.img

[admin@versa-flexvnf: CSG2500_BIOS_E218_20250612] $


Step 3: 

Verify that the system is Versa CSG2500 and check the current BIOS/NVRAM version before proceeding to the update.


[admin@versa-flexvnf: ~] $  sudo dmidecode -t 1

Handle 0x0001, DMI type 1, 27 bytes

System Information

    Manufacturer: Versa Networks Inc

    Product Name: CSG2500

    Version: A1 01

    Serial Number: KSE1234567

    UUID: A0CCB42E-0868-4FBB-8D7E-A74F0D9DF120

    Wake-up Type: Power Switch

    SKU Number: CSG2500

    Family: Server

[admin@versa-flexvnf: ~] $ 


[admin@versa-flexvnf: ~] $  sudo ipmitool hpm check


PICMG HPM.1 Upgrade Agent 1.0.9:


-------Target Information-------

Device Id          : 0xc8

Device Revision    : 0x81

Product Id         : 0x5070

Manufacturer Id    : 0x2839 (Advantech)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

|ID  | Name        |                     Versions                        |

|    |             |     Active      |     Backup      |      Deferred   |

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

|   0|5070 BL      |   1.02 00000000 | ---.-- -------- | ---.-- -------- |

|   1|5070 BMC     |   1.18 00000000 |   1.18 00000000 | ---.-- -------- |

|*  2|5070 BIOS    |   2.06 00000000 |   2.06 00000000 | ---.-- -------- |

|*  3|5070 NVRAM   |   4.00 00000000 | ---.-- -------- | ---.-- -------- |

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

(*) Component requires Payload Cold Reset


[admin@versa-flexvnf: ~] $ 


Step 4: 

Update the primary BIOS as shown below.


[admin@versa-flexvnf: ~] $ sudo ipmitool -z 250 hpm upgrade FWA5070_bios_Versa_02_18.img activate

Setting large buffer to 250


PICMG HPM.1 Upgrade Agent 1.0.9:


Validating firmware image integrity...OK

Performing preparation stage...

Services may be affected during upgrade. Do you wish to continue? (y/n): y

OK


Performing upgrade stage:


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

|ID  | Name        |                     Versions                        | %  |

|    |             |      Active     |      Backup     |      File       |    |

|----|-------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|----|

|*  2|5070 BIOS    |   2.06 00000000 |   2.06 00000000 |   2.18 00000000 |100%|

|    |Upload Time: 19:34             | Image Size: 26501166 bytes              |

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(*) Component requires Payload Cold Reset

Performing activation stage:

    Waiting firmware activation...OK


Firmware upgrade procedure successful


[admin@versa-flexvnf: ~] $


Step 5: 

Power cycle the system for the primary BIOS change to take effect.


[admin@versa-flexvnf: ~] $ sudo ipmitool chassis power cycle


Step 6: 

After power cycle, verify the BIOS change and run the same command again to update the secondary bios.


[admin@versa-flexvnf: ~] $ sudo ipmitool hpm check

PICMG HPM.1 Upgrade Agent 1.0.9:


-------Target Information-------

Device Id          : 0xc8

Device Revision    : 0x81

Product Id         : 0x5070

Manufacturer Id    : 0x2839 (Advantech)


--------------------------------------------------------------------------

|ID  | Name        |                     Versions                        |

|    |             |     Active      |     Backup      |      Deferred   |

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

|   0|5070 BL      |   1.02 00000000 | ---.-- -------- | ---.-- -------- |

|   1|5070 BMC     |   1.18 00000000 |   1.18 00000000 | ---.-- -------- |

|*  2|5070 BIOS    |   2.18 00000000 |   2.06 00000000 | ---.-- -------- |

|*  3|5070 NVRAM   |   4.00 00000000 | ---.-- -------- | ---.-- -------- |

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

(*) Component requires Payload Cold Reset


[admin@versa-flexvnf: ~] $


[admin@versa-flexvnf: ~] $ sudo ipmitool -z 250 hpm upgrade FWA5070_bios_Versa_02_18.img activate

Setting large buffer to 250


PICMG HPM.1 Upgrade Agent 1.0.9:


Validating firmware image integrity...OK

Performing preparation stage...

Services may be affected during upgrade. Do you wish to continue? (y/n): y

OK


Performing upgrade stage:


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

|ID  | Name        |                     Versions                        | %  |

|    |             |      Active     |      Backup     |      File       |    |

|----|-------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|----|

|*  2|5070 BIOS    |   2.18 00000000 |   2.06 00000000 |   2.18 00000000 |100%|

|    |Upload Time: 19:34             | Image Size: 26501166 bytes              |

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(*) Component requires Payload Cold Reset

Performing activation stage:

    Waiting firmware activation...OK


Firmware upgrade procedure successful


[admin@versa-flexvnf: ~] $


Step 7: 

Power cycle the system for the secondary BIOS change to take effect.


[admin@versa-flexvnf: ~] $ sudo ipmitool chassis power cycle


Step 8: 

After power cycle, verify the BIOS change.


[admin@versa-flexvnf: ~] $ sudo ipmitool hpm check


PICMG HPM.1 Upgrade Agent 1.0.9:


-------Target Information-------

Device Id          : 0xc8

Device Revision    : 0x81

Product Id         : 0x5070

Manufacturer Id    : 0x2839 (Advantech)



--------------------------------------------------------------------------

|ID  | Name        |                     Versions                        |

|    |             |     Active      |     Backup      |      Deferred   |

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

|   0|5070 BL      |   1.02 00000000 | ---.-- -------- | ---.-- -------- |

|   1|5070 BMC     |   1.18 00000000 |   1.18 00000000 | ---.-- -------- |

|*  2|5070 BIOS    |   2.18 00000000 |   2.18 00000000 | ---.-- -------- |

|*  3|5070 NVRAM   |   4.00 00000000 | ---.-- -------- | ---.-- -------- |

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

(*) Component requires Payload Cold Reset


[admin@versa-flexvnf: ~] $


Step 9: 

Update NVRAM image as shown below.


[admin@versa-flexvnf: ~] $ sudo ipmitool -z 250 hpm upgrade FWA5070_nvram_Versa_0x08_00.img activate

Setting large buffer to 250


PICMG HPM.1 Upgrade Agent 1.0.9:


Validating firmware image integrity...OK

Performing preparation stage...

Services may be affected during upgrade. Do you wish to continue? (y/n): y

OK


Performing upgrade stage:


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

|ID  | Name        |                     Versions                        | %  |

|    |             |      Active     |      Backup     |      File       |    |

|----|-------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|----|

|*  3|5070 NVRAM   |   4.00 00000000 | ---.-- -------- |   8.00 00000000 |100%|

|    |Upload Time: 02:03             | Image Size: 1048588 bytes              |

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(*) Component requires Payload Cold Reset

Performing activation stage:

    Waiting firmware activation...OK


Firmware upgrade procedure successful


[admin@versa-flexvnf: ~] $


Step 10: 

Power cycle the system for the NVRAM change to take effect.


[admin@versa-flexvnf: ~] $ sudo ipmitool chassis power cycle


Step 11: 

After power cycle, verify the BIOS change and NVRAM change.


[admin@versa-flexvnf: ~] $ sudo ipmitool hpm check


PICMG HPM.1 Upgrade Agent 1.0.9:


-------Target Information-------

Device Id          : 0xc8

Device Revision    : 0x81

Product Id         : 0x5070

Manufacturer Id    : 0x2839 (Advantech)


--------------------------------------------------------------------------

|ID  | Name        |                     Versions                        |

|    |             |     Active      |     Backup      |      Deferred   |

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

|   0|5070 BL      |   1.02 00000000 | ---.-- -------- | ---.-- -------- |

|   1|5070 BMC     |   1.18 00000000 |   1.18 00000000 | ---.-- -------- |

|*  2|5070 BIOS    |   2.18 00000000 |   2.18 00000000 | ---.-- -------- |

|*  3|5070 NVRAM   |   8.00 00000000 | ---.-- -------- | ---.-- -------- |

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

(*) Component requires Payload Cold Reset


[admin@versa-flexvnf: ~] $


[admin@versa-flexvnf: ~] $ sudo dmidecode -t 0

# dmidecode 3.1

Getting SMBIOS data from sysfs.

SMBIOS 3.2.1 present.

# SMBIOS implementations newer than version 3.1.1 are not

# fully supported by this version of dmidecode.


Handle 0x0000, DMI type 0, 26 bytes

BIOS Information

        Vendor: American Megatrends Inc./Advantech

        Version: 5070E218

        Release Date: 06/12/2025

        Address: 0xF0000

        Runtime Size: 64 kB

        ROM Size: 32 MB

        Characteristics:

                PCI is supported

                BIOS is upgradeable

                BIOS shadowing is allowed

                Boot from CD is supported

                Selectable boot is supported

                BIOS ROM is socketed

                EDD is supported

                5.25"/1.2 MB floppy services are supported (int 13h)

                3.5"/720 kB floppy services are supported (int 13h)

                3.5"/2.88 MB floppy services are supported (int 13h)

                Print screen service is supported (int 5h)

                Serial services are supported (int 14h)

                Printer services are supported (int 17h)

                ACPI is supported

                USB legacy is supported

                BIOS boot specification is supported

                UEFI is supported

        BIOS Revision: 5.14


[admin@versa-flexvnf: ~] $


Step 12: 

Verify that BIOS DMI product name is still intact "CSG2500"


[admin@versa-flexvnf: ~] $ sudo dmidecode -t 1

# dmidecode 3.1

Getting SMBIOS data from sysfs.

SMBIOS 3.2.1 present.

# SMBIOS implementations newer than version 3.1.1 are not

# fully supported by this version of dmidecode.


Handle 0x0001, DMI type 1, 27 bytes

System Information

        Manufacturer: Versa Networks Inc

        Product Name: CSG2500

        Version: A1 01

        Serial Number: KSE1234567

        UUID: A0CCB42E-0868-4FBB-8D7E-A74F0D9DF120

        Wake-up Type: Power Switch

        SKU Number: CSG2500

        Family: Server


[admin@versa-flexvnf: ~] $





<DONE>







BIOS revision change history:


E218 (06/20/25)

   - Added BIOS watchdog feature for SSD detection during system reboot

   - Implemented BMC/DMI FRU backup mechanism

   - Improved BMC/IPMI USB signal for IPMI Virtual ISO to address the USB bug errors shown below:

           [    3.246991] usb 1-5.1: device descriptor read/64, error -71

[    3.438991] usb 1-5.1: device descriptor read/64, error -71

[    3.710991] usb 1-5.1: device descriptor read/64, error -71

[    3.902995] usb 1-5.1: device descriptor read/64, error -71

[    5.042988] usb 1-5.1: device not accepting address 5, error -71             

[    5.546985] usb 1-5.1: device not accepting address 6, error -71

[    5.553122] usb 1-5-port1: unable to enumerate USB device