Jpalmieri_HDS,  The issue you are running into is that the R710 that you have has a customized BIOS, specifically created per the original customer. Now you can get the update to run and update the BIOS to the Dell standard, but you can't go back. So if there is software dependent on the custom BIOS, then you shouldn't update. If you are doing a clean OS install and such, then there shouldn't be an issue.  I would recommend not going to the latest BIOS though, I would step it up. So I would start with this BIOS version, then walk up to the current.  The process you will use is with the bootable USB, and non-packaged update. Boot to it as you did, but when you run the filename include /forcetype after it. For example  R710-060100C.exe /forcetype That will force the update through, and after that you will be able to use the future BIOS updates from support.dell.com as they are released. Let me know how it goes, and if this helps.
Hello all I need your help. I have been trying to upgrade the BIOS of several Dell Poweredge R710's and for some reason I have been unsuccessful. Currently my BIOS is at version 1.2.6 I have tried the following. 1). Linux based ISO created form Repository Manager - It will act like its loading the update and ask me to reboot but when it goes to reboot it says BIOS attempt update failed. I have ran through this process about 50 times. All firmware and drivers are updated on the servers except the bios. 2) Loaded Win2008 and tried updating the BIOS through windows using the file "R710_BIOS_4HKX2_WN64_6.4.0.EXE" that I downloaded off Dells website. It runs successful then asks me to reboot. Once rebooted it mentions that the BIOS update attempt failed. 3) Created a bootable USB flashdrive. Copied the un-packaged file called "R710-060004C.EXE" to the USB flashdrive and renamed the file to conform to the 8.3 format. Booted to the USB flash drive and ran the program. It verifies the program then immediately fails with the error "cannot use a dell system poweredge r710 bios in a " -  ". 4) Tried updating from a non-bootable USB drive through system services using Unified Server Configurator. I used files "R710-060004C.EXE" and "R710_BIOS_4HKX2_WN64_6.4.0.EXE". It failed with the error message stating that I needed to use a valid catalog or windows file as it couldn't find one. *Edit* 5) Just tried using a SUU package to do the update. Once again it looks like it applies the BIOS update ok and then asks for a reboot. Once rebooted it mentions that the BIOS update attempt failed. For the life of me I can't get this to update. All the methods I have tried have not worked. If anyone can help I would greatly appreciate it. John
R710 Bios update failure - At my wits end!!