Access Old CIMC

[Toad39]

Hello,

I have a Cisco UCS C220 M3, and I am trying to access CIMC. I am aware that for this version, I need Adobe Flash and Java. However, the only modern browser that still supports Java is Internet Explorer, but that doesn't support flash. Could someone please help me get into CIMC? Thank you.

[Leo Laohoo]

Read this first:  FN - 64093 - UCSC Series Default Password for Units Shipped November 17, 2015 through January 6, 2016 is Incorrect

[Toad39]

Hello,

I am able to log into CIMC, but I am not able to access the full feature-set (e.g. KVM console) without Java.

[Leo Laohoo]

The only way is to get a laptop with an old OS, say Windows 7 or Windows 8, and connect it directly to the CIMC and then update the firmware.  

WARNING:  CIMC firmware upgrade will take about 75 minutes & during the entire time, the box is down.

[Toad39]

I realized the problem was that I can't get HTTP, only HTTPS. Since the server is not on a public network, I have no need for HTTPS. How can I disable this? I tried disabling HTTPS redirect in the CLI, but that doesn't work.

[Heiko]

Someone posted a solution here:

https://community.cisco.com/t5/cisco-bug-discussions/cscvs11682-c220-c240-m3-server-need-html5-support-for-cimc-webui/td-p/4144939

I had the same problem and this helped me

[adudek]

Depending on how old the image is, you might have to mess around with the tls settings in the web browser. I know I had to reduce firefox down to 2 for a really old version. Just make sure you remember to restore it later.

[dfigari]

Hey guys, 

I have tried a lot of ways to get CIMC gui access and i found this quick and easy solution:

Just go to this post and try Downgraded Firefox fix using the portable browser:
https://datahorde.org/?p=1980

In my case some of the CIMC were stuck loading after the login credentials so i increased the http timeout by cli using  set timeout command:

scope http

set timeout 3000

commit

show

[Wesley C]

is anyone else having an issue with this where after a login it changes to a page that says download failed?

[morizvi]

There are various methods actually can be used to access the CIMC in M3 and M4 servers.

1. Downgrade the browser to any older browser version such as Chrome to Chrome version 61.

2. You can also use some alternate browser such as "Maxthon Cloud Browser" which still supports the flash and will allow you to login.

For M4 Only

3. Update the CIMC from CLI and once upgraded then complete the upgrade with the HUU

You can check detailed steps below for all the options mentioned above.

Method 1: -

Downgrade the browser to any older browser version such as Chrome to Chrome version 61.

Step 1: - Uninstall the current Chrome browser

Step 2: - Download the Chrome Version 61 using the link below.

http://chrome.softwaredownload.co.in/chrome-61-0-3163

Now you would be able to access the CIMC as the browser still support the Flash player and will allow the CIMC page to load.

(For M4)

Step 3: - Launch the vKVM and run the HUU to update the firmware to 3.0

Step 4: - Then update the browser back to the latest version

Note: - In case of M3 servers You can continue to keep chrome 61 or if not willing to upgrade the firmware.

For that we need to disable the chrome update.

How to Disable the Chrome update?

Note that it is not disabled through the browser however would require to disable the Google update service.

For Windows: - Open the Run box (Windows + R) and type:- MSCONFIG and then hit Enter.

Then go to services tab and type G then find and uncheck services. " Google update Services".

Method 2: -

Alternatively, We can install browser such as "Maxthon Cloud Browser".

https://www.maxthon.com/download/previous-version-browser-free-download/

One thing to highlight that browser such as Maxathon have not been updated for quite a while so can potentially bring the security risk.

Method 3: -

(For M4 only)
Update the CIMC from CLI and once upgraded then complete the upgrade the with HUU

We can Upgrade the CIMC firmware using the CLI
We do not need to update BIOS and only CIMC will allow to access the new CIMC with HTML5
Then we should launch vKVM and run the HUU as normal.

Step:1: -

Extract the CIMC.bin file from HUU of 3.0 firmware.
Use the guide below and check the step 11 for steps to extract the FIle.

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/unified_computing/ucs/c/sw/cli/config/guide/3_0/b_Cisco_UCS_C-...

Step:2: -

Add the CIMC.BIN into the tftp/SCP/FTP server.

I am using the “TFTPD64” TFTP server.

Step:3: -

SSH to CIMC's IP address
Then run the below commands: -

C-Series-III#
C-Series-III# scope cimc
C-Series-III /cimc # scope firmware
C-Series-III /cimc/firmware #update tftp 10.201.200.241 /cimc.bin

Format is: - (update protocol IP /Path/Filename)

Then Verify the upgrade status using the command: -

#Show detail

C-Series-III /cimc/firmware # show detail
Firmware Image Information:
Update Stage: DOWNLOAD <<<<<<<<<<<<<===============
Update Progress: 5 <<<<<<<<<<<<<===============
Current FW Version: 2.0(13n) <<<<<<<<<<<<<===============
FW Image 1 Version: 4.0(2h) <<<<<<<<<<<<<===============
FW Image 1 State: BACKUP INACTIVATED
FW Image 2 Version: 2.0(13n)
FW Image 2 State: RUNNING ACTIVATED
Boot-loader Version: 2.0(13n).36
Secure Boot: ENABLED

Run again once completed:-

C-Series-III /cimc/firmware # show detail
Firmware Image Information:
Update Stage: NONE <<<<<<<<<<<<<===============
Update Progress: 100 <<<<<<<<<<<<<===============
Current FW Version: 2.0(13n) <<<<<<<<<<<<<===============
FW Image 1 Version: 3.0(3f) <<<<<<<<<<<<<=============== (This is the new image we added uisng tftp)
FW Image 1 State: BACKUP INACTIVATED
FW Image 2 Version: 2.0(13n)
FW Image 2 State: RUNNING ACTIVATED
Boot-loader Version: 2.0(13n).36
Secure Boot: ENABLED

Step:3:-

Then type activate. Which will activate the FW Image 1.

C-Series-III /cimc/firmware # activate
This operation will activate firmware 2 and reboot the BMC.
Continue?[y|N] Y

Now the Server will reboot and the connectivity will be retored in 5 minutes.

Now we will be able to verify the upgrade using the same command:-

C-Series-III /cimc/firmware # show detail
Firmware Image Information:
Update Stage: NONE
Update Progress: 100
Current FW Version: 3.0(3f) <<<<<<<<<<<<<=============== (Firmware got update from 2.0(13n) to 3.0(3f).
FW Image 1 Version: 3.0(3f)
FW Image 1 State: RUNNING ACTIVATED
FW Image 2 Version: 2.0(13n)
FW Image 2 State: BACKUP INACTIVATED
Boot-loader Version: 3.0(3f).36
Secure Boot: ENABLED
C-Series-III /cimc/firmware #

We can login to CIMC and then Launch the vKVM and then update the firmware using the HUU.

Note that we do not require to update the BIOS from CLI to achieve the CIMC upgrade. But once CIMC is updated and accessible from the browser. Please ensure to run the HUU and update all the components.

[cogden]

Can someone just save many of us folks hours and hours of frustration and just post the most recent C200-M3 CIMC .bin file here, pleez? It's taking me forever in this Windows-world of business to just try and figure out how to extract the stupid files using 'GETFW' etc.
ucs-c220-huu-3.0.4s is the most recent .iso for C200 M3.

Yes, it's for a lab system because amazingly enough I would like to learn and experiment and not have to wing it in a PRODUCTION UC environment! Catch-22 for me, tx to Adobe Flash being unavailable and I only recently e-cycled my ancient Windows 7 laptop thinking 'never going to use you again' - duh. What was I thinking!?

Once I update CIMC version that does not rely on Adobe Flash (HTML5 right?), then maybe I can start to do something productive?

[cn7369]

I realise I am replying to an old post, but this browser worked for me, allowing flash enabled web pages to render properly: http://www.maxthon.com/blog/maxthon-browser-5-1-3-2000-officially-released/

I have it installed under windows 11 64bit (probably should work for win10 64 bit as well).

[adudek]

I'll have to try it.

[adudek]

Unfortunately Cisco has said that the M3 will never get the HTML5, so you do have to rely on Flash. I have an win 7 VM using palemoon with the last version of flash just to manage my 220m3.

Some people have had success using ubuntu 18.04 image to get firmwares out of the bin.  I do not remember if the M3 bin asks for a key to unencrypt or not.  I have been able to extract firmware out of m4.

[Toad39]

You want to flash the M4 CIMC firmware onto the M3? That seems quite dangerous