Host Code Update

Reference: https://github.com/openbmc/phosphor-dbus-interfaces/blob/master/xyz/openbmc_project/Software

Following are the steps to update the host firmware (or "BIOS"). This assumes the host is not accessing its firmware.

Get a squashfs image:

Build op-build: https://github.com/open-power/op-build
After building, the image should be a tarball in the output/images directory called .pnor.squashfs.tar

Transfer the generated squashfs image to the BMC via one of the following methods:

Method 1: Via scp: Copy the generated squashfs image to the /tmp/images/ directory on the BMC.
Method 2: Via REST Upload: https://github.com/openbmc/docs/blob/master/rest-api.md#uploading-images

Method 3: Via TFTP: Perform a POST request to call the DownloadViaTFTP method of /xyz/openbmc_project/software.

curl -b cjar -k -H "Content-Type: application/json" -X POST \
  -d '{"data": ["<filename>", "<TFTP server IP address"]}' \
  https://${bmc}/xyz/openbmc_project/software/action/DownloadViaTFTP

Note the version id generated for that image file. The version id is a hash value of 8 hexadecimal numbers, generated by SHA-512 hashing the version string contained in the image and taking the first 8 characters. Get the version id via one of the following methods:

Method 1: From the BMC command line, note the most recent directory name created under /tmp/images/, in this example it'd be 2a1022fe:

# ls -l /tmp/images/
total 0
drwx------    2 root     root            80 Aug 22 07:54 2a1022fe
drwx------    2 root     root            80 Aug 22 07:53 488449a2

Method 2: This method only works if there are no Ready images at the start of transferring the image. Using the REST API, note the object that has its Activation property set to Ready, in this example it'd be 2a1022fe:

$ curl -b cjar -k https://${bmc}/xyz/openbmc_project/software/enumerate
{
  "data": {
    "/xyz/openbmc_project/software/2a1022fe": {
      "Activation": "xyz.openbmc_project.Software.Activation.Activations.Ready",

Method 3: Calculate the version id beforehand from the image with:

tar xfO <squashfs image tar> MANIFEST | sed -ne '/version=/ {s/version=//;p}' | head -n1 | tr -d '\n' | sha512sum | cut -b 1-8

To initiate the update, set the RequestedActivation property of the desired image to Active, substitute <id> with the hash value noted on the previous step, this will write the contents of the image to a UBI volume in the PNOR chip via one of the following methods:

Method 1: From the BMC command line:

busctl set-property org.open_power.Software.Host.Updater \
  /xyz/openbmc_project/software/<id> \
  xyz.openbmc_project.Software.Activation RequestedActivation s \
  xyz.openbmc_project.Software.Activation.RequestedActivations.Active

Method 2: Using the REST API:

curl -b cjar -k -H "Content-Type: application/json" -X PUT \
  -d '{"data":
  "xyz.openbmc_project.Software.Activation.RequestedActivations.Active"}' \
  https://${bmc}/xyz/openbmc_project/software/<id>/attr/RequestedActivation

(Optional) Check the flash progress. This interface is only available during the activation progress and is not present once the activation is completed via one of the following:

Method 1: From the BMC command line:

busctl get-property org.open_power.Software.Host.Updater \
  /xyz/openbmc_project/software/<id> \
  xyz.openbmc_project.Software.Activation Progress

Method 2: Using the REST API:

curl -b cjar -k https://${bmc}/xyz/openbmc_project/software/<id>/attr/Progress

Check the activation is complete by verifying the Activation property is set to Active via one of the following methods:

Method 1: From the BMC command line:

busctl get-property org.open_power.Software.Host.Updater \
  /xyz/openbmc_project/software/<id> \
  xyz.openbmc_project.Software.Activation Activation

Method 2: Using the REST API:

curl -b cjar -k https://${bmc}/xyz/openbmc_project/software/<id>

Patching the host firmware

Copy the partition binary file to /usr/local/share/pnor/ on the BMC.

The partition binary file must be named the same as the partition name that intends to patch, ex: ATTR_TMP.

Associations

Information about Associations can be found at ubi-code-update.md#associations