ThinInstaller - feature request

[pilgi3]

I want to install the Thunderbolt Firmware with Thin Installer:

This update has the reboot type 5. 

Maybe we can prevent this message by command in the future?

I want to install in the background without a message and when finished there will be a SCCM reboot message (aka reboot type 3).

Btw. the System Update 5 Deployment Guide document should be revised, cause the reboot type 5 is missing.

Thanks! 

[rgsteele]

Reboot type 5 is documented in this post on the Lenovo Think Deploy Blog: What are Reboot Delayed updates?

The rationale is that it isn't safe to postpone a reboot after a firmware update. However, I think there must be a better way to deal with these. The idea I'm working on right now is to use group policy to configure a script that runs at shutdown. This script would check for the existence of a registry key that points to the location of a firmware installer and executes it if one is found. Then the "install" command for the update can be simply modified to copy the installation media to some temporary location and create the registry key, and the reboot type can be changed to type 3.

Anyone have any thoughts or feedback about this approach?

Edit: clarified what I meant by "shutdown script".

[parkerjnc]

@pilgi3

The Reboot Type 5 designation allows us to install 1 or more firmware updates in one session and use a single reboot.  The requirement is that the updates are not interrupted by the user (i.e. shutting the lid causing the system to sleep), the system must stay on AC power and the system should be rebooted immediately at the end of installing.  

If you are using Thin Installer and you can guarantee these conditions then you could change the Reboot Type in the XML for the update to 3 and immediately initiate a restart after the install completes.

Another caveat for Thunderbolt Firmware you should be aware of is that you should make sure the Thunderbolt Software/Driver is updated first and that the system has been rebooted to ensure the new driver is in use before doing the firmware update.  This will ensure the firmware update is completely successful.

Regarding the deployment guide, we are in the middle of updating it.  There are a number of changes needed and it has taken longer than we would like but we will get it refreshed as soon as we can.

[rgsteele]

The Reboot Type 5 designation allows us to install 1 or more firmware updates in one session and use a single reboot.  The requirement is that the updates are not interrupted by the user (i.e. shutting the lid causing the system to sleep), the system must stay on AC power and the system should be rebooted immediately at the end of installing.  

Unfortunately, it seems like most of the firwmare updates are currently configured to run "un-silently" and force their own reboot, which negates any benefits of this system. I am guessing that this has been done because there have been issues with multiple firmware updates running simultaneously. Can you confirm this is the case? If so, what is the long-term plan to rectify this?

[parkerjnc]

Yes we did encounter an issue with updating certain firmwares at the same time.  As a result some updates were changed back to Reboot Type 1.  I believe that issue has been addressed so eventually we may see more RT 5 updates.  Longer term strategy, we are looking at rearchitecting how certain firmware are updated.  In future platforms we may have some of these combined into the system firmware update but it is still too early to know for sure.