I decided to upgrade from 4.5.1 to 4.5.6 today.  Powered down the server, pulled the Sandisc Micro Cruzer stick, plugged it into a Windows XP machine, backed up all files onto a hard disc, copied the new 4.5.6 files onto the stick, ejected, reinserted into the server and powered up. Made it to the "DMI Pool" message and then it froze.  Powered down and put the stick back in the Windows machine and get an error message that it's not formatted.  Have used the admin tools, tried formatting under XP, tried the HP Format tool, tried erasing everything with ActiveKill and starting over, but nothing is working.  I cannot get it reformatted and it seems to be a lost cause.

 

Is there anything else I can try, or should I contact Tom and get a new key for a new stick?

 

Thanks, as always...Dave

Well this is bizarre...

 

I have an identical Sandisc Micro Cruzer available.  I checked it in my Windows PC this morning and it was readable and showed the file structure.  I ejected properly.  This evening I came back and inserted the stick into the same PC, and am now again getting a message that it's not formatted.  I think my Windows PC has managed to corrupt two sticks in one day!

When you do get a working USB stick again, you may have to change your server's BIOS settings to tell it to boot from the USB stick again.  Normally when a computer/server hangs at the 'verifying DMI pool data...' step it means that it is trying to boot from the wrong device.

Thanks, Raj.  I did get my second stick working and Tom sent me a new key, so I'm back in business.  I had to make the change in the BIOS, but now everything is ok...except for that first stick!