System and method for applying a destructive firmware update in a non-destructive manner

A system, method, and computer-usable medium for applying a destructive firmware update in a non-destructive manner. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, during operation of a multiprocessor data processing system, a service processor updates firmware in the multiprocessor data processing system from a first firmware setting to a second firmware setting. The service processor iteratively applies the second firmware setting to hardware within the multiprocessor data processing system by de-allocating a first hardware device when the second firmware setting includes at least one destructive operation targeted to the first hardware device, performing the destructive operation on the first hardware device, and re-allocating the first hardware device into the multiprocessor data processing system when the destructive operation is complete.