Loading SLC-SLB firmware version 6.1.0.0 or higher from an image file

Can I load firmware version 6.1.0.0 or higher onto my SLC or SLB using an image file through the USB port?


Loading SLC or SLB firmware using the image copy process through the front panel USB port is generally only required in situations where the current firmware has been corrupted for some reason.  This FAQ assumes that you are performing this action because the unit cannot be recovered any other way.

A functioning SLC or SLB should generally be updated using the upgrade patch. Click here for the FAQ on upgrading via the patch.

The image file for v6.1.0.0 or higher is for 512MB CF flash equipped SLCs and SLBs only.

The only way to determine, for certain, what size CF your unit has, you will need to connect to the front console port with a terminal program set to 9600 baud, 8 character bits, no parity, one stop bit, and no flow control.  Boot up the SLC or SLB.  As soon as you see the first boot messages, enter the characters x15.

Boot 1.1.5.L6 (Jan 25 2008 - 17:20:46) <--- First boot message. Type x15 within 10 seconds
Board: X15-0
CPU: Au1500, id: 0x02, rev: 0x02
DRAM: 128 MB
Flash: 4 MB
ethaddr = 00:80:a3:89:0b:6d
eth1addr = 00:80:a3:89:0b:6e
Bus 0: OK
Device 0: Model: SanDisk SDCFJ-256 Firm: HDX 2.27 Ser#: 1171602L02V58092
Type: Removable Hard Disk
Capacity: 245.0 MB = 0.2 GB (501760 x 512)  <---CF capacity.  This one is for a 256MB CF.
Net: Au1X00 ethernet
Lantronix
lantronix>

If your SLC or SLB does not have a 512MB CF, the v6.1.0.0 firmware cannot be loaded as an image.

In those cases, you must load the newest firmware version prior to v6.1.0.0, then patch the unit to v6.1.0.0.

If your SLC or SLB does have a 512MB CF, and has never run firmware version v6.1.0.0, and you have no alternative but to load the firmware using the image file, the best course of action would be to load the newest firmware prior to v6.1.0.0 via the image copy, then patch it to v6.1.0.0.

click here for an FAQ on imaging the SLC or SLB with the release prior to v6.1.0.0.  Note that v6.1.0.0 will not run on unit with a 128MB CF.

The only situation in which the v6.1.0.0 or higher image file would be loaded directly onto the SLC or SLB would be:

1.  If the unit has a 512MB CF.

2.  If the unit had been running at least v6.1.0.0 prior to requiring a firmware image copy.

Why?

1.  The image file is only available in 512MB

2.  Units that have never run v6.1.0.0 will not have the correct boot code that recognizes the 512MB image (1.1.5L10).

3.  The v6.1.0.0 patch will update the boot code to 1.1.5L10

4.  To run the patch, you would need to have at least v5.4 running on both banks of a dual boot bank SLC/SLB

5.  The newest image you can load if your boot code is not at 1.1.5L10 would be v5.4 for the SLC-02/SLB-01 or v5.5 for the SLC-03/SLB-02

6.  Once the units are imaged to v5.4 or v5.5, they can be updated to v6.1.0.0 using the patch, negating the need to load 6.1.0.0 using the image

After reading all of the above, if the determination is that your SLC or SLB meets both the 512MB CF and boot code 1.1.5L10 prerequisites AND is in a state that upgrading via the patch is not possible and a firmware recovery using an image copy is necessary, you can proceed with downloading the image file, which can be found here:

SLC-03/SLB884 v6.1.0.0 image

SLC-03/SLB884 v6.3.0.0 image


The SLB runs the same firmware, so the SLC image file can be used on either model.  Once you have the image file, you can use the procedure shown in this FAQ to load it.



[Originally Published On: 07/10/2014 11:34 AM]