Firmware details

michmoor

How do i go about getting firmware details [changelog] when an upgrade is available?
I have some 6100s that have an update available but i dont know what its about.

pfsjap

@michmoor I also have 6100 and upgraded the firmware, but after reboot it seems that the firmware was not upgraded:

michmoor

@pfsjap thats weird..
@stephenw10 you have any details here?

NOCling

You need to read it pront out after hitting the Button!
After Reboot, go an check if it is not installed, it is am microcode Update and need a power cycle to be loaded.

Go go halt the Appliance, put off the Power Plug, wait 10 seconds and repower the Appliance, now its up to date.

I does it yesterday Morning.

michmoor

@nocling prompt displays what’s in the update?

stephenw10

The prompt tells you to power cycle it to load the new microcontroller update. It only loads the new code when it powers up and it remains powered across a reboot.

The change log I have is likely meaningless to anyone outside enginerring! I'm seeing if there is anything more useful. It mainly served to unify the version across the 4100, 6100 and 8200. I wouldn't expect to see any change.

Steve

michmoor

@stephenw10 I get it. But if i need to do a software update which takes down a site briefly i need a reason for my change request.
Would it be beneficial i fi open a TAC request for the change log?

pfsjap

@stephenw10 Does firmware upgrade always require power cycle? If yes, then the warning text should be modified to:

WARNING: This operation requires a reboot and power cycle.

Gertjan

@pfsjap said in Firmware details:

Does firmware upgrade always require power cycle?

Your PC .... I'm pretty sure you've seen a BIOS upgrade.
During the restarts it tells you in 'red' that the next boot doesn't want a power failure ( ! ).

The power brick in your PC is an ACPI controlled unit, the mother board is actually powered down for a moment.
Only after this condition a 'firmware' upgrade can take place.
Afterwards, the access is locked again.

pfsjap

@gertjan Sure, I have upgraded BIOS in my PC several times, but in this process there is no requirement to manually power cycle the PC. Therefore it is easy to forget this in case of 6100, although I admit, that I should have read the "fine print" before proceeding.

Gertjan

@pfsjap said in Firmware details:

I have upgraded BIOS in my PC several times

And the OS you used knew how to signal the build in power unit to switch of the PC, and have it auto re restarted (cold boot) without you pressing any buttons.
I'm not sure that FreeBSD / pfSense can control your power unit like that.
If it is a '4100' (Netgate device) like I have, I have to remove the power plug myself.

During a electric power-on sequence, the device is capable of putting itself in 'firmware update mode'. That mode will get disabled after x time.

stephenw10

Blinkboot will be updated by rebooting. The microcontroller doesn't load in the new code until it is power cycled.

You are not forced to do that though. You can power cycle it when it's convenient for you.

Steve

Cylosoft

@stephenw10 On the 8200 I ran the firmware update, rebooted, and everything is showing the BIOS has been updated. Does it require a real power cycle or are 8200's handling it themselves?

stephenw10

It's only the microcontroller code that requires the power cycle. That's shown by the suffix on the running firmware. So you will see 03.00.00.03t-uc-15 before the power cycle and 03.00.00.03t-uc-18 after that.

Cylosoft

@stephenw10 ah that makes sense. Thanks. The 8200 already has uc-18 so it was just a BIOS update.