SMTL1000RM2UC Firmware Update Loop

[Tekmanagement]

I have an SMTL1000RM2UC on firmware UPS 01.5 (ID1026), which was the very first firmware for this particular model as far as I know. I have an NMC 3 card (AP9641) installed.

I can't quite remember if I tried updating the firmware through the NMC originally, but the UPS started displaying a prompt saying firmware 15.5 was available. I told it to update using the front control panel, and it goes through the motions like it's updating, but then it just reboots and says that 15.5 is available. I've confirmed it's still on 01.5 however.

I've also tried through the NMC, both using it's built in "Updating Pending: Install" prompt and also manually uploading the appropriate firmware through the NMC directly. All attempts result in the same behavior, it shuts down the UPS, the panel blinks a few times, it comes back online, and the firmware version is unchanged and continues to prompt for the 15.5 install.

I finally got around to shutting it all down and removing the NMC and trying to update using the Firmware Upgrade Wizard, but it does the same thing. It transfers, seems like it's working, shuts down the UPS and no update to the firmware actually occurs.

I'm assuming I may need to update to 2.9 first and then jump to 15.5 (since it goes from 2.9 directly to the 15.0 branch in the release notes)? But the problem is I can't seem to find previous versions of the firmware posted on the site anymore. Is there a way I can get a copy of the 2.9 firmware meant for the ID1026 SMTL?

[Teken]

You will need to contact APC Technical Support to obtain the previous versions of firmware or FUW.

As you correctly noted the system needs to be upgraded in a staged manner. As they changed something in the boot loader at some point.

This specific issue is the one of the prime reasons as to why a perfectly working system is bricked! 🤦‍♂️👎

Regardless, please review the APC Firmware FAQ as your not following the recommended guidelines.

As such you will end up bricking a fully operational system! ☝️

https://www.apc.com/us/en/faqs/FA164737/

[Tekmanagement]

Hard to argue with the UPS when it's flashing the firmware update on the unit itself and you're standing in front of it, but I do see the serial approach is the recommended one.

I ended up reaching out to APC support and they suggested I do a "dead head" procedure (unplugging everything including batter and letting it sit) one more time and then doing the update through NMC. Odd that they said to do it through the NMC.

Unfortunately APC no longer holds on to prior versions of firmware, which I find bizarre and hard to believe, but they were clear they don't keep prior versions around after a while. So either the dead head procedure works, or I'll be forever stuck on the stock RTM firmware.

[Teken]

I’ve heard that same feedback from others over the years. As it relates to legacy firmware availability and not being kept in archive when needed. 🤦‍♂️

If this is true it simply affirms the people running this company are truly out of touch and incompetent. ☝️

Personally my belief is it’s probably half true and the first tier support simply don’t have access to some legacy software. 🤢

Keep in mind you’re talking about the largest and oldest UPS maker on the planet. This same company is still using 1990 technology to store and update firmware?!? 🤮

Every serious company making anything that has the ability to update firmware use technology that has existed in the late 90’s.

The ability to segment, store, recall, roll back to a last known state! Yet this company won’t invest $0.35 for the same ability??? 🙄

One only needs to think about any enterprise switch. All of them store the old and new firmware onboard which the end user can roll back to in case of a failed upgrade!

They don’t simply leave you bricked or offer you no ability to roll back much less upgrade. Lots of companies for what ever reason who can’t update the chips use software to provide the same protected segments that are held in place.

First stage is to confirm the firmware is correct, valid, and applicable to the target device. Second stage is backing up all user / hardware settings and existing firmware.

Third stage is creating a protected virtual segment / partition as a fail safe to allow a recovery (roll back) if required.

Forth stage is updating the different parts of the chip while validating its progress and completion. 

Fifth step is to do a compare and validate the new firmware is installed correctly and complete any check out process. 

All of the above steps have existed since the late 90! These steps are a million times more involved and complicated on serious equipment think plane, tank, missile, submarine, etc. 

Even the lowly alarm panel offers more firmware protection and capabilities to protect the user and the hardware against a bad firmware update! 😑