Recover from a failed downgrade from NiagaraAX 3.2 to 3.1


If a downgrade of a QNX-based JACE from AX-3.2 to AX-3.1 is attempted without following a special procedure, during the downgrade the niagarad (Platform Daemon) may become automatically disabled.


This occurs to prevent the JACE from getting into a constant reboot loop, caused by the AX-3.2 version of the JACE OS being installed concurrently with the AX-3.1.


The following procedure explains how to recover from this by installing the AX-3.1 JACE OS.


Tools required:

• Null Modem Cable

• Serial Terminal (such as Hyperterminal or Putty http://www.putty.org/)

• Jumper set to Shell on JACE


1) Extracting OS image

Extract the NiagaraAX 3.1 JACE OS image from the .dist file to a suitable  directory on the local computer.

1. Find the correct distribution file on the local computer, typically in <releaseDirectory>\sw\2.0.21.

Possible .dist file names include:


• qnx-jace-james.dist for the JACE 402/404(545)/405

• qnx-jace-james-etfs512.dist for the JACE 402/404(545)/405

• qnx-jace-james-etfs2048.dist for the JACE 402/404(545)/405

• qnx-jace-york.dist for the JACE 401/403

• qnx-jace-york-etfs512.dist for the JACE 401/403

• qnx-jace-york-etfs2048.dist for the JACE 401/403

• qnx-jace-npm2xx.dist for the JACE 2

• qnx-jace-npm2xx-etfs512.dist for JACE 2 128mb version


2) open file

Open the appropriate .dist file in an unzipping program (such as WinZip). Extract the OS image file located in devshmem of the .dist file. The OS image will be named the following depending on the hardware:


•james.image

•james-etfs512.image

•james-etfs2048.image

•york.image

•york-etfs512.image

•york-etfs2048.image

•npm2xx.image

•npm2xx-etfs512.image

•npm2xx-etfs2048.image


3) copy file

Copy the *.image file in a folder on the local hard drive, such as: c:\temp.



4) Enable FTP


By default, FTP is disabled on every JACE.

It must be enabled in the shell


1. Set the jumper on a JACE to serial shell mode and connect the null modem cable between the PC and the JACE.

Refer to the JACE NiagaraAX Install & Startup Guide (docJaceStartup.pdf) for more information.


2. Connect to the JACE using the Serial Terminal program and the appropriate baud rate, as follows:

• Baud rate 57600 for the JACE 401/402/403/404(545)/405

• Baud rate 115200 for the JACE 2, JENE-1000, JENE-3000, JENE-6000

  • 8 data bits,
  • 1 stop bit,
  • no parity


Serial Shell using Putty serial terminal


Null Modem cable



3. After logging in to the system from the serial shell, do the following to enable ftp:


• Select option 4 from the menu

• Enter the port number (Normally 21)


Note:

Leave the serial shell connection open while performing the next steps.


FTP OS image

1. On the local system, open a command prompt window and change to the directory where the OS image was extracted (c:\temp).


2. Connect to the JACE via ftp and put the OS image in the /tmp directory entering the following from the command line:


• Create a ftp connection by typing:


ftp [ipAddress]

• Type the username and password of the host when prompted

• Change directory to /tmp (type:cd tmp )

• Change to binary mode by typing: bin

• Put the OS on the JACE by typing: put xxxxx.image (xxxxx=image name from #2 of Extracting OS image) (ex nre-config-npm2xx-j9-etfs512.dist)

• Exit by typing: bye


Note:

To find the exact image needed for a JACE 2/4/5 execute the following while connected with the serial shell.

1. Type sh to exit the menu system

2. At the #, type: cat sys/info/fs

This will return the file system type of etfs512 or etfs2048.

( to exit the # shell, type "exit" then enter)



Note on FTP

You can add the FireFTP plugin to firefox to do FTP



Execute OS update

1. Return to the serial shell connection

2. Type sh to exit the menu system

3. At the #, type: osupdate

4. When the next line is returned type: shutdown to reboot the JACE

After the JACE is rebooted perform an installation using the Commissioning Wizard in Workbench.