How to Recover a Router That Will Not Boot

Quick Note 29

How to recover a router that will not boot

September 2011

Contents

1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................... 3

1.1 Version .......................................................................................................................................... 3

1.2 Select a recovery method ............................................................................................................. 3

2 All 4000-Series routers (including IR2110B modems) Cirrusboot ......................................................... 4

2.1 Cirrus boot a TA2020B modem ................................................................................................... 10

3 WR41 and WR41v2 IMX boot .......................................................................................................... 11

4 DR64xx MK 1 Centillium boot .......................................................................................................... 17

5 WR44 TESLA boot ............................................................................................................................. 19

6 Errors and how to identify them WR44 Tesla BOOT ....................................................................... 25

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1 INTRODUCTION

Sometimes a Digi Transport router fails to boot up. This often attributed to a damaged bootloader.

Depending on the router model, there is recovery process which will restore the router to a working

state.

*NOTE: The file numbers used here are examples only. They were what we used to create this

document and the ones you use for your particular router may be different.

1.1 Version

Status

1.0 Draft

2.0 Updated and rebranded

1.2 Select a recovery method

Look at the Model Type in the following table and determine the appropriate recovery method

Model Type Recovery Method Section

All Sarian 4000 series Cirrus Boot 2

IR2110B, TA2020B* Cirrus Boot 2, 2.1

WR41 and WR41v2 IMX Boot 3

DR64xx MK 1 Centillium Boot 4

WR44 Tesla Boot 5

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2 ALL 4000-SERIES ROUTERS (INCLUDING IR2110B MODEMS) CIRRUSBOOT

The following devices can use Cirrus boot firmware.

HR4110, ER4110, MR4110 routers and IR2110B, TA2020B* modems

*NOTE

The TA2020B router has NO Ethernet port so you need to set up Flashwriter to use the Serial cable only.

In the following example an ER4110 that will not boot will be recovered

The recovery process is as follows:

Navigate to the flashwriter firmware section of the Digi website via this link

http://transport.digi.com/firmware/flashwriter/

Then select the firmware version for your particular model (ER4110)

Normally you will choose the latest version (5129 here you can choose older versions if required)

http://transport.digi.com/firmware/flashwriter/5129/4000/ER4110/

Extract the two files from the zip file

ER4110-5129.all

ER4110-5129.ini

This is the .ini file

115200,n,8,1

scan,

Amend the .ini file by inserting an extra line (cirrusboot,) before the scan as shown

115200,n,8,1

cirrusboot,

scan,

Next, navigate to the ftp firmware section of the Digi website via this link

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http:// http://transport.digi.com/firmware/5129/4000/ER4110/

Extract the .rom file

s602v21M.rom

and rename its file name and extension as follows:

s602v21M.rom rename it to ER4110-5129.sbios

You now have three files which represent the Cirrusboot firmware

ER4110-5129.all

ER4110-5129.ini

ER4110-5129.sbios

To continue, you will need to have Flashwriter installed on your computer. You can download the latest

version from here.

http://ftp1.digi.com/support/firmware/flashwriter.msi

Once installed, proceed as follows:

Close any software such as HyperTerminal that may be using the serial port Power off the router Make a note of the serial number and revision from the bottom of the router. eg 012345/4403a Connect the serial cable to the router Connect the router to the LAN port of your PC Open Flashwriter, click "Advanced > Set remote TFTP IP address" Enter an IP address from your own subnet that the router can use temporarily, click OK Set the "Communications port number" to your serial port number Ensure only "Use event driven mode" & "Use TFTP" are enabled Click Load, at the warning click Yes then OK Locate the folder that you extracted earlier and select the .all file eg: HR4110-5123.all Click OK on the Flashwriter window that tells you to power up the router Use a pen to hold in the reset button on the bottom of the router, whilst this is held in, power on

the router Flashwriter will start loading a boot image, you can now let go of the reset button When prompted for the serial number, enter the number you noted earlier but without any leading

zeros, ie 012345 becomes 12345, click OK When prompted for the hardware revision number, enter the number you noted earlier eg 4403a,

click OK Flashwriter will continue and load a new image and factory default config files Flashwriter will reboot the router when done and report "Device upgraded successfully" Close Flashwriter.

You need to ensure that you have selected the correct COM port for your PC to connect to the serial port of the router. My PC uses COM 1 yours may be different. Make sure that you have ticked the following two boxes: Use event driven mode Use TFTP

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Then under Advanced

Set remote TFTP IP address

This needs to be a value that is on the SAME subnet as the PC it is connected to. (My PC is on the 10.1.x.x subnet, your may not be)

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Click LOAD

Follow the on-screen instructions.

*You need to hold in the reset button whilst powering-up the router

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This is what you should see..

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Enter the serial number of the router (6 digits) when prompted

Enter the hardware revision number when prompted

The firmware upload process begins..

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..And completes successfully

2.1 Cirrus boot a TA2020B modem

The TA2020B has NO Ethernet port.

The Cirrus boot procedure is the same except you will use the Serial connection only

And you must un-tick all the boxes in the Flashwriter menu...

The procedure is exactly the same however as it uses the serial connection it takes much longer.

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3 WR41 AND WR41V2 IMX BOOT

In the following example a WR41 that will not boot will be recovered

The recovery process is as follows:

Navigate to the flashwriter firmware section of the Digi website via this link

http://transport.digi.com/firmware/flashwriter/

Then select the firmware version for your particular model (WR-41)

Normally you will choose the latest version. (But you can choose older versions if required. Here we

used 5123)

http://transport.digi.com/firmware/flashwriter/5123/WR41/

Extract the two files from the zip file

WR41-5123.all

WR41-5123.ini

This is the .ini file

115200,n,8,1

setwanmodule,

gensshkey,

scan,

time3,

Amend the .ini file by inserting an extra line (imxboot,) before the scan as shown

115200,n,8,1

imxboot,

setwanmodule,

gensshkey,

scan,

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time3,

Next, navigate to the ftp firmware section of the Digi website via this link

http://transport.digi.com/firmware/ftp/5123/WR41/

Extract the .rom file

s595v36M.rom

and rename its file name and extension as follows:

s595v36M.rom rename it to WR41-5123.sbios

You now have three files which represent the IMXboot firmware

WR41-5123.all

WR41-5123.ini

WR41-5123.sbios

You will need to have Flashwriter installed on your computer. You can download the latest version from

here.

http://ftp1.digi.com/support/firmware/flashwriter.msi

Once installed, proceed as follows:

Attach the Ethernet AND the Serial cable and then in Flashwriter select the appropriate COM port.

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Click LOAD and select the .ALL file to load

Follow the onscreen instructions

Select the W-WAN module when prompted........

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Momentarily power off the router

Enter the routers serial number (6 digits)...

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Enter the routers hardware revision number.

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NOTE that when doing IMX BOOT you use the COM(n) setting NOT (ETH)

(This is not so when doing a regular Flashwriter where you CAN use the ETH setting)

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4 DR64XX MK 1 CENTILLIUM BOOT

In the following example a DR6410 Mk I with Option module that will not boot will be recovered

The recovery process is as follows:

Navigate to the flashwriter firmware section of the Digi website via this link

http://transport.digi.com/firmware/flashwriter/

Then select the firmware version for your particular model.

Normally you will choose the latest version (5129 here you can choose older versions if required)

http: //firmware/flashwriter/5129/6000/DR64x0_MK_I_HSDPA_Option/

Extract the two files

DR64x0_MK_I_HSDPA_OPTION-5129.all

DR64x0_MK_I_HSDPA_OPTION-5129.ini

1) Open flashwriter

2) Connect a serial cable and a LAN cable

3) Select the .ALL file that you just extracted in the previous steps

4) Hold down the reset switch _while inserting the power

5) Continue to hold the reset switch down until you see the "flash blocks" loading firmware, then release

the reset switch and let the router continue to boot as normal.

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5 WR44 TESLA BOOT

In the following example a WR44 that will not boot will be recovered

The recovery process is as follows:

Navigate to the flashwriter firmware section of the Digi website via this link

Get the .all file and .ini file for the router from the standard flashwriter files.

http://www.sarians.co.uk/digi/firmware/flashwriter/5131/WR44/

Extract the two files from the zip file

WR44-5131.all

WR44-5131.ini

This is the .ini file

115200,n,8,1

setwanmodule,

gensshkey,

sendcommand,del config.da0,

scan,

Amend the .ini file by inserting an extra line (teslaboot,) before the scan as shown

115200,n,8,1

teslaboot,

setwanmodule,

gensshkey,

sendcommand,del config.da0,

scan,

Next, navigate to the ftp firmware section of the Digi website via this link

http://www.sarians.co.uk/digi/firmware/ftp/5131/WR44/

Extract the .rom file

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s607v39M.rom

and rename its file name and extension as follows:

s607v39M.rom rename it to WR44-5131.sbios

You now have three files which represent the Teslaboot firmware

You will need to have Flashwriter installed on your computer. You can download the latest version from

here.

http://ftp1.digi.com/support/firmware/flashwriter.msi

Once installed, proceed as follows:

Attach the Ethernet AND the Serial cable and then in Flashwriter select the appropriate COM port.

Click LOAD and select the .ALL file to load

Follow the onscreen instructions

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Select the W-WAN module when prompted........

Click OK and follow the on screen instructions

The following screens will be displayed

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You will be prompted to enter the six digit router serial number

You will be prompted to enter the routers hardware revision number

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The new firmware is loading now.........

Finally after several checks the router completes the upgrade.

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6 ERRORS AND HOW TO IDENTIFY THEM WR44 TESLA BOOT

Some times when you may encounter an error like this.....

In which case It's possible that you have a hardware problem.

The following procedure can help to identify where the problem is.

Turn the router upside down (easier that way) connect a serial cable to the router's ASY 0 port and open

up Teraterm or hyperterminal.

Now, _hold in the reset button and then _insert the power connector. All the LEDs should light steady.

Now look at the output of the serial port. You should see one of two things:

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A stream of data 4 digits wide running continuously Vertically down the screen (This is Good)

It shows that your serial cable is OK

OR

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A stream of garbage running Horizontally across the screen (This is Bad)

Whichever output you see, contact [email protected] for further assistance.