Manual update 3300 ICP Controller's bootloader from U-Boot to Bootrom

[WobblyHeadBob]

I'm sorry, this is going to be long but I wanted to provide as much detail as possible.

I need to replace all of my MXeII controllers with MXeIIIs. In the middle of this replacement (about 40 controllers), Mitel started shipping SSDs with the U-Boot bootloader. Now, so long as that SSD was preconfigured with MiVB 7.2 (13.2.0.17) this was fine and I could just upgrade bootrom all and call it a day. I'm trying to get my controllers to 8.0 SP3...patch them all for the security cert issue and THEN migrate to 9...I'm doing it this way because the MXeII controllers are live and dispersed around the county I work in, and this way I can get all my hardware updated, software lvl the same across the board, patched completely and THEN I can start the task of migrating to 9.

I’ve gotten some new MXeIIIs with SSDs directly from Mitel, but only half of the SSDs were MiVB 13.2.0.17 the other half were 9.1.0.96. Initially I had difficulty getting a controller with the 9.1 drive to even load, but that difficulty was down to patience (they take a LONG time).

In the Quick Guide for MXeIII Controllers with U-Boot document you will note on page 5, that my situation is best described by “Case #4” which reads “Brand-new disk with 9.0 or later MiVB and active partition #1”. I did finally get to this EULA, accepted the terms and followed the basic set up instructions necessary to load the controller. So my controller was up, but with the wrong software load…I need to downgrade.

In order to downgrade I need to manually install 8.0 SP3 (my desired load), but in order to do that I need the bootloader to be Bootrom instead of the default U-Boot. I found a document called "How to manually update 3300 ICP Controller's bootloader between U-Boot and Bootrom rev 3.0" published by Mitel.

So, I set up a TFTP server (I'm using SolarWinds instead of what Mitel suggests), add the appropriate directory and copy the "RTC_Upgrade_FLASH" file to it, easy peasy.

However, after making all the appropriate settings and rebooting the machine, I see that my TFTP server receives a "GET" command from the controller and shows me the path to the RTC_Upgrade_Flash file and shows me the size of the file....however, the controller ends up timing out.

According to the documentation I should see this:

=> boot
Using FCC1 device
TFTP from server 10.226.20.4; our IP address is 10.226.20.11; sending through gateway 10.226.20.1
Filename 'migration/RTC_Upgrade_FLASH'.
Load address: 0x8000000
Loading: #################################################################
#################################################################
#################################################################

What I actually I see:

=> boot
Using UEC0 device
TFTP from server 10.226.20.4; our IP address is 10.226.20.11; sending through gateway 10.226.20.1
Filename 'migration/RTC_Upgrade_FLASH'.
Load address: 0x8000000
Loading: TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT
TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT
TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

After 10 minutes this will time out, it'll reboot and loop through again. Keep in mind here that my TFTP server does receive the request for a file and so far as I can tell it is trying to deliver it. The TFTP server is my laptop directly connected to the controller and I have completely turned off windows firewall and done everything I can think of. I cannot get this file to load. Has anyone seen this before...or even done this process before? What could I be missing? I've attached a screen grab herein. Thanks, all.

 

[WobblyHeadBob]

***UPDATE***

I curretly have an open ticket with Mitel, already dealt with first level support (who is stuck at the same point described above) and am awaiting a call from the next tech in the escalation list.

However, as I have several new controllers and hard drives I have found a work around. The work around requires both an SSD with 7.2 and an SSD with 9.1...PuTTy access to maintenance port and FTP server.

Load the controller first with the 7.2 drive installed and allow it to boot normally. UBoot will allow 7.2 to be loaded, it just takes a bit longer than usual. With the controller fully up, log in and go to your maintenance commands, enter: UPGRADEBOOTROM ALL
It's important to have a machine hooked up to your maintenance port (via PuTTY) so that you can watch the magic happen...once the command is issued the machine will march through several parameters, updating each...but once your DSPs have been updated it is safe to issue the "SHUTDOWN" or "RESET SYSTEM" commands. This should take no longer than 20 minutes if you don't have a machine to monitor with. I mention all of this because the controller does not respond that the command has finished.

Now the machine boots with VX-Works. Again, let it boot completely, verify that it comes up clean with no alarms and everything looks good... issue the "SHUTDOWN" command and turn the controller off.

Take out and replace the 7.2 SSD with the 9.1. Turn the system back on, this time interrupt the boot process by pressing the spacebar three times when prompted.

At the VXWORKS BOOT prompt press C and make all the changes necessary to format the drive. (This process should be familiar to most, but can be readily found...even on this forum somewhere) Be sure you have your maintenance PC setup as an FTP server and the appropriate software load placed in the ftp home directory...again, that should be familiar to anyone who has worked with the Software Installer tool as most should probably have by now.

Press @ to reset the system and it should take off providing all settings are good...drive will format and a blank copy of software is installed.

I'm still waiting for an official word from Mitel Support on how this should actually be done, but this method is confirmed as working while we wait for that response.

 

[alex053]

I just did this with a controller that was shipped with a 9.x and had to go down to 7.2. we had to replace an MXe with an MXe-III for a planned upgrade. I used the Migration Guidelines pdf from Mitel and have attached it. page 44-45 is what i usedd.

connect via the serial port and stop the boot sequence when its on the U-Boot software.
from the U-Boot Command prompt enter

run upd_bootrom_fromdisk​

the boot rom will flash and then enter

reset​

the system will reboot, and then boot using vxworks and you can manually install the software as listed in the technicians handbook.

 

[jpruder]

I think there is a download section on MOL that has files to change back and forth