Recovery Firmware for Compressor (CPUHD16)

Recovery Firmware for Compressor™ (CPUHD16)

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Affected Roles:  Administrator

Complexity:  Medium

Last Edit:  August 30, 2021

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System Recovery

In the event of system errors, software corruption, or display issues, recovery firmware can be used as a final troubleshooting step.  By running the recovery program, the Compressor™ will be defaulted and reverted to an older version of its firmware, resolving most operational issues.  Once the recovery is complete, the system can be upgraded back to the latest release.

This article will outline the recovery process for resolving system startup failure or symptoms of file corruption.

Supported/Affected Devices

• DW-CPUHD16 Compressor™

Required Equipment

• USB Stick (FAT32 format; should not exceed 32 GB)
• Display Monitor (connected to the Compressor™)
• USB Mouse (connected to the Compressor™)

**Note:  It is recommended to avoid the use of Kingston and San Disk brand USB sticks, as the Compressor™ may experience an issue while allocating the firmware files from the USB.

Downloading Recovery Files

Use the following link to download the recovery firmware files for your Compressor™.  There will be a Download button in the DropBox webpage.

Click Here to download the recovery files from DropBox to your computer.

Recovering the System

To perform a firmware recovery, please follow these steps:

1. Download the recovery firmware files from the link above.

2. Extract the contents of the downloaded folder.

3. Copy the recovery files to a blank USB stick (FAT32 format).

Make sure that the files are not placed in a folder.  If the files are not placed in the root directory of the USB stick, the system will not be able to run the recovery program.

Once the files are copied to the USB stick, you may eject the USB from the computer.

4. Power off the Compressor™.

If you are logged in at the Compressor™, bring the mouse cursor to the bottom of the screen, then click the Exit button (power icon).

Select Shutdown and enter the system’s Administrator password.

Alternatively, disconnect the power cable from the system.  You will know that the system has power off when the LED lights are no longer illuminated on the front panel of the Compressor™.

5. Insert the USB to the rear USB port.

There is a USB port in the front and rear panel of the Compressor™, but the recovery process may only be ran from the rear port.

6. Power on the Compressor™.

There is no power button physically on the unit. Reconnect the power cable to unit.  The system will recognize power input and begin to boot.

7. The unit will begin to run the recovery program from the USB stick automatically.  It is normal if the unit begins to beep at this time.

Once the firmware recovery has been completed, the system will reboot.

Please disconnect the USB stick from the Compressor™ at this time.

Upgrading Firmware

Following running the firmware recovery, the system will be using an outdated firmware version.

Follow the instructions below to update the Compressor™ to the latest firmware build:

1. Open a web browser and visit the DW-CPUHD16 Product Page.

Scroll down the product page and locate the Software tab.

Locate the latest version of firmware for your Compressor™.

Click the Download button to download the firmware update.

2. Copy the firmware update to a blank USB stick (FAT32 format).

Feel free to clear the USB stick that was used for the firmware recovery.

Make sure that there are no other files on the USB other than the new firmware update and that the file is not in a folder.

Applying the Firmware Upgrade

1. Insert the USB to the Compressor™.

If you have not already done so, make sure that you are logged in as the Administrator or as a user with administrator privileges.

• Default Username:  admin
• Default Password:  admin

2. Right-click with the mouse to prompt the context menu, then select System Information.

3. Click the Upgrade button, located next to the current Version.

4. Set the Method to USB, then click the Scan button.

The Compressor™ will detect the USB and display its model information in the Device box.

5. Click the OK button to confirm and start the upgrade.

The upgrade progress will display in the Progress bar.  Allow the system to download and install the update.  Once the upgrade is complete, the system will automatically reboot and begin to use the new firmware.

6. Remove the USB stick once the unit is done rebooting.

This complete the Firmware Recovery process.  User and System settings will have been defaulted as a result of recovering the system.

If operational or system issues persist, please contact Digital Watchdog Technical Support for further assistance.