Specifications

MULTI-HEAD SERVSWITCH™

5.11 Upgrading the Switch’s Firmware

Because the Multi-Head ServSwitch stores most of its firmware (its “operating

system,” if you will) in flash memory, the firmware is upgradable. To fix bugs in

existing firmware, or to add features to your Switch, Black Box Technical Support

might sometimes recommend that you upgrade the Switch’s firmware if a newer

revision is available. (Follow the procedure described in Section 4.2.8 to find out

which firmware version your Switch is currently running.)

To upgrade the Switch’s firmware, you’ll need a “host PC,” which must be an

IBM PC compatible computer with an RS-232 serial port. This computer must be

running an operating system that can execute DOS programs, such as MS-DOS

Windows

3.x, 95, 98, or 2000. You’ll also need a DB9 female to DB15 male

firmware-upgrade cable (product code KV6SER) to transfer the firmware files to

the Switch. (Refer to the Appendix for the pinning of this cable.)

Take these steps:

1. Download the firmware-installation/verification program (probably named

“SSWxyz.EXE”) and the firmware binary itself (probably “SSWxyz.HEX”) from

our Web site at www.blackbox.com onto the host PC. If you can’t find these

files on our Web site, Tech Support can help. (In these filenames, xyz = the

x.yz firmware-revision level; for example, “SSW118.EXE” would be the

installation program for firmware revision 1.18.)

2. Run the firmware-upgrade cable from the host PC to the OPTIONS port on

the Multi-Head ServSwitch.

3. There is an 8-position DIP switch on the bottom of the Switch. Move

position 7 of this switch (the next-to-the-rightmost one if you hold the Switch

with its front panel facing the ceiling) to the ON (up) position to set the

Switch to “upgrade mode.”

4. Do a full reset of the Switch: Either power it down and back up again, or

move position 8 of its DIP switch to the ON (up) position and back to OFF

(down) to do a warm reset (see Section 5.10).

At this point, make very sure that the Switch is receiving adequate power. The

upgrade program monitors the Switch’s voltage and won’t allow an upgrade to

proceed if the voltage is insufficient. If you’re using the Switch’s optional power

supply, it’s definitely going to get the power it needs. If it’s being powered by the

attached computers, it’s normally possible to perform an upgrade when the Switch

is powered by a single computer, but it’s a good idea to power up all of the

computers attached to the switch anyway. This minimizes the possibility that power

will fail during an upgrade due to a sudden brownout, cable disconnection, etc.