Triconex Firmware Manager Guide

Version 1.0

This guide describes how to use the Triconex Firmware Manager to download firmware to
Trident modules.
Topics include:
Overview 1
Download Procedure 1
Troubleshooting 7

Overview
Firmware Manager is a program that allows you to download firmware to Main Processors
and Communication Modules. Firmware Manager includes both the program that downloads
the firmware to a controller and the firmware that is to be downloaded.
Firmware Manager allows you to:
• Download firmware to Main Processors and Communication Modules
• View the current configuration including hardware revisions for the system

Download Procedure
This procedure explains how to download firmware to Main Processors and Communication
Modules on one or more controllers. When you download firmware, the Firmware Manager
clears the control program from controller memory. If you do not halt the control program
before you start the download process, the Firmware Manager program will not continue. If
you are downloading firmware to Communication Modules, the control program does not
need to be halted. After the firmware is downloaded, you must download the control
program from TriStation.
You should download the same level of firmware to all installed and spare modules.
Operating modules that use different build levels can cause unpredictable results.
We recommend you identify (with a sticker or tag) the build level on all modules that are
upgraded.

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Before Starting
Do the following before starting:
1 Take safety precautions as needed for the plant.
2 If downloading firmware to the MPs, ensure the DLC protocol is installed.
3 Ensure the correct cables are used.
• PC connected directly to the controller, use a cross-over cable.
• PC connected to a parallel port of the hub, use a straight-through cable.
• Controller connected to the hub, use a straight-through cable.
4 Ensure the network adapter card used to communicate between the PC and CM has a
static IP Address that matches the first three segments of the IP Address of the CM.
5 If downloading firmware to the MPs, halt the control program on the controller.
If downloading firmware to the CMs, the control program does not need to be halted,
however, communication to external devices (DCS, TriStation, SOE) stops during the
download.
6 Stop all programs running on the PC.

! WARNING
If power is lost to the controller or the PC crashes, the download program quits. To determine
how to resume the program, see Troubleshooting on page 7.

q To download firmware:
1 Put the Firmware Manager CD in your PC and open the program by double-clicking
the TcxFwm.exe file.

2 To connect to the controller, click the Connect icon on the Menu bar.
3 To specify the controllers (nodes) for the download, click Add node on the Connect
dialog box as shown below.

To add information about

a node to be upgraded,
click Add Node.

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4 To add a node, specify the connection information for either the MPs or CMs. For MPs,
only specify the position of the first module. During the download, you are prompted
to upgrade the other MP positions. For a redundant CM, you are also prompted
during the download.

Specify the first MP position or

specify the IP address for the
Communication modules

Node number The node (controller) number of the module.

Adapter number The network adapter card number (also called NIC) on the
PC which is running Firmware Manager.
To identify the adapter number, do the following.
From the Start menu, select Settings then Control Panel.
Double-click the Network icon and click the Bindings tab.
On the Show Bindings list, select all protocols, then double-
click the DLC protocol name. Subtract 1 from the number
in brackets. This is the adapter number.
Main Processor Port The position of the first MP to be upgraded.
Communication Port The IP Address of the CM.
Before a connection can be made, you must configure the IP
Address in TriStation.

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5 To test the connection, click Test. If valid, a message is displayed.

Message that node

information is valid.

If the connection is not valid, recheck the cable connections and the connection
information. Retest. For more information, see Troubleshooting on page 7.
6 If the node information is valid, click the Add To List button. This adds the connection
information to a list of nodes (controllers) to be upgraded.
7 To add more nodes to be upgraded, repeat step 3 through step 5. If needed, connect
the PC and module before testing.
8 If you have added all the nodes, select the node to be upgraded, and click Connect.

To begin the download

procedure, select the node
and click Connect.

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9 To display the current firmware build for the system, select the Node and Firmware
Build on the tree listing. The display is similar to the following.

Select Node Current Configuration,

then Firmware Build

10 To begin downloading the firmware, select the build to be downloaded from the
Firmware Download list as shown on the following screen.

Select the build to be downloaded.

11 To begin downloading, click the Download icon on the menu bar or select Update
Firmware from the Trident menu.
If the control program is running, a message displays at the bottom of the screen and
the download cancels. To continue the download, halt the control program and repeat
this step. For more information, see page 7.
12 Ensure the Pass indicators on the controller are On (green steady). If any of the
following indicators are present, resolve the problem before continuing the procedure.
• If the Fault indicators are On (red steady), reseat the MPs. After the diagnostics
are finished, the Pass indicators should go On.
• If the Active indicators are On (yellow blinking), the control program is running.
You must halt the control program before continuing.

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13 If the control program is halted, you can begin the download.

When the module is in download state, the Fault indicator is On (red steady). If the
download is successful, the Pass indicator for the module is On (green steady). If the
Pass indicator is not On, see Troubleshooting on page 7.

To begin, click
Download.

14 After the download to the first MP is completed, the PC (Ethernet) cable must be
connected to the next MP. After this is done, click Download to begin the download to
the next MP. Repeat this step for the last MP. After the last MP is completed, click Close
to end the Firmware Manager program.
15 If you have spare MPs or CMs, remove the upgraded modules, install the spare
modules, and repeat the download procedure.
16 After firmware has been downloaded to all of the modules, you must download the
control program to the controller.

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Troubleshooting
The following table lists possible corrections for problems that can occur during the download
procedure.
Problem
Connection: PC won’t connect
Connection: Node not found
Download program won’t
continue
PC failure
Power failure at anytime
during the Verify phase
(Green Bar)
Power failure to the controller
while the Main Processors are
being updated (Blue Bar)
Pass indicators not On after
download
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7
Possible Correction
Ensure the following has been done.
DLC protocol is installed on the PC (needed to communicate
with MPs).
Correct network adapter card (NIC) drivers are installed.
Correct cables are used, as indicated:
• Cross-over cable for a PC connected directly to the controller.
• Straight-through cable for a PC connected to a parallel port of
a hub.
• Straight-through cable for a controller connected to a hub.
For more information, see the TriStation Communication chapter
in the Trident Communication Guide.
Ensure the following has been done.
IP Address may not be correct, have changed, or may not be
configured in TriStation.
Module may not be active.
Cables to module may not be connected.
If the control program is running on the controller, you cannot
download firmware. To halt the control program, do either:
• Halt the program from TriStation.
• Pull the MPs.
If the Restart on Power up option is checked in TriStation, the
MPs must be pulled from the baseplate for a couple of hours to
clear the flash memory.
If the Firmware Manager program quits during a download
because of PC failure, you may be able to restart the program. If
power to the controller was not affected, reseat all the MPs. After
the Pass indicators on the MPs come on, the connection can be
reestablished and the download procedure continued.
After power is restored and the Pass indicators on the MPs come
on, the Firmware Manager reestablishes communication with the
MPs and continues the download.
If the Pass indicator (green light) does not come on after
rebooting the Main Processors, send the MPs to Triconex for the
download.
Indicates the download failed. Build levels on the MPs may be
different. Determine whether a power failure on the controller or
PC caused the problem. (See troubleshooting on Power failure.)
Release 1.0