Easiest and most efficient way to upgrade Chinese Hik Cams from 5.20 to latest

[nambi]

I have about 15 mounted Hik Cams from China located in NA that I want to upgrade.

I took a few down and did the upgrade using the brick fix method, THANKS!!! it worked

but it wasn't an easy procedure as I had to dismount them brick them then run the fix on them.

I noticed there is a tool here that I can download the English firmware then change the language to (2) Chinese.

I tried it at a friends and i ran into issues which led me to run the brick fix procedure to get it going. I was thinking this would be an easy way to upgrade.

I'm trying to avoid bricking a mounted cam. In theory should this have worked? I'm wondering if it was just bad luck that this didn't' work.

What would be the simplest way to upgrade a Chinese Hik cam modded with EN language on 5.2 which is connected via POE and mounted (not easily accessible)

Is there a method whereby I can alter the firmware then upload it via batch config tool or web browser?

I also noticed after upgrading to the latest my config file would not upload into the cam, which forced me to reconfigure the settings of the cam. I'm wondering if this failed because the pass on the old cam wasn't strong while the new firmware requires a strong pass.

 

[alastairstevenson]

but it wasn't an easy procedure as I had to dismount them brick them then run the fix on them.

R0 cameras, presumably.
There's no reason why you can't run the brickfixV2 method in-situ, with the cameras still in place.
You don't need physical access.
And you don't need to brick them either.
The initial step can be done via the camera web GUI Maintenance menu.

I also noticed after upgrading to the latest my config file would not upload into the cam

The internal layout varies with some firmware versions.
Best to start with a reset to defaults and manually configure.

 

[nambi]

Yes they are RO cameras.
I've gone through many pages of the Brickfixv2 propcedure but I didn't see the in-situ method do you have a link for this? (sorry)

and thanks for the advice.

 

[alastairstevenson]

In-situ just means leave them in place for the process.
All the the access is over the network. That's the only connection that's needed.

I'm assuming you'd be able to power-cycle them for the first firmware install.

 

[nambi]

My cams are all in place using POE as power. When I power cycle the cam, in the past I dismounted it and powered it with an AC adapter.

it was easy because they were beside my. From my understanding this wasn't to be done over POE.

If I do it insitu is it the exact same procedure except I would be resetting the POE switch to power cycle the cam?
I would isolate the cam on the POE so it would be the only one on the POE.

Should I be ready for any specific issues?

Using the Hik tools posted here is it possible to download a current English firmware change the country using the tools to (2) then upload it via browser? would that work?

Also you said I wouldn't need to brick the cam to do this in-situ scenario, Would i still upload the BrickFix FW to get into the mini system run the putty commands mod the hex files then upload the hex files and then the new FW?

Is this scenario the same? or can I skip some steps because the cam isn't bricked?

I apologize for so many questions, but I'm trying to avoid any problems that may come.

The tool is incredible thanks for the contriution, a huge asset for people in my situation.

 

[alastairstevenson]

From my understanding this wasn't to be done over POE.

The Hikvision tftp updater tool can be a bit unreliable when R0 cameras are PoE-connected.
But the tftp updater is only used for the initial brickfixV2 firmware load.
It can be done via the web GUI, so the tftp updater is not needed.

If I do it insitu is it the exact same procedure except I would be resetting the POE switch to power cycle the cam?
I would isolate the cam on the POE so it would be the only one on the POE.

Yes, that's correct.

Using the Hik tools posted here is it possible to download a current English firmware change the country using the tools to (2) then upload it via browser? would that work?

No, the camera should reject an EN firmware with a CN header.
And event if it didn't - new EN/ML firmware over a CN camera results in a bricked camera.
I'm assuming you have CN cameras.

Also you said I wouldn't need to brick the cam to do this in-situ scenario, Would i still upload the BrickFix FW to get into the mini system run the putty commands mod the hex files then upload the hex files and then the new FW?

Yes, that's correct. But don't use the 5.4.41 firmware for Stage 3, that doesn't work. 5.4.5 is usually OK.

Is this scenario the same? or can I skip some steps because the cam isn't bricked?

It can be exactly the same process, bricked or not, starting with the tftp updater.
But if not bricked, you can skip the tftp updater and use the web GUI maintenance page updater instead.

I apologize for so many questions, but I'm trying to avoid any problems that may come.

It's not a problem.
It's good to think it out in advance, and query any uncertainties.

One important thing to be careful of when doing more than one camera - make sure you don't mix up or lose the different mtd6ro_orig and mtd6ro_mod files, there needs to be a pair specific to each camera.

 

[nambi]

Thank you for the detailed reply, I got a few cams upgraded today in-situ I have about 10 more tomorrow,

I had one problem with a cam, strange was it took the minisystem then I rebooted and i saw it in sadp, i rebooted it again and rom there it was gone nothing on sadp anymore, I rebooted the cam via poe and it won't even light up on my switch port.

tried the hik updater and it won't send the file as the cam is inactive.

The cams in any state will lightup the port on my switch, not this one anymore. I will dismount it and take it inside to toy with it. I'm sure I'll get it going

thanks for all the help here, once I get these updated I'll pickup a copy of blue irirs from the site.

 

[alastairstevenson]

I got a few cams upgraded today in-situ I have about 10 more tomorrow,

That sounds like you are managing OK.

I had one problem with a cam, strange was it took the minisystem then I rebooted and i saw it in sadp, i rebooted it again and rom there it was gone nothing on sadp anymore, I rebooted the cam via poe and it won't even light up on my switch port.

That's odd.
Sounds like an unknown hardware problem.
Even just running the bootloader will light the link detect LED on the switch port.

The cams in any state will lightup the port on my switch, not this one anymore. I will dismount it and take it inside to toy with it. I'm sure I'll get it going

If a physical check shows nothing - you could try connecting to the serial console.
You will need a 4-pin 1.5mm JST ZH wired connector, usually sold in 10-packs.
And a USB to TTL serial convertor, usually a PL2303HX-based device.

 

[nambi]

Did a bunch of Cams to day and dismounted the problem one on the roof.

The one on the roof is strange, plugged it in via power adapter port lights up, camera lights power up, but no sadp detection and therefore it will not take the mini system.

another strange one and I can't figure out takes the mini system, it will accept the mini system I can extract the mtd files mod them upload them and upload the new FW yet when it reboots, nothing no sadp detection, I can then reload the mini system and try the procedure again but upon final reboot it won't take. Tried older FW's too remoded the files many times and nothing.

What I do find strange is even after I mod and upload when I re download the mtd files they are back to 02 Chinese I thought moding the file would have fixed that for good.

 

[alastairstevenson]

The one on the roof is strange, plugged it in via power adapter port lights up, camera lights power up, but no sadp detection and therefore it will not take the mini system.

Sounds like a candidate for the serial console connection.

another strange one and I can't figure out takes the mini system, it will accept the mini system I can extract the mtd files mod them upload them and upload the new FW yet when it reboots, nothing no sadp detection, I can then reload the mini system and try the procedure again but upon final reboot it won't take. Tried older FW's too remoded the files many times and nothing.

That does sound odd.
Maybe re-check the mods on the mtd6ro_mod file.

What I do find strange is even after I mod and upload when I re download the mtd files they are back to 02 Chinese I thought moding the file would have fixed that for good.

Yes, I'd have thought so also.

 

[nambi]

One of my cams won't come back, I can get the mini system in it, but after modding it and putting the new FW it wont' show up in SADP.

I've tried so many different things but I'm at the piont where I'm assuming i messed up the original mtd files and I don't have the un modded originals anymore to restore.

I may have a few working cameras on old FW which are the same model . If I extracted the mtd files from these working one, can I apply them to the non working cam or if I mod the working files from another camera of the same model then apply it to the non working cam.

Should this work?

 

[alastairstevenson]

If I extracted the mtd files from these working one, can I apply them to the non working cam or if I mod the working files from another camera of the same model then apply it to the non working cam.

In principle, yes, though you'd need to modify the MAC address, and ideally the serial number, and that's assuming they are the exact same model number and options.

I've tried so many different things but I'm at the piont where I'm assuming i messed up the original mtd files and I don't have the un modded originals anymore to restore.

It might be easier to just check out the modded file, assuming it was only the language byte, devType and checksum that you changed.
If you zip it up and attach here I'll take a look for you.

 

[nambi]

I also modded one more value, with the checksum 16, you get 4 values I took the last 2 values and put it in 04 and I also took the 1st 2 values and modded 05 (in the youtube example this matched while mine didn't ) So I altered it, without saving the backup files.

Not I'm assuming this is why the cam doesn't come online.

(MAC address, and ideally the serial number, and that's assuming they are the exact same model number and options. )

OK, good to keep that part in mind, I'll try to extract from the same model cam and only change the 05 to match this while modding the other areas specified in the documentation.

apreciated the advice.

 

[alastairstevenson]

only change the 05 to match this while modding the other areas specified in the documentation.

I don't believe the documentation covers the MAC address.
It that is duplicated, networking will be broken.

with the checksum 16, you get 4 values

I don't follow - the Checksum-16 value is 2 bytes, not 4.

 

[nambi]

I don't believe the documentation covers the MAC address.
It that is duplicated, networking will be broken.


I don't follow - the Checksum-16 value is 2 bytes, not 4.

sorry I'm not using the correct terminology when run the checksum 16 on the highlighted values I end up with 4 digits in 2 pairs the 2nd 2 pairs I inserted into 04 and I took the 1st pair and inserted into 05, probably not the best way to explain it but I did alter 05 after I was unable to get the cam to work.