Hikvis DS-7608N-E2/8P - Bricked after firmware update

[ilikevubu]

ok. I see. You may want to disconnect the drives and all the cameras from the NVR.

Nothing is connected. I just bought the NVR and try to update and set up what I can first. The cameras are coming later.
I was in a hurry to buy the NVR because of stupid eBay coupon.

 

[ilikevubu]

What was the source of the firmware?
Do you have a note of the serial number of the NVR?

It came in brown box. So is it 100% brick, no way of saving it?

 

[alastairstevenson]

It is a wired connection directly from PC to NVR. OK on the firewall pop up window.

Direct wired connections can be troublesome with the Hikvision tftp updater. Best to connect both to your switch/router as normal. Just make sure you don't reboot any other Hikvision devices on the LAN while the tftp updater is running ...

So is it 100% brick, no way of saving it?

No at all - if it's not something in your setup, like the Windows firewall, it may be that the version of bootloader in the NVR no longer has the 'probe for tftp server' feature at power on.
If that's the case, the next step, which with a little work will allow you to recover it, is to connect a USB to TTL serial convertor to the on-board serial console connector.
Once you have done that you have good control and visibility of the firmware update process.
You need a USB to TTL serial convertor - search for PL2303HX
You need a cabled connector to plug into the mainboard - search for 4-pin 1.5mm jst micro ZH connector
And plenty of posts on this forum showing how to connect.

 

[ilikevubu]

Direct wired connections can be troublesome with the Hikvision tftp updater. Best to connect both to your switch/router as normal. Just make sure you don't reboot any other Hikvision devices on the LAN while the tftp updater is running ...

No at all - if it's not something in your setup, like the Windows firewall, it may be that the version of bootloader in the NVR no longer has the 'probe for tftp server' feature at power on.
If that's the case, the next step, which with a little work will allow you to recover it, is to connect a USB to TTL serial convertor to the on-board serial console connector.
Once you have done that you have good control and visibility of the firmware update process.
You need a USB to TTL serial convertor - search for PL2303HX
You need a cabled connector to plug into the mainboard - search for 4-pin 1.5mm jst micro ZH connector
And plenty of posts on this forum showing how to connect.

I give up on the TFTP tool. Neither direct connection or going through switch work.
Here's the thing, my router shows wired an unknown connection from 192.168.0.16 (my network is 192.168.0.1) and I only have my PC and NVR connected through wire. I did set up my NVR before the firmware upgrade. So my thought is that the IP of the NVR is 192.168.0.16. So if the TFTP server 192.0.0.128 is looking for connection from 192.0.0.64, it's not going to be there. Is this possible?
EDIT: tried on a new router, NVR IP isn't even popping up. Only saw 1 IP, 192.0.0.128

Looks like I have to go with the USB to TTL method. It's going to take a month for the ZH 1.5mm JST to arrive from China -.-

 

[alastairstevenson]

So if the TFTP server 192.0.0.128 is looking for connection from 192.0.0.64, it's not going to be there.

When the bootloader (the versions that support it) probes for the existence of a live tftp updater, it sets 192.0.0.64 as a temporary IP address, and part of the handshake is that the response to the UDP broadcast comes from 192.0.0.128
If after a timeout no such response occurs, bootup proceeds, and could succeed and go on to use the normal configured IP address, or fail, or bootloop.
If your bootloop has multiple beeps (about 10 or so I think) that's a signal used when non-CN firmware is used on a CN NVR.

 

[asebastian]

Hi guys,

Discovered this thread just now. Got the same model NVR mentioned above DS-7608N-E2/8P with ...AARR... serial and v3.0.8 firmware.

Question: can i use the web GUI to update to v3.4.6 BUILD 160405 as mentioned by hitesh above?

I noticed in his attempt he bricked it, then loaded a Chinese version then the v3.4.6 successfully.

Thanks

 

[alastairstevenson]

With that version of firmware you still have telnet access, so you can make a backup of the as-is flash partitions, which, together with the exported configuration, could give you a fallback position.

What I strongly suggest if you think about upgrading is to back up your existing firmware so you have a way back should you wish.
All you need is a copy of mtdblock2 in the as-delivered state. But copy mtdblock0 and 1 also.
The easiest way is if you can add a NAS destination via the GUI. It does not need to be formatted.
Something like this for an NFS mount.
Use 'mount' to find the mount point, then something like:
cd /mnt/tnfs01
umount /dev/mtdblock2
cat /dev/mtdblock2 > mtdblock2_orig
mount /dev/mtdblock2 /home/hik

You could also use TFTP, something like
TFTP -p -l mtdblock2_orig <IP address of TFTP server>

And the same for mtdblock0 & 1, though these don't need unmounted.
Then you can either at a later date 'cat' the mtdblock2_orig' back where it came from, or you can create new firmware using @wzhick really useful tool Hiktools to get a digicap.dav that the web GUI and TFTP recovery is happy with.
Also - make a backup copy of the NVR configuration, and the camera settings, via the maintenance menu, with the filename including the associated firmware version. You can't restore configurations across firmware versions.
That way - you can put the whole thing back exactly how it was before the firmware update if you ever need to do so.

Your DS-7608N-E2/8P may be a Chinese model, which could be troublesome on updates.

 

[asebastian]

With that version of firmware you still have telnet access, so you can make a backup of the as-is flash partitions, which, together with the exported configuration, could give you a fallback position.

Your DS-7608N-E2/8P may be a Chinese model, which could be troublesome on updates.

Thanks for that. I need to figure out the technicalities of your solution, as I'm a newbee in using SSH or Telnet or TFTP...I may need to ask around and see if I can find someone who can assist me here locally, or find step by step instructions.

 

[alastairstevenson]

I need to figure out the technicalities of your solution

Not so much a solution - as a safety net should something go wrong.
Some info here :
Hikvision NVR new firmware 3.2.1
If you don't have an NFS share (usually from a NAS) on your LAN this works just as well using a Windows SMB/CIFS share.
Some info on doing that (for cameras, but works the same on an NVR) in the 'how to extract mtdblocks ...' attachment here : Hikvision DS-2CD2x32-I (R0) brick-fix tool / full upgrade method / fixup roundup.

 

[asebastian]

Thanks alastairstevenson, a bit of homework for me to do.

As a workaround, I am using an NFS share on my NAS at the moment as recording storage for the camera. Downside is that I can't see it in the NVR, nevertheless a workable solution in the short term.

 

[Martin Hanford]

please find attached the tools i used resotre my hikvision NVR
attached you will find
1. Hiktools
2. TFTP
3. Firmware for DS-7608-E2/8P (V3.4.6 BUILD 160405) In english

hi< ive tried this on my machine and it gives me this message "open file[c:\users\pc\downloads\hiktools\econt_vision-av2000 ] failure"


where do I go from here please.

thanks Martin

 

[alastairstevenson]

"open file[c:\users\pc\downloads\hiktools\econt_vision-av2000 ] failure"

That's not an error - it's a comment / complaint by the Hikvision-specific tftp updater tool when it reacts to the broadcast that the NVR makes quite late in the boot process, looking for any ArecontVision devices on the network.
It just so happens that the 'is there a tftp updater probe' used by the tftp updater tool is very similar to the discovery method used by ArecontVision.

where do I go from here please.

Common causes of the tftp updater not working:
PC IP address not set to 192.0.0.128
PC firewall inbound rule blocking inbound packets from the NVR tftp probe (did you get a Windows firewall popup when you first ran the tool?)
PC on a WiFi as opposed to a wired connection.
NVR probing using the 192.168.1.64 address as opposed to the usual 192.0.0.64 address (needs the PC on 192.168.1.128).
Updated NVR bootloader with the tftp updater function removed.
Some Windows 10 installations or network protection / AV software don't play well with the tftp updater.

What model is your (unspecified) NVR, what version of firmware is/was on it and what is the nature of the problem you wish to solve?

 

[insomina]

I was hoping someone could take the time to help with my current situation:

I bought my 7608N E2/8P around 3 years ago, I had the intention to set it up and never got round to it (serial number reports this unit to be RR).
I've bought some new UK supplied DS-2CD2155FWD-I cameras and figured I'd use this old NVR; however I can't set > 640x480 camera resolution.

I've tried using EU ML 3.80, 3.96 (and some others in between) to upgrade the NVR FW; all put NVR into bootloop.
Using hitesh's attached 3.4.6 gets me back to a working unit via TFTP (many thanks!), however I still can't get these cameras in > 640x480 camera resolution, did anyone else have this issue?

I'm assuming my NVR is actually a Chinese grey unit, is this correct based on the fact that hiteshs FW works?
Is there any advisable course to get the cameras at a greater resolution?

Happy to chalk this up to making a mistake by buying the wrong region NVR and buying a newer (UK supplied) NVR, at least this would then support the H.265+ that these cameras support.
Many thanks in advance if anyone is happy to advise

 

[alastairstevenson]

I've bought some new UK supplied DS-2CD2155FWD-I cameras and figured I'd use this old NVR; however I can't set > 640x480 camera resolution.

Do you have other Hikvision cameras that are able to have normal resolutions set?
How are you setting the camera resolution - via the NVR 'proxy' method of the NVR web GUI, or direct on the camera web GUI either via Virtual Host or with a PC attached to an unused NVR POE port?

 

[insomina]

Do you have other Hikvision cameras that are able to have normal resolutions set?
How are you setting the camera resolution - via the NVR 'proxy' method of the NVR web GUI, or direct on the camera web GUI either via Virtual Host or with a PC attached to an unused NVR POE port?

I'm using the NVR record menu then using parameters to change the resolution option, I hadn't thought of going direct to the camera. I haven't tried another camera yet; I have an old 2032 camera that I can try. Will give both of those a shot now and report back. Cheers.

 

[insomina]

Do you have other Hikvision cameras that are able to have normal resolutions set?
How are you setting the camera resolution - via the NVR 'proxy' method of the NVR web GUI, or direct on the camera web GUI either via Virtual Host or with a PC attached to an unused NVR POE port?

I'm using the NVR record menu then using parameters to change the resolution option, I hadn't thought of going direct to the camera. I haven't tried another camera yet; I have an old 2032 camera that I can try. Will give both of those a shot now and report back. Cheers.

I reset my old 2032, logged in and set resolution to 1080P, this is now matched when checking with the NVR record parameters. Repeated the same with my newer 2155 and I can now see 1080p record parameters and other options all the way up to 3072x2048.

Thank you very much for your fast and helpful response.

 

[MasJoko]

had the same issue with my nvr DS-7216HQHI-F1/N (bricked after firmware upgrade). everytime it boot, only stuck at "embedded net dvr + hikvision logo"
i've tried the tftp method, i plugged in my laptop directly to nvr, with my laptop ip is 192.0.0.128.
and also i've tried pinging 192.0.0.64 -t from my laptop, but after nvr reboot. it got replies for around 8-9 times, then time out again.

the tftpserver apps is not changing from initalized. i've already turn off my laptop's firewall. is there anything i'm missing? thanks

 

[pepeEL]

Hi
My friend some time ago buy on aliexpress NVR HikVision DS-7608N-E2. It is multilanguage but seller tell me that i can not update it. Is any chance to update it to latest version ?
This is info from NVR

DS-7608N-E2 / 8P0820160927AARR652447628WCVU
Firmware V3.4.80 build 160718
Verion codding V5.0 build 160716
Version addon WWW V4.0.1 build 160714
Version addon V3.0.6.6

I found newer firmware but only for model DS-7608NI-E2 not for DS-7608N-E2....
ftp://ftp.hikvision.ru/01.%20%D0%A0%D0%B5%D0%B3%D0%B8%D1%81%D1%82%D1%80%D0%B0%D1%82%D0%BE%D1%80%D1%8B/01.%20DS-76XXNI-E1(E2)%2077XXNI-E4%2086XXNI-E8/V3.4.98%20build171121%20Multi-lingual/

DOWNLOAD EU PORTAL

 

[alastairstevenson]

An N-E2 NVR is a China region model that will be bricked if updated with EN firmware.
The NI-E2 is an International model that can be updated with EN firmware.

 

[pepeEL]

But is any chance to convert this NVR as you convert cameras ?