OK to skip intermediate releases when updrading NVR?

[Schmark]

Over time, I did upgrade the FW on my NVR, but usually to the latest version, sometime skipping intermediate versions, especially if a long time elapsed since the last upgrade.

Is version-skipping OK or should I religiously go through every released version since the last upgrade?

I sort of remember a thread stating you cannot skip intermediate releases, but I can not find it.

Now my NVR has a strange behavior (at times) such as freezing video, skipping video which I never saw before, perhaps due to some missing feature(s) from a skipped intermediate version.

Thanks

-S

 

[gregfooyong]

I did not take the support tech seriously when they insisted I do incremental upgrades. I skipped to most recent and my issue persisted. When I went back and did incremental upgrades the problem resolved... So I guess it may depend on the issue, but since it doesn't take too long, just do it as suggested!

 

[alastairstevenson]

+1 to above, good advice.

Is version-skipping OK or should I religiously go through every released version since the last upgrade?

In the early versions of firmware for the Hikvision E-series (is that what you have?) the structure of the configuration file was changed a few times.
The updated firmware was therefore required to know the old structure in order to translate to the new one.
Given too big a version jump, the old structure was no longer supported by an update and the result could be a corrupted configuration file.
With variable consequences.

 

[Schmark]

Thanks gregfooyong and alastair. My NVR is an E-series and was delivered with FW 3.3.6

Question: is it safe to revert back to 3.3.4 from today's version 3.4.98 ? I have counted 16 intermediate releases since 3.3.6 . . .

 

[alastairstevenson]

You will likely encounter the Hikvision 'Downgrade block'.
Though I have to admit I don't recall the details of when that kicks in - it's more relevant in the cameras where starting from 5.4.0 only minor versions could successfully downgrade.

Question: is it safe to revert back to 3.3.4 from today's version 3.4.98 ? I have counted 16 intermediate releases since 3.3.6 . . .

That's a big jump.
Sorry, but I don't know what the result of that would be, even if it was possible.

 

[Schmark]

Alastair: Any chance I may brick the NVR by reverting all the way back to 3.3.4 (4 years ago)?

 

[alastairstevenson]

Alastair: Any chance I may brick the NVR by reverting all the way back to 3.3.4 (4 years ago)?

I've never tried that - so I'm not sure, sorry.
But if you do try it - do it in stages. It's only a few minutes for each stage.

 

[gregfooyong]

What did you find out? Could you even do it?

 

[Schmark]

So, I am going VERY slowly. Starting with 3.4.98 I did the following step-wise downgrade/upgrade:
1. Downgraded to 3.4.80 - OK
2. Downgraded to 3.4.6 - OK
3. Downgraded to 3.4.0 - OK. Did not have the courage to further downgrade to the 3.3.x versions. Any bricking risks going to 3.3.x?
4. Upgraded to 3.4.1 - Noticed in playback that I get regular 30s freezes and only on H264+ streams
5. Upgraded to 3.4.2
6. Upgraded to 3.4.3 - FAIL (not sure why, but unexpected)
7. Upgraded to 3.4.6 - Regular playback freezes (~4 s) on both H264 and H264+ streams
8. Upgraded to 3.4.62 - Today

Next are 3.4.80, 3.4.82, 3.4.90, 3.4.91, 3.4.92, 3.4.95, 3.4.96, 3.4.97, 3.4.98, and 3.4.103
If anyone knows of missing versions in the list above, please let me have a link to them.

Thanks

Marc