Updated NVR firmware published - NVR_78_79_EXX_V3.4.80_160718.zip

GMD99

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Thanks... Here are the results of the cat /proc/hkvs/bootpara command:

[root@dvrdvs /] # cat /proc/hkvs/bootpara
====================== BOOT INFO ====================
magicNumber :0x484b5753
paraChecksum :0xe71
paraLength :0xf4
encryptVer :0x10000
language :0x2
device_class :0x2a
oemCode :0x1
encodeChans :0x20
decodeChans :0x20
ipcChans :0x0
ivsChans :0x0
picFormat :0x2
macAddr :c0-56-e3-51-6c-54
prodDate :32:30:31:35:30:34:31:35
prodNo :353134313539353230
devHigh :0x0
cpuFreq :0x1
dspFreq :0x1
zone :0x1
webSupport :0x1
voipSupport :0x0
usbNums :0x2
lcdSupport :0x0
voNums :0x2
vganums :0x2
vtSupport :0x1
videoMaxtrix :0x0
extendedDecoder:0x1
extendedIVS :0x1
extendedAlarmOut:0x0
devType :0xa14f
ubootAdrs :0x0
ubootSize :0x0
ubootCheckSum :0x0
tinyKernelAdrs:0x0
tinyKernelSize:0x0
tinyKernelCheckSum:0x0


What does this mean language :0x2?
 

alastairstevenson

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What does this mean language :0x2?
Interesting - that comes more directly from the device 'hardware descriptor block' than the getHardInfo command does, which showed language=1
I'm afraid it looks like your NVR is CN region under the skin of the installed firmware.
Best make that copy of mtdblock2 before you attempt any changes.

devType :0xa14f
This does equate to "DS-7632N-E2/8N" in the firmware table of devType codes.
 

GMD99

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@alastairstevenson
It's not a topic I spent any great time on.
I went from 3.0.8 to 3.21 to 3.34 to 3.4.62 to 3.4.80
The European website doesn't have the FW version 3.21. Will an upgrade from v3.0.8 directly to v3.34 work? (assuming that my NVR = CN accepts an upgrade!)

Before I attempt any upgrade I will make sure that I have a copy of mtdblock2.

Do I have to get to v3.4.62 to enable Virtual Host and get the email fix?
 
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alastairstevenson

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The European website doesn't have the FW version 3.21. Will an upgrade from v3.0.8 directly to v3.34 work? (assuming that my NVR = CN accepts an upgrade!)
I don't know for sure if that will work, it's a bigger jump than I tried when I had 3.0.8.
What i do know though is that if it bombs, you should be able to recover OK with the mtdblock2 copy, I've done that countless times when experimenting. By the way, it needs Hiktools and an original 3.0.8 header to make a full web GUI compatible firmware file.

On my 7816N-E2, I only got the Virtual Host when I hacked the firmware to make the NVR appear as EN region.
In the firmware, there is a big cross-reference table of model codes (devType) against features for the firmware to enable, I assume Virtual Host is one of the settings in there.
On the gmail fix - from what I recall it was the 3.4.80 version that was required.
 

hiky

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I am all for new FW, sometimes they do actually help but after reading through this thread ( thanks for the link alastair ) and also running a "RR" Nvr me thinks at this point in time... if it aint broke, dont try and fix it, i already have working email, timeline that shows events well, and mouse wheel to zoom, at the moment i dont need PTZ linking so until Hik add the advanced camera controls into the NVR i am sitting this one out

Great thread though as it does help with making an informed decision, thank you everyone
 

GMD99

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Ok... I have figured out how to set up a NAS drive and copied over the mtdblock2. mtdblock0, and mtdblock1 files, to the NAS, from my NVR (DS-7632N-E2/8p NVR - FW v.3.0.8, build 140825).

I now am considering trying to upgrade the firmware... here is what I know so far:

- NVR has AARR in serial #
- getHardInfo shows "
language = 1"
-
cat /proc/hkvs/bootpara shows "language :0x2"

Conclusion is that the NVR is a CN region one hacked to English!

@
alastairstevenson
A CN NVR, such as my 7816N-E2, would say English and have English menus if originally loaded with an older firmware version that does not care about region (eg 3.0.8) and subsequently web GUI updated, which retains EN menus and language. Until you do a 'reset to factory defaults' or a tftp update, when it reverts to CN and Chinese menus.
This concerns me, because if I try an upgrade and it doesn't work then, as I understand it, I will have to use the tftp process to put my old firmware back... will this mean that it will put me back to 3.0.8 but with Chinese menus? The GUI interface wouldn't work?

As I mentioned in an earlier post, the European site has downloads for: v3.0.10; v3.3.2, v3.3.4, v3.4.0...etc. Should I consider downloading from the USA site something like v3.1.0 (DS-76xxNI-E1(E2)P_USA_Firmware_v3.1.0_150511) as an interim upgrade before moving to v3.3.2? Or, to have any chance of success, I need to stay with Multi-lingual firmware? Regardless of which one I choose, I understand that my next step is to use the Hiktools to change the firmware language to "2".

@alastairstevenson

devType :0xa14f

This does equate to "DS-7632N-E2/8N" in the firmware table of devType codes.
I just reread this post... did you mean "/8P"?

@alastairstevenson
The European website doesn't have the FW version 3.21. Will an upgrade from v3.0.8 directly to v3.34 work? (assuming that my NVR = CN accepts an upgrade!)
I don't know for sure if that will work, it's a bigger jump than I tried when I had 3.0.8.
What i do know though is that if it bombs, you should be able to recover OK with the mtdblock2 copy, I've done that countless times when experimenting. By the way, it needs Hiktools and an original 3.0.8 header to make a full web GUI compatible firmware file.
I am trying to understand your statement "needs Hiktools and an original 3.0.8 header to make a full web GUI compatible file"... from the notes accompanying Hiktools there is this paragraph:

[FONT=&amp]hiktools create header_from_digicap.dav sourcedir
The tool creates a new firmware file by combining the header extracted from the first argument with the contents of the directory from the second argument. Those contents could be files previously extracted, some of which were since modified, or with additional files to be included in the firmware image.
[/FONT]


Is this what you are referring to? Can you point me to a thread where this process is explained? I can play with the tool to try to figure it out but it would be nice to understand where I find the components that permit me to create the digicap.dav for the v3.0.8 (including where I get the original 3.0.8 header and how mtdblock2 fits in...)

I really appreciate any guidance...
 

alastairstevenson

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It seems like you are getting well into this topic ...
Some responses to your queries - I hope they make sense, and are accurate. It's a while since I did this:

A CN NVR, such as my 7816N-E2, would say English and have English menus if originally loaded with an older firmware version that does not care about region (eg 3.0.8) and subsequently web GUI updated, which retains EN menus and language. Until you do a 'reset to factory defaults' or a tftp update, when it reverts to CN and Chinese menus. This concerns me, because if I try an upgrade and it doesn't work then, as I understand it, I will have to use the tftp process to put my old firmware back... will this mean that it will put me back to 3.0.8 but with Chinese menus? The GUI interface wouldn't work?
If you needed to do the recovery back to the original firmware, then whether it would work via the web GUI depends on the specific version you were recovering from.
But the tftp process should work OK - though I've mostly used it via the serial console as it's a bit easier, assuming you have access to it via a USB to TTL convertor.
So the firmware downgrade, along with the exported copy of the device configuration (Maintenance menu, web GUI) gets you back where you started, firmware version and device settings.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, the European site has downloads for: v3.0.10; v3.3.2, v3.3.4, v3.4.0...etc. Should I consider downloading from the USA site something like v3.1.0 (DS-76xxNI-E1(E2)P_USA_Firmware_v3.1.0_150511) as an interim upgrade before moving to v3.3.2? Or, to have any chance of success, I need to stay with Multi-lingual firmware? Regardless of which one I choose, I understand that my next step is to use the Hiktools to change the firmware language to "2".
On my 7816N-E2, which has language=1, any USA firmware install resulted in the bootloop "!!You device is illegal !!! !!!You bought in China!!!" error.
I suspect that your NVR would do the same, with the language=1 from the bootpara values.

devType :0xa14f

This does equate to "DS-7632N-E2/8N" in the firmware table of devType codes. I just reread this post... did you mean "/8P"?
No - the firmware cross-reference table does have 8N not 8P, I'm not sure why.

I am trying to understand your statement "needs Hiktools and an original 3.0.8 header to make a full web GUI compatible file"... from the notes accompanying Hiktools there is this paragraph:
Here is how you can create a usable firmware file from the mtdblock2 copy:
Download a copy of the 3.0.8 firmware from the Europe site, as the source of the firmware header.
Extract the digicap.dav from the zip file, and rename it as, say, digicap308.dav
Drop a copy of the hiktools file hiktools05r1.exe into the same folder.
Create a subfolder named, say, "backup", drop a copy of your mtdblock2 in it, and rename it as 'cramfs.img'
At a command prompt in the same folder that's holding digicap308.dav and hiktools05r1.exe, use the command:
hiktools05r1 create digicap308.dav backup
When it completes, there will be a new file called backup.dav
This is your fallback firmware.
Remember that hiktools can easily change the language in the firmware header, which may be needed to use it as a firmware update.

You may notice that your mtdblock2 is 16MB in size, larger than the digicap308.dav
This isn't a problem - it's because the entire mtdblock2 16MB partition was extracted, including the unused space on the end of the used portion.

Good luck.
 

GMD99

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Alistair... thank you. That is very helpful.

But the tftp process should work OK - though I've mostly used it via the serial console as it's a bit easier, assuming you have access to it via a USB to TTL convertor.
Before I try the upgrades, I think that I should have on hand the means to get myself back to square one... so I now I am about to order the pieces... I am looking at this one:

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA9UP3HB9182&nm_mc=KNC-GoogleAdwordsCAMKPL-PC&cm_mmc=KNC-GoogleAdwordsCAMKPL-PC-_-pla-_-HI+-+Test+&+Measurement+Tools-_-9SIA9UP3HB9182&gclid=CjwKEAjwv7HABRCSxfrjkJPnrWgSJAA45qA2HGSuuaP9AHr665RnInGZOebVIHa1G2XQB8Ba9N5ENRoCdoTw_wcB

and I believe I need the following connectors to attach to the NVR's UART...

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/50-x-Micro-JST-ZH-1-5-4-Pin-Connector-Plug-Female-Male-/171361716286?hash=item27e5f4483e:g:7nMAAMXQHU1RxxeR

Is this the set up you utilize?

Unfortunately, this means that I will have to wait about a month (shipping time) before I can try the upgrades...
 

jacngo

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Hi all,

Today, the day my new replacement NVR arrived was the day I was able to unbrick my NVR via serial method dammmm :eek:range::eek:range::eek:range: ! Now I have a spare hehehehe. I just updated both units to firmware 3.40.82. Will test and let you know. So far it has more HDD features and stuff.

J
 

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GMD99

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wozzzzza

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@GMD99 how is the upgrade going? any success? Ive got the same info as you have given above, if your upgrade goes ok I will give it a go as well.
 

alastairstevenson

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Yes, my 7816N-E2 is a Chinese model - originally had the 3.0.8 firmware with EN menus.
Well, there are ways to retain the EN menus over progressive firmware updates when using web GUI updates only.
But if the configuration is cleared - eg 'reset to defaults' or a tftp firmware update, it will revert to CN menus.
 

jacngo

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wozzzzzza,

You can upload the Chinese v3.40.90 via the web GUI and it will still retain the English language. I uploaded Alairstairstevensons modded v3.4.90 with the virtual server feature. thanks Al hehehe.

Virtual server enables you to route to your internal camera's network 192.168.254.x via the LAN interface.

My NVR is 7608-E2 with 8 x PPOE port chinese NVR hacked to English
 

wozzzzza

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wozzzzzza,

You can upload the Chinese v3.40.90 via the web GUI and it will still retain the English language. I uploaded Alairstairstevensons modded v3.4.90 with the virtual server feature. thanks Al hehehe.

Virtual server enables you to route to your internal camera's network 192.168.254.x via the LAN interface.

My NVR is 7608-E2 with 8 x PPOE port chinese NVR hacked to English
sweet, so you were running 3.0.8 before that?? didn't have any issues with the camera connecting or anything afterwards??
 

jacngo

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Wozzzzzzza, I would not jump that much in firmware, do a gradual upgrade go in small increments before jumping to 3.40.90.
 
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