Versatek VX-1000MDI recovery
Contents
- 1 Versatek VX-1000MDI recovery
This is my second post. I hope I can share further experiences I am having so I can help others facing similar issues.
Versa Technologies, Inc. VX-1000MDI DSLAM
I’ve got a Versa Technologies, Inc. VX-1000MDI so I could finally simulate a WAN ADSL connection similar to those that ISPs provide to home Internet users. Device is a DSLAM (Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer) 24 port ADSL 2+ concentrator. ADSL ports are available via a RJ21 female connector. I will need a breakout cable or similar to be able to connect my ADSL router to it! Those 24 ADSL lines share a 100Mbps connection to network (bridge only) via a standard RJ45 port. There is also available a serial Console terminal port via a DE9 male connector.
 Versatek VX-1000MDI – Back panel |
 Versatek VX-1000MDI – Inside case |
 Versatek VX-1000MDI – Front panel |
Connecting to device via serial Console terminal
Unfortunately device was DOA (Dead On Arrival). I was able to turn it on, leds and fans on and connect via a serial Console terminal (found settings printed on device chassis: 38400 8-N-1). Connection was made with an USB – COM adapter. (If you wish you can look at How to Setup a serial Console connection.)
 Serial Console terminal connection diagram |
SecureCRT Console terminal connection to VX-1000MDI
I got this information from device output:
NBfz Helium 5x0/400 PP boot v1.5 SDRAM size = 0x2000000 Finding flashfs partition...FAILED *** No valid flashfs partitions found in flash ERR: Flash boot failed. NBb Helium 500/520 NP Network boot v1.15 (FLASH) MAC 00:30:50:03:41:FF SDRAM 0x02000000 bytes D(Hold '*' during reset for prompt) Using LAN recovery mode Booting from auto-select source Boot from Ethernet Port0 boot boot boot boot (...)
Device flash was probably cleaned up before shipping (“No valid flashfs partitions…”). After start-up device keeps trying to boot without success from network. I contacted Versatek (http://www.versatek.com/) and even not buying from them they were very nice indeed and delivered what I needed to get it back to work:
basicboot.zip (379,198 bytes) flash.zip (1,446,046 bytes) Uploading boot-firmware on VX1000MDILD - console.pdf (243,764 bytes)
Due to some awkward hardware incompatibility (connecting with an USB – COM adapter) I was unable to send a “space” while device was booting or even an “*” to get a boot selection prompt. After some tries with multiple softwares I removed hardware control flow from SecureCRT Console terminal software.
 SecureCRT removing flow control options(Options – Session Options – Connection – Serial) |
Device started to listen to “*” (and / or “space“) during boot phase!
(...) DBoot from Ethernet, or Flash? (E/F)It appears you loaded the network boot program from a flash boot Are you sure you want to boot to flash ?
Booting from Flash
NBfz Helium 5x0/400 PP boot v1.5 SDRAM size = 0x2000000 Finding flashfs partition...FAILED *** No valid flashfs partitions found in flash ERR: Flash boot failed.
Since boot to flash was not ok I tried Ethernet recovery mode but unfortunately without success also. I had device connected to a simple network with TFTP32 (available from http://tftpd32.jounin.net/ ) running as TFTP server and simultaneously as DHCP server but device never requested an IP with this setup. I confirmed that both DHCP and TFTP were working with other system.
 Network connection diagram |
TFTP32 by Ph. Jounin
 TFTP32 by Ph. Jounin |
Used the following settings:
 TFTP32: Global settings |
 TFTP32: TFTP settings |
 TFTP32: DHCP settings |
Still I found documentation about a similar device that seemed able to grab an IP, connect to TFTP server and boot in LAN recovery mode.
(...) boot boot reply IP 192.168.1.66 Server 192.168.1.234 () Booting 'BOOT.bin' .........................(...)
I had no luck doing above.
Starting VX-1000MDI recovery process
File uploading via xmodem
Both (Ethernet and Flash) were not working for me so I went for “space” on boot option and this time I was able to issue xmodem command and try a send xmodem transfer. First I sent basicboot.bin (from basicboot.zip).
 SecureCRT using send xmodem transfer |
 SecureCRT selecting basicboot.bin |
Output was:
NBrNBfz Helium 5x0/400 PP boot v1.5 SDRAM size = 0x2000000 Key pressed, stopping boot. Entered console ... User request. ]xmodem Starting xmodem transfer. Press Ctrl+C to cancel. 100% 576 KB 2 KB/s 00:03:15 0 Errors Image relocated - type quit to boot ]quit
At this time I was finally with some hope to get this device back in working order. After getting “Quantum” prompt I was able to start procedure described on pdf I got from manufacturer. First cleaned up flash partitions:
NP i100% Allocatable memory starts @ 0x10a000, end @ 0x2000000 No, or invalid, configuration information in EEPROM - trying FLASH Valid configuration (size 256) Flash Rewrite version 9.0.7.7 (4th Nov 2004) BSP: He500/G24 v1.2.0.5 CSP: He5x0/He400 CSP v1.0 (ISOS 9.0) Copyright (c) 2004 Quantum> NP software version is 0x00000900 (reply took 5us) Quantum> flashfs wipe 1 Quantum> flashfs wipe 2 Quantum> flashfs wipe 3 Quantum>
Hard rebooted device and this time loaded flash.bin (from flash.zip):
NBrNBfz Helium 5x0/400 PP boot v1.5 SDRAM size = 0x2000000 Key pressed, stopping boot. Entered console ... User request. ]xmodem Starting xmodem transfer. Press Ctrl+C to cancel. 100% 1600 KB 3 KB/s 00:08:14 0 Errors Image relocated - type quit to boot ]quit
Device now got a brand new firmware…
NP
i 100%
Allocatable memory starts @ 0x4d7c00, end @ 0x2000000
No, or invalid, configuration information in EEPROM - trying FLASH
Valid configuration (size 256)
Ethernet gateway version 9.0.7.7 (4th Nov 2004)
BSP: He500/G24 v1.2.0.5
CSP: He5x0/He400 CSP v1.0 (ISOS 9.0)
Copyright (c) 2004 Versa Technology, Inc.
NP software version is 0x00000900 (reply took 6us)
SNMP Research SNMP Agent Resident Module Version 15.3.1.7
Copyright 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 SNMP Research, Inc.
Failed to open //isfs/im.conf - restoring from //expand/isfs/im.conf.factory
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Login: admin
Password: *****
Login successful
-->
Fixing device configuration
I still get some errors (see “Failed to open… “) that will be fixed with a minimal configuration restore.
--> console enable Switching from CLI to console mode - type 'exit' to return Quantum> flashfs update Updating flash filing system ... done Quantum> exit Returning to CLI mode --> system config clear Restoring backup configuration //isfs/im.conf.minimal To finish clearing, please save configuration and restart. *Note that subsequent changes this session will NOT be saved*. --> system config save --> system restart
Restarting…
NBpNBfz Helium 5x0/400 PP boot v1.5 SDRAM size = 0x2000000 Finding flashfs partition...done. NP i 100% Allocatable memory starts @ 0x371900, end @ 0x2000000 No, or invalid, configuration information in EEPROM - trying FLASH Valid configuration (size 256) Ethernet gateway version 9.0.7.7 (4th Nov 2004) BSP: He500/G24 v1.2.0.5 CSP: He5x0/He400 CSP v1.0 (ISOS 9.0) Copyright (c) 2004 Versa Technology, Inc. NP software version is 0x00000900 (reply took 6us) SNMP Research SNMP Agent Resident Module Version 15.3.1.7 Copyright 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 SNMP Research, Inc. !!!!!!!!! No users are configured with sufficient access to create other !WARNING! users, so this UART session is being logged in automatically with !!!!!!!!! sufficient access. -->
No errors now but also no users on device. Next step will add a default user on device.
Resetting device to factory default settings
I will now restore factory default settings.
--> system config restore factory Restoring factory defaults... --> system config save --> system restart
New restart with factory defaults. No errors and with a default user named admin with password admin.
NBpNBfz
Helium 5x0/400 PP boot v1.5
SDRAM size = 0x2000000
Finding flashfs partition...done.
NP
i 100%
Allocatable memory starts @ 0x371900, end @ 0x2000000
No, or invalid, configuration information in EEPROM - trying FLASH
Valid configuration (size 256)
Ethernet gateway version 9.0.7.7 (4th Nov 2004)
BSP: He500/G24 v1.2.0.5
CSP: He5x0/He400 CSP v1.0 (ISOS 9.0)
Copyright (c) 2004 Versa Technology, Inc.
NP software version is 0x00000900 (reply took 7us)
SNMP Research SNMP Agent Resident Module Version 15.3.1.7
Copyright 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 SNMP Research, Inc.
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Login: admin
Password: *****
Login successful
-->
Accessing device via network interface (RJ45 port)
I am now able to see current device IP configuration. Device is at 192.168.1.253. (I did not try this IP before so I cannot confirm if device was already with this configuration or not.)
--> ip list interfaces IP Interfaces: ID | Name | IP Address | DHCP | Transport -----|--------------|------------------|----------|---------------- 1 | iplan | 192.168.1.253 | disabled | ------------------------------------------------------------------- -->
I configured my laptop to 192.168.1.1 (with mask 255.255.255.0) and besides being able to access device via serial Console terminal I was now also able to connect to it via both a telnet session and / or its Web interface.
Telnet session
Issuing telnet 192.168.1.253 took me to device login screen and just needed to enter default user authentication to get device prompt as serial Console terminal (un: admin and pw: admin).
$ telnet 192.168.1.253
Trying 192.168.1.253...
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Login: admin
Password: *****
Login successful
-->
Web interface
Using a common Web browser pointed at 192.168.1.253 I got a login dialog that required same default authentication as previously.
 VX-1000MDI Web interface login dialog |
After logon…
 VX-1000MDI Web interface |
Device is now fully working and ready to play!
Comments and suggestions
As always comments and suggestions are very welcome.
- Versatek VX-1000MDI recovery - May 2, 2014
- How to Setup a serial Console connection - April 25, 2014
Do you happen to have any firmware versions for this saved?
Thanks.
After sending above files George told me he was also able to recover his device.
I missed sharing
sys infooutput:--> sys info Global System Configuration: Vendor: Versatek URL: http://www.versatek.com/ MAC address: **:**:**:**:**:** Hardware ver: He500/G24 v1.2.0.5 / He5x0/He400 CSP v1.0 (ISOS 9.0) Software ver: VX1000A2400101806062007VersaBigbear24-1.18.3-annexM-e670178 Build type: RELEASE Compiler: gcc 2.95.3 20010315 (release)Can you send me the firmware too? I’m considering buying a device for OpenWRT testing but I want to make sure that I will be able to perform a recovery. If you have additional files (documentation etc.), this would be helpful too. Versatek no longer has a site for the VX-1000MDI.
You can send me the firmware?