Unable to update firmware on 7925G via USB

[sbrock]

Trying to update the firmware on a 7925G but have been unsuccessful.  Using a Win7 64-bit machine with a USB connection.

Phone's current firmware = CP7925G-MFG-F.2.LOADS

Method 1:  Accessing the phone's browser.  Used the Phone Upgrade option to upload CP7925G-1.3.1.TAR.  Browser shows upload progress, but get a "Error in uploaded image" message.  Tried a different firmware CP7925G-1.3.4.TAR, but get the same message.

Method 2:  Recovery mode.   After selecting the firmware TAR (CP7925G-1.3.1.TAR) and clicking Upload, the browser (Chrome) shows the file upload progress.  After reaching 100%, I don't see anything happening on the phone or browser.  Phone keeps flashing Web Access Available http://192.168.1.100  What may I be missing?  I've tried Chrome and IE 11 and the CP7925G-1.3.4.TAR firmware.

Workstation:  Win7 64-bit. I have run the USB-Install-792x-Windows7-64bit.1-0-4.exe to install the drivers.

I have verified the MD5 checksums on the TAR files.

Any suggestions?

[Leo Laohoo]

If the phone is running that old firmware then the browser could be the issue. Try IE.

[sbrock]

IE gives the same results.

[Leo Laohoo]

Go intermediate. Find a "middle" firmware and see if this works.

If problem still persist, then try a different machine.

[sbrock]

I have tried a different laptop, earlier firmware (v 1.3.1), and a different 7925G without success.

Browser (IE 11) shows Phone Upload Status bar transferring file.  Then shows "Error in uploaded image".

Any other suggestions?

[Leo Laohoo]

One last trick ...
Create an OPEN (hidden) SSID.
Program the phone to join that SSID. Find out what IP address it got.
Open a browser and enter that IP address
See if the phone can be upgraded that way.

[sbrock]

Same results.  Used the hotspot on my phone to try the upgrade.  Phone shows downloading firmware, but after the transfer, computer shows "Phone Upgrade (Error)  Error in uploaded image".

[sbrock]

Not even getting the update via TFTP.

Our Callmanager v11.5 has the firmware version CP7925G-1.4.8.4. 

From the 1.4.8 release notes:

Upgrade from Releases Prior to 1.4(3)

If your Cisco Unified Wireless IP Phones are currently running a release prior to 1.4(3), then you must use the Trivial File Transport Protocol (TFTP) method to upgrade to release 1.4(3) or later. Once upgraded to release 1.4(3) or later, you can then upgrade to later versions using the phone's webpage either via USB or WLAN.

I setup a TFTP server on the laptop.  Extracted the files from firmware CP7925G-1.4.3.4.TAR.  Created a  CP7925G-1.4.3.4 subdirectory and copied the CP7925G-1.4.3.4.LOADS file.  Then copied the XMLDefault.cnf.xml file to the TFTP server and edited load information line to:

<loadInformation484 model="Cisco 7925">CP7925G-1.4.3.4</loadinformation484>

Added the laptop as the TFTP on the phone.  Phone is checking the TFTP server and the transfer of the firmware file completes.  The phone still says "Firmware update failed". 

Any other thing to check?

[Leo Laohoo]

Did you factory-reset the phone and clear out the CTL files?

[sbrock]

Factory reset does not make a difference.  Checked after the reset, CTL file was cleared. 

I've also tried a firmware update using recovery mode without any luck.  Boot the phone in recovery mode.  Access phone with browser.  System Load ID shows CP7925G-MFG-F-2.LOADS   ***  Integrity Check Success ***.  Try to upload CP7925G-1.3.1.TAR .  Get message indicating "it may take a while...". .  The browser refreshes, but no indication on the phone or browser anything is happening.  I let the phone sit for an hour or two to see if there are any changes.  Phone stays in recovery mode showing Web Access Available with the IP address flashing.

I've may have bricked one of my phones.  At the start of this process, I powered one on and let it connect to Callmanager, the phone downloaded firmware 1.4.8.4.  The phone no longer boots - it stops at the Cisco splash screen.  At this stage, I have to remove the battery to reset.  I can not power the phone off.  That when I saw in the release notes, version 1.4.3 need to be installed before 1.4.8.  I can boot this phone to recovery mode.  System Load ID = CP7925G-1.4.8.4.LOADS ***  Recovery Required ***.  Uploading a TAR file does not work.  Same as above.  No response, no errors.