Firmware updating Dell 5811e with ancient firmware (SWI9X30C_00.08.02.00)

IoT Modules MC/EM Series
21

Lets see the results of:

AT!ENTERCND="A710"
AT!IMPREF?
AT!IMAGE?

Also, is this under Windows? I think you may have the whole Dell package installed which is now Updating the modem to the latest firmware in that package automatically, because SWI9X30C_02.01.03.00 r4214 CARMD-EV-FRMWR2 2015/09/19 10:11:03 is not what you flashed earlier. (It is newer, which is fine).

As for my scripts, if you use my autoflash-7455.sh, it is purposely setup to ONLY use 18.04. It will exit if you are not. That script will automatically flash the newest FW and Generic NVU now that you have a non-ancient firmware. It will also clean up the images so the low-power mode is a non-issue. It will also handle the entire process of switching VID/PIDs.

22

Lol, I thought the dell driver package might try this since it has 02.01.03.00. I will download ubuntu18.04 and try your script. In the mean time I 'll jump into 16.10 and try minicom to query the modem.

Thank you guys so much this has been a thorn in side so far.

23

Can you give me the md5sum or the exact size in bytes of the fdt.exe you used to flash. There are two in that package and I want to know which one to reference in the future.

Same goes for the GobiApi.dll in that folder with it.

24

@danielwood I tried your autoflash script twice and my modem ends up in LPW and IMSWITCH=1. I am going to try and roll back to 01.08.07.00 to see if that gets me back out of IMSWITCH=1. Any ideas on how to set IMSWITCH=0? Right now I think the 7455 is expecting firmware?.

This is the putty after the 2nd try with your script:

at!entercnd=“A710”
OK
at!impref?
!IMPREF:
preferred fw version: 02.24.05.06
preferred carrier name: GENERIC
preferred config name: GENERIC_002.026_000
current fw version: 02.24.05.06
current carrier name: GENERIC
current config name: GENERIC_001.007_000

config name mismatch

OK
at!pcinfo?
State: Low Power Mode
LPM voters - Temp:0, Volt:0, User:0, W_DISABLE:0, IMSWITCH:1, BIOS:0, LWM2M:0, OMADM:0, FOTA:0
LPM persistence - None

at!image?
TYPE SLOT STATUS LRU FAILURES UNIQUE_ID BUILD_ID
FW 1 GOOD 1 0 0 ?? 02.24.05.06?
FW 2 EMPTY 0 0 0
FW 3 EMPTY 0 0 0
FW 4 EMPTY 0 0 0
Max FW images: 4
Active FW image is at slot 1

TYPE SLOT STATUS LRU FAILURES UNIQUE_ID BUILD_ID
PRI FF GOOD 0 0 0 002.026_000 02.24.05.06_GENERIC
Max PRI images: 50

at!gstatus?
!GSTATUS:
Current Time: 661 Temperature: 30
Reset Counter: 1 Mode: LOW POWER MODE

25

Here you go. I’ll let everyone know if I was successful with rolling back to get rid of the IMSWITCH=1.

fdt.exe
version=5.1.1509.0
bytes=373,512
1b4f5dc44695dcf626a9733874b916bc fdt.exe

GobiApi.dll
version=4.2.1509.0
bytes=1,542,408
0930dc0a57cb28d263ecb600c70a6ff7 GobiApi.dll

26

Try:

AT!ENTERCND="A710"
AT!IMPREF="GENERIC"
AT!IMPREF?
AT!RESET

The problem is that current config name: GENERIC_001.007_000 is sticking around.

It may be worth a try:

  • flashing a Verizon NVU
  • switching to that as the preferred PRI
    • AT!IMPREF=“VERIZON”
  • AT!RESET

If that does, in fact switch to the VERIZON Image as the preferred image:

  • running AT!IMAGE=0
  • AT!RESET
    And then running my script again.

FYI, here is someone else with the same issue as you are now having. RMARESET may be worth a shot as well.

27

Good news / bad news. The good is I was able to roll back to 01.08.07.00 and the 7455 is acting like it is alive. Nice bright blue activity led lit. Now for the bad at!image? is and ERROR. I have included putty output. Should I try your script again? I missed your msg before I rolled back.

ati
Manufacturer: Sierra Wireless, Incorporated
Model: EM7455
Revision: SWI9X30C_01.08.07.00 r3743 CARMD-EV-FRMWR2 2015/08/13 23:07:36
IMEI: ###############
IMEI SV: 1
FSN: ################
+GCAP: +CGSM

at!image?
ERROR

at!impref?
ERROR
at!gobiimpref?
!GOBIIMPREF:
preferred fw version: 01.08.07.00
preferred carrier name: GENERIC
preferred config name: GENERIC_001.007_000
current fw version: 01.08.07.00
current carrier name: GENERIC
current config name: GENERIC_001.007_000

at!priid?
PRI Part Number: 9904336
Revision: 001.001
Customer: Dell

Carrier PRI: 9999999_9904594_SWI9X30C_01.08.07.00_00_ATT_001.004_000
Carrier PRI: 9999999_9904609_SWI9X30C_01.08.07.00_00_GENERIC_001.007_000
Carrier PRI: 9999999_9904779_SWI9X30C_01.08.07.00_00_SPRINT_000.003_000
Carrier PRI: 9999999_9904780_SWI9X30C_01.08.07.00_00_VERIZON_000.004_000

at!pcinfo?
State: Online
LPM voters - Temp:0, Volt:0, User:0, W_DISABLE:0, IMSWITCH:0
LPM persistence - None

at!usbvid?
!USBVID:
413C

at!usbpid?
!USBPID:
APP : 81B6
BOOT: 81B5

at!usbcomp?
Config Index: 1
Config Type: 1 (Generic)
Interface bitmask: 0020100D (diag,nmea,modem,mbim,ubist)

at!gstatus?
!GSTATUS:
Current Time: 629 Temperature: 30
Bootup Time: 0 Mode: ONLINE
System mode: WCDMA PS state: Not attached
WCDMA band: WCDMA 1700
WCDMA channel: 1660
GMM (PS) state:DEREGISTERED PLMN SEARCH
MM (CS) state: IDLE PLMN SEARCH

WCDMA L1 state:L1M_ACQ LAC: 0000 (0)
RRC state: DISCONNECTED Cell ID: 00000000 (0)
RxM RSSI C0: -102 RxD RSSI C0: —
RxM RSSI C1: — RxD RSSI C1: —

at!RMARESET?
!RMARESET: NOT IMPLEMENTED

at!nvbackup?
ERROR

28

Will sprint work with 01.08.07.00 if I set the at!gobiimpref=“GENERIC”? I really dont care about top performance just something better than the zing hotspot I have now.

I would have to set the USBVID, USBPID, and USBPRODUCT to generic, I assume if I can stick with 01.08.07.00.

29

AT!IMAGE and AT!RMARESET wont work under 1.08, you’ll have to go back to 2.x for that.

Try:

AT!ENTERCND="A710"
AT!GOBIIMPREF="SPRINT"
AT!RESET

If that puts you on the Sprint PRI, I would then upgrade to the latest firmware+Generic NVU. Then switch to Generic PRI.

If that still doesnt result being on the latest Generic PRI, once you are on the latest firmware you can try:

AT!RMARESET?
AT!RMARESET=?

That will let you see what options you have for that and play around.

Edit:
I just played with my early Dell.

RMARESET doesnt work (Only 0 available, which is always locked out)
However, AT!NVRESTORE=0 works just fine.

AT!ENTERCND="A710"
AT!NVRESTORE=0
AT!RESET

Run AT!NVRESTORE? to check your options, but 0 is probably the only one you can use.

And here is what my Dell looks like after running the previous NVRESTORE sequence on 02.24.05.06:

ati
Manufacturer: Sierra Wireless, Incorporated
Model: EM7455
Revision: SWI9X30C_02.24.05.06 r7040 CARMD-EV-FRMWR2 2017/05/19 06:23:09
IMEI: ###############
IMEI SV: 12
FSN: LF###############
+GCAP: +CGSM


OK


at!image?
TYPE SLOT STATUS LRU FAILURES UNIQUE_ID   BUILD_ID
FW   1    GOOD   127 0 0      ?_?         02.24.05.06_?
FW   2    EMPTY  0   0 0                  
FW   3    EMPTY  0   0 0                  
FW   4    EMPTY  0   0 0                  
Max FW images: 4
Active FW image is at slot 255

TYPE SLOT STATUS LRU FAILURES UNIQUE_ID   BUILD_ID
Max PRI images: 50


OK

at!impref?
!IMPREF: 
 preferred image setting does not exist
 current fw version:      02.24.05.06
 current carrier name:    
 current config name:     

 fw version mismatch
 carrier name mismatch
 config name mismatch

OK

at!priid?
PRI Part Number: Unknown
Revision: Unknown
Customer: Unknown

Carrier PRI: None

OK

at!pcinfo?
State: Online
LPM voters - Temp:0, Volt:0, User:0, W_DISABLE:0, IMSWITCH:0, BIOS:0, LWM2M:0, OMADM:0, FOTA:0
LPM persistence - None

OK

at!usbvid?
!USBVID: 
1199

OK

at!usbpid?
!USBPID: 
APP : 9071
BOOT: 9070

OK

at!usbcomp?
Config Index: 1
Config Type:  1 (Generic)
Interface bitmask: 0000100D (diag,nmea,modem,mbim) 

OK

at!gstatus?
!GSTATUS: 
Current Time:  391		Temperature: 34
Reset Counter: 2		Mode:        ONLINE         
System mode:   LTE        	PS state:    Attached     
LTE band:      B2     		LTE bw:      20 MHz  
LTE Rx chan:   800		LTE Tx chan: 18800
LTE CA state:  INACTIVE    		LTE Scell band:B12    
LTE Scell bw:10 MHz  		LTE Scell chan:5110
EMM state:     Registered     	Normal Service 
RRC state:     RRC Connected  
IMS reg state: No Srv  		

PCC RxM RSSI:  -49		RSRP (dBm):  -81
PCC RxD RSSI:  -49		RSRP (dBm):  -80
SCC RxM RSSI:  -51		RSRP (dBm):  -74
SCC RxD RSSI:  -60		RSRP (dBm):  -83
Tx Power:      0		TAC:         8### (35###)
RSRQ (dB):     -9.9		Cell ID:     0A1####A (1691#####)
SINR (dB):     22.0


OK

at!RMARESET?
!RMARESET: 
0 Factory
3 Latest


OK

at!nvbackup?

at!nvbackup?
!NVBACKUP: 
0 Factory
3 Latest


OK

AT!HWID?
Revision: 0.5


OK
30

danielwood thx for the ideas. At one point I bricked my em7455 and lost the ability to AT!NVBACKUP=0. There is no factory default to restore to. So when I accidentally figured out how to get to 01.08.07.00 using fdt.exe and the cwe, nvu, and spk files I was happy. I have another em7455 from the same ebay vendor that is even more screwy than the one I have been working on. I believe the cards I have came loaded with pre-release firmware maybe engineering firmware. Either way there are a lot of issues and I would not recommend these dw5811e em7455 cards to most people.

Some good news the 01.08.07.00 firmware with its generic nvu is working and I can connect to sprint no problems with my win7 and win10 laptops. However I was trying to setup this em7455 with a PI3b rooter install. Rooter on the pi can send AT commands but will not connect to the modem :frowning:. If you ideas to help me get that working that would be great.

For win10/7 I am using the generic sierra drivers, no utilities other than what windows has built in. My SIM card seems to force the correct +CDGCONT settings. I also dont need to setup any bands. The only setting I did was AT!SELRAT=06 to force only LTE.

In a few days I’ll have another usb caddy for the other dw5811e em7455 I have. I’ll try your script with it first before I force anything else to see if I can get the latest generic firmware work. I’ll keep posting to the thread as I figure out more.

Thank you danielwood and panachoi, your idea set me on a working path.

31 
AT!ENTERCND="A710"
AT!USBCOMP=1,1,100D
AT!RESET

May not make a difference, but that UBIST port could be throwing rooter for a loop. I run 100D (Same as UDUSBCOMP=8) as my port config on all my modems.

32

Thanks for the idea i’ll give it a shot on my working em7455 with 1.08.07. Also do you have other spk files more recent maybe? Or a source for them?

The dw5811e cards I have seem more like engineering samples and only flash correctly with the spk file. I am working on my 2nd dw5811e and it was in even a crazier state with me needing to use AT!UDVID, AT!UDPID, AT!UDUSBCOMP to change those setting. A lot of other settings were not implemented in the 00.08.02.00 firmware. Also the previous fdt.exe and gobiApi.dll files I used on the 1st card would not flash this card. I used the fdt2.exe and gobiApi.dll from the latest generic firmware that sierra has. I used flash command from earlier in the thread and was able to flash the spk which let everything work but when I tried any other firmware/nvu I would get a config mismatch when I checked AT!IMPREF? Also AT!PCINFO? showed I have IMSWITCH=1. Also they are very very old and do not have factory !NVBACKUP or !RMARESET options to clear out the NV settings.

Someone have any new ideas to try to get the the latest generic firmware.

33

Sierra wireless provides a utility for building your own spk from a cwe and nvu file. More info here:

https://source.sierrawireless.com/resources/airprime/software/swicwe/

This is what is inside the dell spk file:

meemee@meemee-Parrot:~/sierrawireless_tools$ swicwe --parse 
1102424_9904336_EM7455_01.08.07.00_00_Dell_001.001_000.spk 
 Type	 Size(Exclude Header)	 Product	 Compress	 Version
*SPKG    63738568                9X30            0               1102424_9904336_EM7455_01.08.07.00_00_Dell_001.001_000
*BOOT    329360                  9X30            0               SWI9X30C_01.08.07.00
 SBL1    328960                  9X30            0               SWI9X30C_01.08.07.00
*MODM    31090805                9X30            0               SWI9X30C_01.08.07.00
 TZON    355800                  9X30            0               SWI9X30C_01.08.07.00
 QRPM    153024                  9X30            0               SWI9X30C_01.08.07.00
 DSP2    30580781                9X30            1               SWI9X30C_01.08.07.00
*APPL    32288737                9X30            0               SWI9X30C_01.08.07.00
 APBL    163464                  9X30            0               SWI9X30C_01.08.07.00
 SYST    10582665                9X30            1               SWI9X30C_01.08.07.00
 USER    16305281                9X30            1               SWI9X30C_01.08.07.00
 APPS    5235727                 9X30            1               SWI9X30C_01.08.07.00
*FILE    28066                   9X30            0               1102424_9904336_EM7455_01.08.07.00_00_Dell_001.001_000

The last entry is *FILE does this equal the NVU file? Why is it so big?

34

I think flashing the spk file somehow “locks” the configuration to the Dell 01.08.07 configuration. I have been unable to change it, but I did manage to flash 02.24.03.00, and am not stuck in LPM (I was for awhile, but somehow I managed to flash 2.24.03 and get it working). I have no idea how @danielwood managed to get his modem fully to generic; its possible that he never flashed the spk file

Its still not clear to me how the config and carrier names are related if at all, and what exatcly the config names function is.

I think that if you do not set the config name, and let it “default” (GENERIC_001.007_000), you’ll get your modem to work. Mine certainly does.

Thanks for the link to the spk binary – this might have been useful.

I spent many hours searching for a way to bootstrap the modem, erasing everything (all firmware, nvu, and configuration/nvram) and then using bootloader/QDL mode to download onto an empty device, but was unable to find anything.

My guess is that the *FILE is actually all of the pri/nvu files “wrapped” together somehow, but I’m no expert.

Perhaps if you get to a 2.x version, and then at!nvrestore=0, and then flash the firmware, perhaps that gets everything working properly (mine is currently remote, I’ll be swapping it out in the fall)

FWIW, my AT!HWID says Revision 0.2, amd RMARESET only offers me to restore the save set that I made; there is no Factory/Latest. So, there are distinct differences between HWIDs, it seems…

You’ll need to use MBIM mode and you’ll also need the diag port to use the modem with rooter (I’m using mine with OpenWRT, same same but different), so i think you want

AT!USBCOMP=1,1,100D

I think that lede/openwrt/rooter want to get info from the diag port in order for the modem to work properly.

Depending on how much time you have on hand, you should be able to just flash the spk file, set the usb composition as above, setup rooter (sorry, no direct experience with that), and the modem should just work…

35

Thx panachoi, thats an interesting idea to get the new generic firmware with the old dell nvu.

I have gotten both card to update to latest sierra generic firmware, but with Config Mismatch since the nvu is not set correctly. Even after getting to the latest generic I am unable to !RMARESET=0, it does not exist.

Oh well, I finally got 1 of my cards working with Dell 01.08.07 and

AT!USBCOMP=1,1,100D

The other does not work with rooter when the usbcomp is set 100D. Hey at least 1 does, lol. The other card only works with usbcomp set to 20100D. This card works under windows perfectly.

So both cards work 1 with rooter and 1 with windows. I am done for now, :grinning:.

Many Thx to everyone for helping me out!!!

If there are any questions I’ll do my best to help out.

36

I have a similar problem. My dw5811e card only works vowsi1 FW only 01.08.07. I try to flash generic or dell failed, and it’s in LPM mode.

37

@longnguyen114 did you flash the 01.08.07 spk file to your card? That one should get you out of IMSWITCH=1 and LPM. The spk file is a generic firmware with a generic NVU. It also includes NVU for att, sprint, etc. Once you flash the spk you will need to change the VID, PID, and USBCOMP back to generic and MBIM.

1 Like
38

thanks ctx001. I flashed 08.07 and it worked fine. I changed the VID and PID oem of dell is 413C and 81b6, 81b5. but GPS not work. If I install the package of dell then there will be a option “Sensor location” in device manager. and it will loop “configuaring boarband …”

39

Hello guys,

i had the exactly same problem…
descripted here: My EM7455 has no carrier pri and a carrier/config name missmatch

i also have this engineering sample of DW5811e and upgrading firmware to latest generic also don’t work… :confused: