Downgrade Firmware

[HarryPotter]

I found the following post in slimserver forum. It describes how to downgrade your FW on DS:

Hallo

Ich habe soeben erfolgreich (scheint jedenfalls so) meine DS-106x von Firmware 426 nach 371 umgestellt. Und zwar folgendermassen:

Ich habe die Datei /etc.defaults/VERSION mit einer aus einer alten Firmware (357) ersetzt. Dann hat die DS unter "Firmware Upgrade" auch diese Info angezeigt und das Patchfile für die Version 371 anstandslos geschluckt und installiert. Danach habe ich die 426 montiert, hat auch geklappt.

Naja, ich denke wenn man nicht eine allzu alte Firmware installiert (z.B. eine die noch ReiserFS verwendet hat [das gabs doch mal, oder?]) sollte da nichts schief gehen.

Aber wie immer, ihr macht das auf eigene Verantwortung nach..

flip

Hier noch das VERSION-File aus der 357:

Code: Select all

majorversion="2"
minorversion="0"
buildphase="3"
buildnumber="0357"
builddate="2006/05/18"
unique="synology_powerpc_106"


Edit: unique=... sollte wahrscheinlich mit eurer Hardware übereinstimmen. Ich würde einfach mal das Datum und die Versionsnummern ändern.

OK its in german but the summary seems to be very easy: just replace the /etc.defaults/VERSION by an old one, f.e 357 (see code) and then apply the 371 FW.

I didnt try myself.

[HarryPotter]

I just found his english version on the yahoo group:

Hello

This might be of interest here.

I just downgraded my DS-106x from firmware 426 to 371 as follows:

I replaced the contents of /etc.defaults/VERSION with the info from
the 357 firmware (see below).

Then the admin interface showed that info and I was able to install
firmware 371.

An upgrade to 426 after that worked as well.

But as always, you try this at your own risk..

Here's what I put into VERSION:

-----
majorversion="2"
minorversion="0"
buildphase="3"
buildnumber="0357"
builddate="2006/05/18"
unique="synology_powerpc_106"
-----


Regards,
flipflip

[Frank van Bortel]

NOT for the 406

[knudsen]

Now I have downgraded to 3xx for my Synology 101j because I found the 426 unstable.

This is my "8 step - how to do" manual:
It should be possible to use this procedure on all synology models - just use the correct files...

1) Extract the VERSION file:
First - I extracted the VERSION file from the synology_ixp420_junior_0368.pat file. I am planning to use the synology_ixp420_junior_0385.pat for the actual downgrade, so I use a firmware file which is older than 385 - in this place it is the 368 file. I used WinRAR (ver 3.51) to open the pat-file, which in fact is a TAR copressed archive file. The VERSION file is placed in the root of the TAR archive. I extracted the file to the public share on the synology 101j

2) Enable telnet.
Search this forum, or use this one:
http://oinkzwurgl.org/dl.php?file=syno-telnet-r3.zip
and then telnet to diskstation.

3) Finding files:
DiskStation> cd /
DiskStation> find / -name VERSION
./etc/VERSION
./etc.defaults/VERSION
./volume1/public/VERSION

4) Verify content of file:
DiskStation> more ./etc.defaults/VERSION
majorversion="2"
minorversion="0"
buildphase="3"
buildnumber="0426"
builddate="2006/12/26"

5) Replacing VERSION file:
DiskStation> cp /volume1/public/VERSION /etc.defaults/VERSION

6) Verify content of file after replace:
DiskStation> more ./etc.defaults/VERSION
majorversion="2"
minorversion="0"
buildphase="3"
buildnumber="0368"
builddate="2006/06/29"
unique="synology_ixp420_junior"

7) Downgrade firmware using the web-admin-tool:
- Logon via web-browser as user "admin"
- Go to "firmware upgrade"

The folowing information is now showing:
Model Name: DS-101j
Current Firmware Version: 2.0.3 - 0368
Firmware Date: 2006/06/29

- Browse for the old firmware pat-file (synology_ixp420_junior_0385.pat) and click OK

8 ) Restore system configuration:
Restore old configbackupfile under "System -> backup"
select restore and browse for your old configbackup.dss file.

I guess this step is not very importent, but I did have an old backupfile (made with 3xx firmware), so I restored my settings with this backup.

That's it.
Done...!

The time for downgrade process was aprox 10 minutes.

[flipflip]

NOT for the 406

You sure that you used the correct "unique" identifier in your VERSION file?

flip

[Franklin]

Just as a warning: it is not advisable to switch from 426 to 3xx and back up to 42x firmware, doing could corrupt the system data. For those users who have downgraded from 426 to 3xx, there is a possibility that you will have to format your hard drive (perform a clean install) in order for your system to function properly when you want to use the 42x firmware.

[DAM]

I would like to downgrade my DS-101j, from synology_ixp420_junior_0462.pat to synology_ixp420_junior_0385.pat , but I don´t have firmvare version which is older than 385. Is there someone who can tell me, where I can get an older fimware file than 385 ????
[/i]

[HarryPotter]

check your PM

[Mrhardware]

I have a cs407 and am looking for v.0459 firmware because i want to downgrade to 462.

Also i have enabled telnet but i have found that when i login with the admin and password i get a warning " warning: cannot change to home directory".

I have telneted the 462 version file to the public folder on volume1.

The VERSION file is Telneted ok to the public share on the cs407. but when i try to overwite the version with cp /volume1/public/VERSION /etc.defaults/VERSION
I get permission denied.

Any ideas

[HarryPotter]

you dont have to telnet in with user admin, take user root (same password as for admin)

[Mrhardware]

Thanks Harry Potter forgot that not used telnet for over 10 years, got lazy with windows. Mnaged to find the old firmware on my cd so system has now been downgraded to 462 .
There does not seem to be any corruption but i am restoring from a backup just in case.

[ultraman531]

I currently upgraded my DS 207+ to Disk Station Manager 2.0-0590 and really DON'T LIKE it at all because of the slow performance and I would like to roll back to use the old firmware. Can any Synology support provide me a information on how to go back and use the old firmware for my DS 207+? Thanks.

[dmmueller]

Though not supported:

viewtopic.php?f=59&t=4937&p=20185&hilit=downgrade+firmware#p20185

[ultraman531]

VERY slow performance includes regular NAS function such as opening a very small regular text file from the Disk Station's share, photo station is extremely slow and some times it hang when you click on some pictures. I can tell the Disk Station will take forever to load up only 1 single picture. The web management or any http access are quite slower than using the old firmware, so please make sure if you are ok with this extreme slow performance when you update to the DSM 2.0.

[ultraman531]

Thanks. dmmueller
It looks like it is possible to downgrade the firmware with the existing hard drive configuration. And, it looks like the firmware and the OS are installed into the hard drive, I wonder if I can just install any firmware version if I re-format the hard drive and re-install the firmware and OS again. Or replaced it with the new hard drive. I want to confirm if the firmware is not written into any flash memory inside, correct me if I am wrong.