Download Firmware (Aha-1740/1744 Only) - Adaptec AHA-1740A Technical Reference Manual

EISA-to-Fast SCSI Host Adapter
Download Firmware
Firmware Information
Low-Level Format
Use the up and down arrow key to choose the operation. Press Enter to start an op-
eration. Following is a description of each operation.

Download Firmware (AHA-1740/1744 Only)

The AHA-1740/1744 (not the AHA-1740A or AHA-1742A) have the unique flexibility
of allowing firmware to be altered or upgraded while the board is installed in a sys-
tem. This is done by using a utility on the ASW-C174 and either the firmware files
supplied or new files supplied with ASW-M174.
It is not necessary to perform a download when installing a system for the first
time or when switching between Standard and Enhanced Modes.
Firmware download causes the host adapter to overwrite its program memory with
microcode supplied by the user from an external source like the ASW-C174 or ASW-
M174. After the data is written to the host adapter's internal RAM, and a successful
checksum test done by the host adapter, the host adapter will then reprogram its
EEPROM with the new firmware. In order to change the host adapter current inter-
face mode, you must reconfigure the system memory by running the EISA Configura-
tion Utility (ECU) that was supplied with your EISA system.
To download firmware to the 1740/1744, select Download Firmware. Have the new
firmware ready on a floppy diskette or copy it onto the internal hard disk drive. New
firmware on the ASW-M174 will come with its checksum value on the floppy diskette
label. Firmware on the ASW-C174 will correspond to major revisions of the AHA-
1740A/1742A/1744 product. If using an older version of either software, it is unlikely
that the firmware that it contains will be a current revision.
First, an edit form will pop up when this operation is chosen. Use the arrow keys to
move from field to field, or within the field. Enter the firmware file name (e.g.,
a:\standard1.hex ) that is going to load into the host memory, and choose the mode
(Standard or Enhanced) that is going to download by toggling with the +/- key. Press
Esc to exit the form and continue.
After exiting from this screen the new firmware file will be automatically loaded into
the host memory. The checksum will be calculated and displayed if the firmware file
is loaded successfully. At this point, verify the displayed checksum with the check-
sum on the floppy label. Press Esc to cancel the operation. Press Y to continue. This
will issue the Download Firmware command to the host adapter. The whole process
may take up to 45 seconds. A message will indicate the success or failure of download-
ing the new firmware.
Note
Installation
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