Updating a PandA via SSH#

The Admin interface of the PandA can be used to update the firmware as detailed in the _web_doc, but sometimes it is necessary to update a number of PandAs at once. The SSH interface can be used to do this.

To gain access over SSH, either add an authorized_keys file to the SD card, or load it from USB via the Admin interface.

It is then possible to log in remotely and perform operations on the PandA.

Warning

PandA only has a single user; root, and remote access is done as this user. Root has privileges to break the system, so be careful when running the commands below.

First update rootfs and then, after a reboot, update to the latest available zpkg packages (while making sure to match the major versions of everything).

Updating the rootfs#

Download a new boot-x.x.zip file from GitHub and unzip it somewhere. You can then:

$ md5sum boot/imagefile.cpio.gz
$ scp boot/* root@my_panda_ip:/boot
$ ssh root@my_panda_ip
# sync
# md5sum /boot/imagefile.cpio.gz
If the two md5 sums match it has copied correctly. Within /boot you should find::

  • boot.scr

  • uImage

  • boot.bin

  • devicetree.dtb

  • uinitramfs

Note

For PandA v3.0 and beyond boot.bin and devicetree.dtb now come from the PandABlocks-FPGA build but are combined in the boot-x.x.zip on the rootfs release page.

You can power cycle the box and it will install the new rootfs.

Updating zpkg packages#

A PandA firmware installation consists of 4 Zpkgs:

  • panda-fpga@*.zpg

  • panda-server@*.zpg

  • panda-webcontrol@*.zpg

  • panda-slowfpga@*.zpg (PandA 3.0 onwards)

Download new zpkg files from GitHub, then:

$ scp *.zpg root@my_panda_ip:/tmp
$ ssh root@my_panda_ip
# zpkg install /tmp/*.zpg

This will install the new versions of the appropriate packages, and restart the services on the box to use them. From the PandA 3.0 release and beyond, a new zpkg file will be needed: panda-slowfpga@*.zpg.

Note

Release 1.0 of the rootfs contained a bug which means that if 1.0 or later versions of the FPGA zpkg were installed, then any subsequent installations of the FPGA zpkg with ANY version of the rootfs would fail with message:

File lib/python2.7/site-packages/malcolm/modules/web/www/fpga_docs already exists

Once you have seen this error, run:

rm /opt/lib/python2.7/site-packages/malcolm/modules/web/www/fpga_docs

and then retry the zpkg command and it should succeed. Release 1.1 of the rootfs fixes this, but you will still have to follow the steps above to correct the error.

Update 24V eeprom#

PandA 3.0 requires an update to the EEPROM of 24Vio FMC cards to do this:

  • Find the right ipmi_definition file according the the product and revision (the one for FMC24V is under its module folder)

  • Copy it to panda

  • Run /opt/bin/write_eeprom <path-to-ipmi-definition>

  • After writing, the script will read the EEPROM to confirm the content matches