Upgrading HPE Comware via USB

This simple post shows you the commands needed to use a USB memory stick to upgrade a comware switch. This has been tested on Comware7 only but may work for v5.

Firstly, inserting a memory stick into the USB hole that is FAT32 formatted (other formats may work) automatically mounts the file system. No commands are required. Issuing the command dir shows the contents:

<Comware666>dir /all-filesystems
Directory of flash:
   0 -rw-    10634240 Jan 19 2016 14:07:13   5510hi-cmw710-boot-r1118p02.bin
   1 -rw-     6807552 Dec 08 2017 08:56:43   5510hi-cmw710-boot-r1309.bin
   2 -rw-    61312000 Jan 19 2016 14:08:45   5510hi-cmw710-system-r1118p02.bin
   3 -rw-    73763840 Dec 08 2017 08:57:34   5510hi-cmw710-system-r1309.bin
   4 drw-           - Dec 12 2017 07:48:48   diagfile
   5 -rw-         735 Jan 19 2016 14:20:53   hostkey
   6 -rw-       20790 Jan 02 2018 01:06:12   iccrunning.cfg
   7 -rw-      225623 Jan 02 2018 01:06:12   iccrunning.mdb
   8 -rw-        1876 Jan 02 2018 14:01:43   ifindex.dat
   9 drw-           - Dec 11 2017 07:47:25   license
  10 drw-           - May 17 2016 14:53:28   logfile
  11 drw-           - Jul 25 2017 18:26:32   pki
  12 drw-           - Jan 01 2013 00:00:31   seclog
  13 -rw-         591 Jan 19 2016 14:20:56   serverkey
  14 -rw-       20802 Jan 02 2018 14:01:43   startup.cfg
  15 -rw-      225693 Jan 02 2018 14:01:44   startup.mdb
  16 drw-           - Dec 11 2017 07:47:52   versionInfo

524288 KB total (292424 KB free)

Directory of usba0:
   0 -rw-    37651242 Nov 09 2017 13:43:36   200D-5p4p6.out
   1 -rw-    43101473 Dec 06 2017 08:58:44   200D-5p6p3.out
   2 -rw-    80578560 Aug 15 2017 07:05:00   5510HI-CMW710-R1309.ipe
   3 -rw-    32190677 Dec 06 2017 12:03:24   FGR_60D-v5-build1165-FORTINET.out
   4 -rw-    37651242 Nov 09 2017 13:43:36   FGT_200D-v5-build1165-FORTINET.out
   5 -rw-      296468 Dec 06 2017 09:37:40   FM_5p4.conf
   6 -rw-         103 Dec 06 2017 15:37:22   INFO.TXT
   7 drw-           - Dec 06 2017 15:36:40   System Volume Information
   8 -rw-     7672636 Mar 31 2017 12:25:44   fortigate-cli-ref-54.pdf
   9 -rw-   139725725 Feb 15 2017 11:41:30   fortios-handbook-54.pdf
  10 -rw-   134018389 Dec 06 2017 09:29:18   fortios-handbook-56.pdf
  11 -rw-      570194 Dec 06 2017 09:14:14   full_5p4.conf

7612416 KB total (7110948 KB free)

In theory, the IPE file is now ready to use and you could issue the standard command to commence the upgrade process: boot-loader file usba0:/5510HI-CMW710-R1309.ipe all main

However, I found in testing that copying to the flash was more reliable/quicker. Most likely because of the limitations of the transfer between the two:

Copy usba0:/5510HI-CMW710-R1309.ipe to flash:/5510HI-CMW710-R1309.ipe? [Y/N]:y
Copying file usba0:/5510HI-CMW710-R1309.ipe to flash:/5510HI-CMW710-R1309.ipe.......................................................... Done.

After which the more traditional command: boot-loader file flash:/5510HI-CMW710-R1309.ipe all main

For upgrading in a lab using a USB key was always much quicker than via TFTP and doesn’t require the initial setup of a network to achieve. They main reason for using a USB would be for remote upgrades. In theory the config file could also be placed on the USB permitting software and configuration to be sent in the post.