Strange problem following firmware upgrade of DS-2CD2332-I

[Meaksy]

Ok so I have a DS-2CD2332-I which was on an older firmware version of v5.1.6 build 140612. As it was a bit out of date I decided to update it, noting that you cannot jump versions. So I selected v5.2.0 build 140721 then v5.3.0 build 150513 and finally to the latest of v5.4.5 build 170123. Well that was my plan anyway. The intermediate firmware upgrades I sourced from the hikvision website firmware archives, ensuring the versions were prefixed EN denoting they were English and not Chinese!!

So, this is what happened, and what I am left with.

1) The upgrade to v5.2.0 build 140721 went OK, however, when I logged into the web interface it was all in Chinese .... great!
2) I managed to navigate the Chinese web interface to process the next firmware upgrade digicap file and it successfully loaded, however, the web login page did not refresh.
3) Now when I try to access the camera via the web login it gives me the error message Access Error: 404 -- Not Found firmware language mismatch: /home/webLib.
4) If I look at SADP the camera is online and active, and the network and port settings are all in order.
5) If I look at iVMS 4200 the camera is showing as offline, but I can still access the camera's Remote Configuration settings from the Group menu under Device Management. System Maintenance on here shows that the firmware has successfully been upgraded to v5.3.0 build 150513 and if I go into the Image settings option I can see the camera live view just fine.
6) I have tried using TFTP to flash the next firmware build but it does nothing following successful initialisation (the camera normally relies on PoE for its power so I am not sure whether the camera not having power here from the PC's Ethernet port is the issue???).
7) I have used the language change tool in the forum stickies (hiktools lang digicap.dav X) to change the language setting to both ENG/ML (i.e. using X setting 1) and CH (i.e. using X setting 2).
8) If I then go into the Remote Configuration settings of the camera via iVMS 4200 and try to flash the firmware using digicap files with either language setting 1 or language setting 2 (as per 7 above) I just get the error message "Language Mismatches"

I also have 4 other cameras which need to be upgraded and would also like to get hold of proper English versions for R0 2xx2 from 5.0.x to 5.4.x

I'm kind of stuck now what to do next .... any help would be appreciated

 

[alastairstevenson]

Now when I try to access the camera via the web login it gives me the error message Access Error: 404 -- Not Found firmware language mismatch: /home/webLib

Not a strange problem - this is the standard result of updating a Chinese Hikvision camera with EN/ML firmware - it's by design by Hikvision.

7) I have used the language change tool in the forum stickies (hiktools lang digicap.dav X) to change the language setting to both ENG/ML (i.e. using X setting 1) and CH (i.e. using X setting 2).

That only changes the language of the header of the firmware file - not the language of the camera itself.

I also have 4 other cameras which need to be upgraded and would also like to get hold of proper English versions for R0 2xx2 from 5.0.x to 5.4.x

That won't work for Chinese cameras - the language setting is built into the device-specific 'hardware descriptor' or 'bootpara' data during manufacture.
It's in a flash partition, which can be modified with some care.

Fortunately, there is a method that many people have used to convert their Chinese R0 cameras to English and make them fully updateable.
Check this out :
Unbrick and fully upgrade your R0 / DS-2CD2x32 IP cameras -
R0 / DS-2CD2x32 BrickfixV2 brick recovery and full upgrade tool - enhanced.

 

[Meaksy]

Thanks for the info, I will have a go at that.

A few other questions though which I still don';t understand.,

Before I started the first update, the web interface was in English just fine. How is this a Chinese camera if everything was working fine and in English?

Also, does this mean I cannot easily upgrade any of the other cameras too?

One quick further technical question on the solution you have proposed. The camera is attached to a router which provides the PoE. If I connect the camera ethernet cable directly to the PC, the PC will probably not provide the camera with any power. Does the camera need power to be on to receive the firmware update?

The problem is I have 6 cameras in total, all connected to a PoE router. The way I understand TFTP works is that it will only work if one camera is attached by wire to the PC. I'm just not sure how to use the PoE router and a PC in conjunction with TFTP... does this make sense? (The camera is in a location where it is not possible for me to plug any localised power supply in).

If I somehow try to unplug all the other cameras and plug the PC into the router, having set the PC static ip address the router will be on a different subnet as it''s address is 192.168.0.x

Thanks

 

[alastairstevenson]

Before I started the first update, the web interface was in English just fine. How is this a Chinese camera if everything was working fine and in English?

On the early firmware versions of these R0 cameras, the on-line sellers used 'tweaked' firmware to provide EN menus, it was quite easy at that stage.
Out of interest, see what this URL gives when used in the browser, replacing the IP address with that of each camera :
HTTP:/<camera_IP_address>/SDK/Language

Also, does this mean I cannot easily upgrade any of the other cameras too?

It will be a problem if they are also Chinese cameras.
A good clue is if their serial numbers have CCCH in them.

The camera is attached to a router which provides the PoE. If I connect the camera ethernet cable directly to the PC, the PC will probably not provide the camera with any power. Does the camera need power to be on to receive the firmware update?

Presumably it's a PoE switch.
The Hikvision tftp updater tool can be a bit unreliable when :
The camera is powered with PoE, it works best with a 12v supply.
The camera and PC are directly connected, it works best when both are wired to switch/router ports.
Yes, power is required for firmware operations.

The way I understand TFTP works is that it will only work if one camera is attached by wire to the PC.

No - that's a non-preferred method, it usually doesn't work.

The camera is in a location where it is not possible for me to plug any localised power supply in

The tftp updater MIGHT work when the camera is powered with PoE as normal, so worth a try.

You may be able to sidestep the need for the Hikvision tftp updater in Stage 1.
Worth trying on the currently part-bricked camera would be the Batch Configuration Tool to do the initial brickfixV2 install, using your as-is network setup.
Assuming the PC is on a wired connection as opposed to WiFi.

Batch Config Tool - History

ipcamtalk.com

The camera will now be announcing as Chinese, so you probably need the CN header version of brickfixV2.

 

[Meaksy]

Just brilliant, thank you Alastair after reading everything about 10 times I worked through it and by the 6th camera it was taking me 10 minutes to achieve what it took me 2 days to achieve for the first camera!

Such excellent instructions and now I have 6 ENGLISH future upgradeable cameras, no more worries about Chinese or bricking them!.

I found that the hex for the camera type did not need amending, but each time the language setting was 02 and needed to be changed to 01.

In the end, I used an old plug and play PoE router into which I plugged both the laptop via ethernet, and the camera via ethernet. This allowed me to create a dedicate stand-alone upgrade rig, avoiding me having to interrupt the 'live' system and also more importantly prevented me having to physically remove the cameras from their locations in order to plug in a separate power supply!!!

I have a couple of minor and hopefully helpful suggestions for you to make to the instructions which I found tripped me up: -

1) Make it clearer where the upgrade firmware digicap file goes (for stage 3 of 3). To someone who doesn't really know what they are doing, the difference between TFTP Updater and TFTP Server is easy to mistake, and originally I had the digicap file in the TFTP Updater folder (which is where they normally go) and no surprise I got an error message from the putty session.

2) Clarify somewhere that the camera needs power to perform the updates. Others like me who rely on PoE may not realise this and have the same troubles I had.

3) Probably a reminder that the camera needs to be OFF when running TFTP Updater and then powered ON once TFTP Updater has initialised (this was the case for me anyway).

4) A little info on the fact that the camera goes Inactive following the update would be helpful. I know this can be searched for elsewhere but it took me 2hrs to realise this and then another hour to figure out that from v5.3.x onwards there is no default password and you have to activate the camera via the web interface (did not work for me at all) or the later versions of SADP (worked for me after I updated from an older version).

I hope these are helpful updates to improve your instructions - seriously when I first read them, especially the hex editing bit, I thought there was no way I could do that but on the 4th/5th/6th cameras I was doing it without even looking at the instructions!!

I feel very chuffed to have got this done and once again, thank you so much for taking the time to post and help me out, I do really appreciate it.

Cheers
Rob

 

[alastairstevenson]

now I have 6 ENGLISH future upgradeable cameras, no more worries about Chinese or bricking them!.

Hey, well done, a good result!
And it sounds like you climbed a bit of a learning curve to get there.

In the end, I used an old plug and play PoE router into which I plugged both the laptop via ethernet, and the camera via ethernet.

Slightly surprising that worked OK as the use of PoE as opposed to 12v can embarrass the slightly marginal timing of the Hikvision tftp updater.
But it will depend on the individual characteristics of the PoE switch.
Unless you were using the web GUI or the Batch Configuration Tool for the initial brickfuxV2 firmware load, in which case the tftp updater isn't needed.

I hope these are helpful updates to improve your instructions - seriously when I first read them, especially the hex editing bit, I thought there was no way I could do that but on the 4th/5th/6th cameras I was doing it without even looking at the instructions!!

Thanks for the constructive feedback - I'll look to incorporate that in the how-to instructions.