System Recovery Options for Field Communicators Running System

Software Version 3.x

For cases where a Field Communicator running System Software 3.x fails and cannot be
recovered by normal means, various operations or utilities are available to possibly restore the
Field Communicator to a functional state.

Some of these recovery operations might be somewhat analogous to rebuilding a Windows PC,
so it should be understood that any user specific data or configuration files residing in the Field
Communicator will be lost.

It is recommended that a call is opened with the GSC (Global Service Center) so that they can
assist with the recovery procedures per the contact information below:

Global Service Center Contact Information

E-mail: ap-sms@AP.EmersonProcess.com

Website contact link: http://www.emersonprocess.com/systems/support/ratecard.htm

Precautions and Prerequisites

The procedures in this document must be done while power is being supplied to the unit
from the Power Supply/Charger. If a power failure occurs during some of the recovery
processes, the unit may be left in an unusable state that would make another recovery
attempt in the field impossible.

Data stored on the internal flash of the Field Communicator will be lost. This includes
saved HART® Configurations, User Data .txt files, and Event Captures that were stored
on the unit by the end user. To save the HART Configurations, you have the option of:

o Transferring the configurations to AMS Suite: Intelligent Device Manager

o Transferring the configurations to the Field Communicator System Card or to the
Easy Upgrade Utility if the Field Communicator is licensed for Device
Configuration Management
o Saving a duplicate copy to a Configuration Expansion Module

To save User Data and Event capture files, they may be transferred to a PC using
the Easy Upgrade Utility.

Note: A brand new, out-of-the-box unit does not contain any files that need to be
saved.

Precautions that are described in the Getting Started Guide and the User’s Manual apply
during this procedure. Also, further details on performing certain steps (e.g. removal of
the Battery Pack/Power Module) can be found in these manuals.

A supported Card Reader may be required for some operations

Recovery Operations Background Information

During the startup of a Field Communicator, a feature called “logbook” is utilized to monitor the
boot process and the logbook is written to during each phase of the boot process.

If a failure occurs during any portion of the boot process, the failure is recorded and the Field
Communicator will be in the state to boot to the service screen (ATTENTION screen) shown in
Figure 1 below:

Figure 1

This screen indicates to the user they need to take some type of corrective action to recover the
Field Communicator from the previous boot interruption or failure. This operation is a function of
the Field Communicator system BIOS.

It is from this service screen (ATTENTION screen) that most of the recovery operations are run
from on a Field Communicator that is at System Software 3.x.

Note:

A Field Communicator can be directed to this service screen (ATTENTION screen) by

utilizing the forced shut down operation a few seconds after the Field Communicator is
powered on. (Power on the Field Communicator, then simultaneously press the Backlight
adjustment key and the Fn key 2-3 seconds after the Field Communicator startup screen is
displayed and this will interrupt the boot process. Upon the secondary power up of the Field
Communicator, it will then boot to this service screen (ATTENTION screen).

The following link provides a procedure with more detailed information on directing a 375
Field Communicator to boot to the Operating Desktop:

ftp://ftp.emersonprocess.com/Pickup/FRStech/ams/KBAFiles/NA-0800-0076/Getting a Field
Communicator to Boot to the Operating System Desktop.pdf

For any of the following recovery operations as relating to a 375 Field Communicator which
has an Expansion Module Assembly, it would be recommended the Expansion Module
Assembly is removed during these operations. Removal of the Expansion Module Assembly
would also be the recommendation when using the RE-IMAGE operation. The RE-IMAGE
operation is an additional recovery operation that is covered toward the end of this section.

Recovery Options for Field Communicator Failures Running System Software V3.x

Recovery options should be used or tried in order they are presented (left to right) in the above
screen shot (Figure 1) of the service screen (ATTENTION screen). Using the stylus, tap on the
desired recovery option to launch the respective operation.

1. RETRY

The RETRY operation will just retry the boot process again, starting with a clean logbook
and the boot process will either pass or fail again. If a failure is still detected, the
ATTENTION screen will again be presented and another option can then be selected.

2. REFLASH

The REFLASH operation rebuilds the registry and reruns Programloader42.exe (reloads
the Field Communicator application software).

If the REFLASH operation fails, the forced shut down operation may be required. (Press
Fn and backlight adjustment keys simultaneously).

Note:
Running the REFLASH operation with the System Card removed could also be a method
to get the unit to boot to the Operating System Desktop – (formally referred to as the G&F
Desktop). See the following screen shot below depicting the System Software 3.x
Operating System Desktop.

3. RECOVER

The RECOVER option can be used when all other recovery methods fail and should be
used only at the instruction of Field Communicator Support Personnel. The RECOVER
operation performs the following actions:

Reloads the OS (Operating System)

Rebuilds the registry

Reformats the flash disk

Runs ProgramLoader42.exe

The RECOVER operation requires the use of an additional recovery file that can be
downloaded from the following location:

ftp://ftp.emersonprocess.com/Pickup/FRStech/ams/KBAFiles/EU-0800-
0001/V3_4_50OS_TAZUPD.zip

Download the ZIP file above and extract the recovery file tazupd.bnx to some location on
a PC that has a Card Reader attached. The file can be placed on a compatible spare SD
card, or can be placed in the root of the current Field Communicator System Card.

It should be noted that System Cards 128 MB in size most likely will be near or exceeding
capacity with System Software 3.x installed. For that reason, there is a good likelihood
that one or more files will need to be deleted from the System Card in order to allow for
this recovery file to be placed on the System Card.

Making space available on a System Card can be accomplished using the Memory
Management features of version 3.x or later release of the Field Communicator Easy
Upgrade Utility.

Alternatively, the following file could be deleted to make space available on a System
Card:

GFSysUpdate.exe

The GFSysUpdate.exe file should no longer be needed as it was only required for the
System Software version 2.0 upgrade process and may be on a System Card for legacy
reasons.

Note:
As part of the overall Memory Management functionality in the version 2.x and later
releases of the Easy Upgrade Utility, users are prompted for removal of the
GFSysupdate.exe file to make space available.

Once the tazupd.bnx recovery file has been placed on a spare SD card or System Card
as indicated above, insert the card into the Field Communicator System Card socket and
power on the Field Communicator. Be sure the charger is plugged in for this process.

The service screen (ATTENTION screen) should again be displayed. Tap on the
RECOVER option and this will launch the RECOVER operation. The full RECOVER
process will take approximately 1 hour to complete.

The RECOVER operation will proceed through the following steps/screens:

(Note that some of the version specific data shown below might vary depending on the
actual versions of System Software in use)
 ATTENTION
The currently installed OS (V4.48)
is newer or equal than the system on
the SD card (V4.48).
Press SKIP to cancel the update process.

Press UPDATE to install from the

SD card.

SKIP UPDATE

Select UPDATE at the above screen then the process will continue….

If tapping on UPDATE with stylus does not select or start the UPDATE process, the
following key presses could also be used to select or advance the update process:

• Enter key
• Fn key
• Tab key

When the Update process starts, following screen will be presented:

UPDATE IN PROGRESS

A new system will be loaded

from SD-Card….

OS download from MMC/SD card…..

The UPDATE IN PROGRESS screen will then continue with additional operations
displayed at the bottom of the screen as per the following:

Erasing Kernel Store……….% (complete)

Erasing Driver Store………..% (complete)

Saving Kernel to flash………% (complete)

 Saving Drivers to flash……...% (complete)

Download completed.

The “Download completed” message will only be briefly indicated, followed by an

automatic reboot of the Field Communicator. Upon reboot, the normal Field
Communicator startup display screen will be shown with a flash disk formatting message
across the bottom as follows:

”Formatting flash disk, please wait.”

When the format is complete, the Field Communicator will then start up and the screen
calibration will be displayed. This first portion of the RECOVER above will have taken
approximately 25 minutes.

Perform the screen calibration by tapping on each “+” sign to complete the screen
calibration and the Field Communicator recovery process will continue in one of 2 ways:

a. If a spare SD card was used for the RECOVER process, the Field Communicator
will boot to the Operating System Desktop. At this point, the Field Communicator
can be shut down and the System Card re-installed in the System Card socket.
Restart the Field Communicator to complete the final software update process.

b. If the Field Communicator System Card had been used for the RECOVER
operation, the Field Communicator will automatically begin the software update
process.

Select OK to the prompts to complete the software update. This process will take
approximately another 20 minutes to complete, after which the Field Communicator
should be fully functional.

4. RE-IMAGE Operation

For a Field Communicator that might be functional but is exhibiting erratic behavior, there
is also a RE-IMAGE operation which is available from the Settings→About Field
Communicator screen. The RE-IMAGE operation is not part RECOVERY operations
available from the service screen (ATTENTION screen) listed above, but rather another
recovery option that can be utilized from a Field Communicator which is mostly
operational.

The RE-IMAGE operation will update/reinstall the firmware (BIOS, EEprom, etc.), the
operating system, system software, and Field Communicator applications to the Field
Communicator. This feature could be used as less labor intensive or more user friendly
method to “rebuild” a Field Communicator in an effort to possibly recover or resolve some
intermittent situations/conditions.

It should be noted that while the RE-IMAGE operation might be a more user friendly way
to rebuild a Field Communicator, it is a longer overall process due to the complete rebuild
operations used. The RE-IMAGE operation includes running the GFSystemUpdate42
which updates all the components such as the BIOS and EEprom settings, etc.