8.2.0 to 9.1 Release - "Firmware Invalid"

[freshfeesh]

I'm upgrading via the GUI from
FreeNAS-8.2.0-RELEASE-p1-x64 (r11950) (copied from the system info in the GUI)
to
FreeNAS-9.1.0-RELEASE-x64.GUI_Upgrade.txz (the file I downloaded)
and get the following error:
freenas manage.py: [middleware.exceptions:38] [MiddlewareError: The firmware is invalid]
The SHA-256 checksum of the downloaded install file is good per a third party checker. I paste the checksum from the download page into the appropriate box in the GUI and the update proceeds to 100%, then throws the error.

I'm hoping to avoid a fresh install. What's my next step?

 

[pirateghost]

save config to your desktop/laptop
install new image to USB thumbdrive
boot
load config from WebGUI

all your settings should restore

 

[freshfeesh]

as in, give up on trying to get the GUI upgrade to work?

 

[gpsguy]

While you want to avoid a fresh install, that's what pirateghost recommended. Just save your configuration file beforehand and restore it afterwards.

as in, give up on trying to get the GUI upgrade to work?

 

[freshfeesh]

OK, thanks for the advice. I'm sure you've both saved me a few hours of screwing around with it.

Is this just a random thing that crops up with certain unique configs and certain updates? Should I be worried about anything?

 

[gpsguy]

I wouldn't worry about it. Some of the pre-release versions didn't support the upgrade, since they had a larger footprint, ~3.8Gb vs ~2Gb.

If you have a spare flash drive, you might want to do the install on it. If something did go wrong, you still have your old install.

 

[freshfeesh]

Done. It actually went fairly quickly, contrary to my first time experience, and spurred me to go through and double check and tweak all the basic settings, which was needed. Thanks gents.

 

[echpiel]

If anybody else finds this problem, just upgrade first to 8.3.0-p1 using the GUI. Then you can upgrade to 8.3.1-p2 or 9.1.

 

[cheongi]

Can't get from 8.3.0-p1-x64 to 8.3.1-p2-x64 with a GUI upgrade. Download SHA256 verified independently. Got the same "Firmware invalid" message. ISO boot won't upgrade. So I guess I'm looking a some new thumb drives. Does this have anything to do with ZFS version (still on 15)????