/ / / Areca firmware update for ARC-8050T3U systems and controllers

Firmware updates for Areca systems and controllers

Step-by-step instructions for installing new firmware on Areca ARC-8050 systems and Areca controllers.

How to update...

Up-to-date firmware not only ensures system stability, but also closes security gaps, improves compatibility with new hardware and optimizes performance. Outdated update management can cause problems, especially for business-critical systems.

Below we show you step by step - including screenshots - how to update your systems securely and correctly. These instructions apply to all Areca 8050 systems (ARC-8050T3, ARC-8050T3U, desktop & rackmount) and all current RAID controllers (ARC-1203, ARC-12x4, ARC-12x6, ARC-1686, ARC-1883, ARC-1884, ARC-1886).

1.

Download the appropriate firmware update files for your systems from the Areca download page or the Starline Cloud:

Areca Driver installation

2.

Log in to the WebGUI of your Areca system. You can start the controller update process under System Controls/Upgrade Firmware.

2-ARC_Upgrade_Firmware1

3.

Click on Select file, select the downloaded firmware files individually as follows and then click on Open.

Proceed in the same way with all other files.

3-ARC_Upgrade_Firmware2

4.

Start with ARCxxxBIOS.BIN

4-ARC_Upgrade_Firmware_BIOS

5.

This is followed by ARCxxxBOOT.BIN

5-ARC_Upgrade_Firmware_BOOT

6.

If available: Upload ARCxxxMBR0.BIN to update the latest master boot record code. (This is no longer available for newer versions).

7.

Now comes the actual firmware with the file ARCxxxFIRM.BIN. A loading bar symbolizes the update process.

6-ARC_Upgrade_Firmware3

8.

If the loading bar reaches 100%, the update has been successfully completed. Now wait approx. 10 seconds to be on the safe side and restart the system as usual. For desktop systems, unplug the box and plug it in again to restart the system.

7-ARC_Upgrade_Firmware4

9.

Finally, upload the remaining ARCxxxUEFI.BIN file to import the latest UEFI boot code.

Then restart the system or the Thunderbolt box again. After the final boot, the firmware is fully updated with all relevant files.

8-ARC_Upgrade_Firmware_UEFI

Attention: Affects NVMe mode under macOS from firmware 1.70

As soon as firmware 1.70 has been installed on the device and the system or controller is in NVMe mode, the Areca tools ArcHttp and CLI will no longer work under macOS.

You can then only access the corresponding systems via the WebGUI itself. Even under ArcHttp you can no longer see the device.

Therefore: If you want to use ArcHttp, you must set the Areca system or the controller in the WebGUI under Host interface mode to Legacy.

The following screenshot shows the NVMe mode from firmware 1.70 and ArcHttp 3.0.0 under Windows:

9-NVMe-ARC_Archttp_3_0_0

For ArcHttp under macOS, the areca must be set to Host-Interface Mode: Legacy

10-NVMe-ARC_NVME_Mode

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Konrad Beyer
Technical Support

Our technical manager has a comprehensive knowledge of all storage and server topics.