3DM 2 Online Help

Updating the 3ware Driver and Firmware Under Windows
You can update both the driver and the firmware under Windows, using the utility 3wUpdate.exe. This utility is included with the driver files when you download them.
If you only need to update the driver, you can either use the update utility as described below, or you can update it through the Windows Device Manager, as described under Updating the 3ware Driver Under Windows XP.
When you use the update utility, you bypass the device driver screens that you see when you update just the driver through Windows Device Manager.

| Note: At the end of this process, you may need to restart the system. Restarting is always required if you update the firmware. In addition, if you boot from a unit on a 3ware RAID controller, updating the driver will require that you restart the system.

To update the 3ware driver and firmware using the update utility

1 | Download and extract the driver files, as described under Updating the Driver and Firmware.

2 | Backup any critical data prior to updating the 3ware driver.

3 | Log in to your system as system administrator.

4 | Locate the folder that contains the driver files you extracted in step 1.

5 | Double-click on the file 3wUpdate.exe.

You see a progress dialog box while the update utility checks your system for the driver and firmware versions presently installed.
Show Update Utility Progress Dialog (System Check)
When the 3ware Driver/Firmware Update dialog box appears, it shows available updates for the device driver and for the firmware.
Show Update Utility Showing Available Drivers
.
If either your driver or firmware is current, the screen reflects that.
Show Update Utility Showing Drivers Already Current
.
If the firmware image is not found with the driver files, the 3ware Driver/Firmware Update dialog box will show only the driver as available.
Show Update Utility Showing Only Driver Available
If the driver is not found, the 3ware Driver/Firmware Update dialog box will show only the firmware as available.
Show Update Utility Showing Only Firmware Available

| Note: If you have multiple controllers in your system, your screen will look slightly different, so that you can update the firmware for one or all controllers. For details, see Using the Update Utility With Multiple Controllers

6 | In the Action section of the dialog, make any changes to what will be updated and click Continue to install your selections.

During the update, the driver installs on your local drive. The firmware will first download and then will flash a new image to the controller.
You will see either one or two progress dialog boxes, depending on what is being installed. Progress is shown during:

| Driver installation

| Firmware download and flashing of the controller

| Warning: Do not power off the system while the firmware is being flashed. Doing so will render the controller unusable.

7 | If a dialog box prompts you to restart your computer, click Yes to do so.

(If you were working from a driver diskette, be sure to remove the floppy diskette before Windows reboots.)

8 | If the driver you are installing is unsigned, you will receive a message to that effect.

To complete the installation with an unsigned driver, click OK.

9 | If a final message box confirms that the process is complete, click OK.

(This message appears if you do not need to restart your computer.)

Related Topics
  Using the Update Utility With Multiple Controllers
  Updating the 3ware Driver Under Windows XP
  Updating the 3ware Driver Under Red Hat or Fedora Core
  Updating the 3ware Driver Under SuSE
  Updating the 3ware Driver Under FreeBSD
  Updating the Firmware Under Linux and FreeBSD

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