Update Windows XPE on JACE-NXT

Tridium prepares special Windows XP Embedded security update files on an ongoing basis for you to download and copy to the C: drive of the JACE-NXT. You can then logon as the Windows administrator on the unit and execute the update(s). The update process uses a “Device Update Agent” (DUA).

Support has also been added for applying Microsoft QFE (Quick Fix Engineering) updates. These will become available when Niagara-Central support for supplying these updates becomes available. In the future, updates may be provided in the form of QFEs , DUA packages, or a combination of both. More information on QFEs is likely to be covered in a future document update.

Typically, installation of Microsoft OS updates and/or security patches ends with a system reboot. Although this does not matter for a new JACE-NXT (without a working station), please keep this in mind whenever installing future Windows XP updates.

If a CompactFlash-based unit, before installing updates, be sure to disable EWF (leave unprotected) for the drive C partition first, rebooting afterwards. For details, see Notes on EWF (Enhanced Write Filter) in Windows XPE.
Also before updates, use the NiagaraAX backup feature to backup the JACE-NXT to your PC.
In addition, make sure any controlled equipment is in a safe, manual mode of operation.

The following subsections provide more details:

About Windows security updates for the JACE-NXT

Windows XP Embedded updates and security patches for Win32 based JACEs are released by Tridium as self-extracting executable files. When copied to (and executed on) the target JACE, files are extracted to appropriate directories on that host. This includes files for security patches as released by Microsoft, as well as a special “update.dup” device program file, which works with the DUA service running on the JACE-NXT (as well as the previous JACE-NXS controller).

Tridium-prepared update files are numbered sequentially, and must be applied one at a time, in numerical order.

For a JACE-NXT, the file naming convention used for updates is:

NxtXpeUpdate_SPn_y.exe

where n is XP Service Pack level (3, for example) and y is update sequence number.

For example: NxtXpeUpdate_SP3_12 can be applied to any JACE-NXT already running the earlier (NxtXpeUpdate_SP3_11) update. See the next section, Check JACE-NXT Windows XPE update level (listUpdates) and also Apply an NxtXpeUpdate to a JACE-NXT for a typical installation procedure.

The previous JACE-NXS controller uses different update files: NxsXpeUpdate_SPn_y.exe

About the Windows Device Update Agent (DUA)

The Device Update Agent (DUA) is a service which runs in the background of Windows XP Embedded. This service starts whenever the JACE-NXTboots, and remains running. The tasks performed by the DUA service on a JACE-NXT are simple:

On a regular poll cycle, it checks for the existence of any “.dup” file in the C:\dua directory. Note that a “.dup” file is a “device update program,” and is actually a compiled version of a script file with instructions to move/copy/rename/delete files, add/remove/modify registry keys, reboot, and so on.
If this special file exists, it executes it. If it does not exist, it does nothing but wait until the next poll cycle.

The update.dup file, along with all the necessary Microsoft patch files, are automatically copied under the target C:\dua directory when you execute a self-expanding NxtXpeUpdate.exe file. See the section Apply an NxtXpeUpdate to a JACE-NXT for the installation procedure.

Check JACE-NXT Windows XPE update level (listUpdates)

Use a Remote Desktop Connection to the JACE-NXT (or local console) to check its original Windows XP Embedded image level, current update level, next update required, as well as its update history.

To check Windows XP Embedded update level

Logon as an administrator to Windows XP running on the JACE-NXT, using either a Remote Desktop Connection, or a local console.
From the Start menu, click All Programs->listUpdates.

As shown in Figure 33, a popup Update History dialog lists all currently applied security updates.
After carefully noting the “Next Update” to be applied, click OK to close the dialog.

Figure 33. Checking Windows XPE update level

You can check for available JACE-NXT Windows security updates on the Tridium portal (Niagara Central) or secure website. If the “Next Update” is not yet available, no action is necessary. If more than one update is needed, download them all, and apply them in numerical sequence. See the next section, Apply an NxtXpeUpdate to a JACE-NXT.

Apply an NxtXpeUpdate to a JACE-NXT

After checking the JACE-NXT’s update level (see Check JACE-NXT Windows XPE update level (listUpdates)), you should compare its “Next Level” needed to what security updates are available for download for the JACE-NXT, on the Niagara Central portal. If a needed update (or updates) are available, use the following procedure to install each one.

If a CompactFlash-based JACE-NXT, before applying any update you should disable EWF on drive C (leave unprotected) . For related details, see Notes on EWF (Enhanced Write Filter) in Windows XPE.

To apply an NxtXpeUpdate to a JACE-NXT

Download the NxtXpeUpdate_SPn_y.exe file from the Niagara Central portal to your PC.
With your PC on a LAN with the JACE-NXT, transfer the downloaded update file to it. Typically, you use a NiagaraAX platform connection and the File Transfer Client. The target destination is not critical—for example, you can copy the NxtXpeUpdate_SPn_y.exe file to the C:\ (root) of the JACE-NXT.
If desired, simply copy the downloaded NxtXpeUpdate file to the root of USB flash drive. Then insert the drive into the JACE-NXT, where it will appear on a new logical drive.
If not already started, open a Remote Desktop Connection to the JACE-NXT, logging on with a Windows administrator-level account.
Open Windows Explorer on the JACE-NXT, then navigate to the location of the copied update .exe file.The location of the file will depend on the file transfer method chosen.
Within 1 minute of completing the next step, the update script file will execute, and will typically result in a reboot of the JACE-NXT. Make sure it is safe to reboot before performing this action!
Double-click the NxtXpeUpdate .exe file to launch the WinZip self extractor, and select Unzip.
Leave the target “Unzip to folder” at “C:\dua” to ensure proper extraction. Do not change “Unzip to folder”.

Click OK when the WinZip Self-Extractor finishes, and close the WinZip dialog.
The JACE-NXT will execute the security update on the next DUA poll cycle, which by default occurs once per minute. When completed, the JACE-NXT will reboot.

Any connections to the JACE-NXT (Remote Desktop Connection, NiagaraAX Workbench, browser connections, etc.) will be lost.
After sufficient time for the reboot, open another Remote Desktop Connection to the JACE-NXT. Verify the update successfully applied. See Check JACE-NXT Windows XPE update level (listUpdates).

Notes on NxtXpeUpdates

Additional notes about applying Windows XP Embedded security updates to a JACE-NXT are as follows:

Each NxtXpeUpdate.exe file should also have a companion “readme.txt” file, which contains a list of all contained Microsoft hotfixes, as well as a list of prerequisites for installing the update.
Note that you can see the list of already-applied Microsoft hotfixes in a JACE-NXT. With a Remote Desktop Connection established, from the Start menu, click All Programs->hotfixes.