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-NXS. You can then logon as the Windows administrator to the JACE-NXS and execute the update(s). The update process uses a “Device Update Agent” (DUA).
Typically, installation of Microsoft OS updates and/or security patches ends with a system reboot. Although this does not matter for a new JACE-NXS (without a working station), please keep this in mind whenever installing future Windows XP updates
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Before installing updates, use the NiagaraAX backup feature to backup the JACE-NXS to your PC!
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In addition, make sure any controlled equipment is in a safe, manual mode of operation.
The following subsections provide more details:
Windows XP Embedded updates and security patches are released by Tridium as self-extracting executable files. When copied to (and executed on) the JACE-NXS, they extract files to the correct directories on that host. This includes the files belonging to the 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.
Tridium-prepared update files are numbered sequentially, and must be applied one at a time, in numerical order. The naming convention used for updates is:
NxsXpeUpdate_SPn_y.exe
where n is XP Service Pack level (2, for example) and y is update sequence number.
For example: NxsXpeUpdate_SP2_5 can be applied to any JACE-NXS already running the earlier (NxsXpeUpdate_SP2_4) update. See the next section, Check JACE-NXS Windows XPE update level (listUpdates) and also Apply an NxsXpeUpdate to a JACE-NXS for a typical installation procedure.
The Device Update Agent (DUA) is a service which runs in the background of Windows XP Embedded. This service starts whenever the JACE-NXS boots, and remains running. The tasks performed by the DUA service on a JACE-NXS are simple:
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On a regular poll cycle, it checks for the existence of any “
.dup” file in theC:\duadirectory. 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 NxsXpeUpdate.exe file. See the section Apply an NxsXpeUpdate to a JACE-NXS for the installation procedure.
Use a Remote Desktop Connection to the JACE-NXS (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
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Logon as an administrator to Windows XP running on the JACE-NXS, using either a Remote Desktop Connection, or a local console.
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From the menu, click ->.
As shown in Figure 34, a popup Update History dialog lists all currently applied security updates.
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After carefully noting the “Next Update” to be applied, click to close the dialog.
You can check for available JACE-NXS 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, About Windows security updates for the JACE-NXS.
After checking the JACE-NXS’s update level (see Check JACE-NXS Windows XPE update level (listUpdates)), you should compare its “Next Level” needed to what security updates are available for download for the JACE-NXS, on the Niagara Central portal. If a needed update (or updates) are available, use the following procedure to install each one.
To apply an NxsXpeUpdate to a JACE-NXS
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Download the
NxsXpeUpdate_SPfile from the Niagara Central portal to your PC.n_y.exe -
With your PC on a LAN with the JACE-NXS, 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
NxsXpeUpdate_SP2_file to they.exeC:\(root) of the JACE-NXS.If desired, you can copy the downloaded NxsXpeUpdate file to a USB flash drive, and simply insert the drive into the JACE-NXS, where it will appear on a new logical drive. -
If not already started, open a Remote Desktop Connection to the JACE-NXS, logging on with a Windows administrator-level account.
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Open Windows Explorer on the JACE-NXS, then navigate to the location of the copied update
.exefile.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-NXS. Make sure it is safe to reboot before performing this action! -
Double-click the NxsXpeUpdate
.exefile to launch the WinZip self extractor, and select .Leave the target “Unzip to folder” at “C:\dua” to ensure proper extraction. Do not change “Unzip to folder”.Click when the WinZip Self-Extractor finishes, and close the WinZip dialog.
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The JACE-NXS will execute the security update on the next DUA poll cycle, which by default occurs once per minute. When completed, the JACE-NXS will reboot.
Any connections to the JACE-NXS (Remote Desktop Connection, NiagaraAX Workbench, browser connections, etc.) will be lost.
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After waiting sufficient time for the reboot, open another Remote Desktop Connection to the JACE-NXS. Verify the update successfully applied. See Check JACE-NXS Windows XPE update level (listUpdates).
Additional notes about applying Windows XP Embedded security updates to a JACE-NXS are as follows:
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Each NxsXpeUpdate .
exefile 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-NXS. With a Remote Desktop Connection established, from the menu, click ->.