Upgrading Omnihub Firmware from 3.0.0 to 5.0.1 via USB - Reboot not completing

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GaryDTesta

GaryDTesta

Member
Mar 27, 2022
10
St. Petersburg, FL
I've read all the various Omnihub firmware upgrade horror stories on the forum, but I can't seem to find a definitive answer on how to recover from this 5.0 upgrade reboot issue.

The summary is that I upgraded firmware from 3.0 to 5.0.1 and its stuck in the spinning circle of death rebooting….

All help is appreciated in how to either down rev this to reset to factory setting so I can try again!

Background:
3yr Omnihub Board dies and I replace it with a new board. The new board comes with 3.0.0 software installed on it?!?! Hard to believe as they are putting ancient firmware on recently manufactured boards!)
The new board operates fine with 3.0.0 firmware and connects to the Pump, Aquarite, Pool Heater, LED, but it won’t show the temperatures for water or air.
So I check the firmware rev levels on the wired controller and see that it is 3.0.0. So it obviously needs a firmware upgrade for the MSP. I go to the Hayward firmware upgrade website (Hayward Firmware Updates)

I download the latest MSP firmware R5.0.1 and the the release notes. (BTW these are the only ones available for download, so I don’t have a choice but download these)

The 5.0.1 release notes make no mention of needing any other firmware to be installed PRIOR to this update it even mentions the process for firmware versions prior to 4.8.0, the only things that the release notes mention that apply to this upgrade is to make sure the date and time are correct and I must use a USB Drive of no larger than 16MB to make the upgrade.

So with the USB card loaded with the R.5.0.1 software at the root level I upgraded the firmware:
1) Go to Service Mode
2) Plug in the USB stick into my wired controller
3) Nav to the Upgrade Button and follow the prompts finding the right file on the USB root level (it can't be in a folder) and hit "Check" button. And the system starts the upgrade.
4) System finishes the upgrade showing 100% and then reboots itself
5) The color Hayward splash screen appears saying "Loading", and then the gray scale Spinning Circle pops up

AND it stays with the spinning circle of death for EVER! After about 15min, I figure it needs a hard Reboot, so I kill the power and wait a few minutes and power it up.
Same thing happens: The color Hayward splash screen appears "Loading", and then the gray scale Spinning Circle pops up and it never goes any further???
I've hard rebooted the system (cut power off) now at least 3 times and the result is same, the spinning circle of just continues…

Should anyone has a solution I would be eternally grateful as this has been a huge waste of time for what should have taken about 5 Mins.

If the solution requires upgrading to a lower rev, I’ll need to know where to find it! Hayward doesn’t have any archive for old firmware versions for download (that I can find!).
Also, if a down rev is required how do you force the unit out of the stuck reboot cycle to do the reboot?

Here is the REF to the Release notes:

Release Notes R5.0.1 : (https://commerce.hayward-pool-assets.com/magento/firmware-updates/Release_Notes_R5.0.1.pdf)
 
I did not do a backup config as there wasn't anything to really backup as the board was new. I have not tried to reboot the system with the USB drive in the slot. I pulled the USB card out after I cut the power for the first reboot. This was about 15min after the system rebooted the first time after the upgrade.

What can I put on the USB card to have the system boot from the USB card? Can I then install a new firmware version? What should I start with?
 
I not aware of any way to actually boot from USB. Doing a backup even though it was a new board would still save the old MSP firmware in the event of a failed update. Your controller could be bricked and you might need a new one. I can get ahold of my Hayward rep tomorrow morning and see if he knows any other way. It looks like you followed all the instructions except for backing up.
 
Thanks for the help on this!!

So since this board is brand new shouldn't any MSP backup will.work? I dont care what config is used as I can reset it to factory setting and then program it. If it's Bricked then Hayward owes me a new board. Because anyone with new board will have the same issue using their process.

Let's say I had a backup, how would I even apply it? It would have to Boot from the USB using the backup as I have no way to apply tbe backup?
 
So evidently you are not the only one. It’s supposed to be 3.0 firmware and above is ok to jump to 5.0 or 5.1. Before 3.0 you’re supposed to step up firmware updates and not jump straight to 5.0. The tech said other people with 3.0 firmware have bricked their controller jumping up that high. So your controller is bricked and the only way around is to buy a new controller.😭
 
ChrisLPC said:
So evidently you are not the only one. It’s supposed to be 3.0 firmware and above is ok to jump to 5.0 or 5.1. Before 3.0 you’re supposed to step up firmware updates and not jump straight to 5.0. The tech said other people with 3.0 firmware have bricked their controller jumping up that high.
Click to expand...

Chris, thanks for that intell.

ChrisLPC said:
So your controller is bricked and the only way around is to buy a new controller.😭
Click to expand...

A few questions because you are the best channel we have to get Hayward answers.

But if he buys another board it will likely come with 3.0 firmware?

Are there Omni replacement boards that have higher levels then 3.0?

Do the Omni boards with 3.0 firmware indicate old stock?

Where can a pool owner get older firmware to step up a 3.0 board?

What are the firmware steps needed to get from 3.0 to 5.0?
 
Last edited:
Chris thanks for taking the time to make the call for me! But I'm still baffled by what to do next??

Allen, you read my mind when I read Chris's response, how is it possible I've bricked this brand-new control board by following Haywards instructions??

They don't even have an archive for the older firmware versions, and nothing is available on their site or even through an extensive web search???

So if they require intermediate steps in terms of firmware upgrades then how is someone supposed to 1) KNOW THIS and 2) DO THIS - if none of the files are readily available on the web and nothing is in the release notes??

Hayward has totally failed at software product management if something that would Brick the board isn't even considered important enough to put in their release notes! And the release notes even mention earlier versions as being ok to upgrade from!

The Omnihub board I purchased is a newly manufactured board and a recent rev as best I can tell because it has the punch down connectors on it rather than the screw in connector for the Temp Sensors and it was shipped with 3.0 firmware.

This means that all purchasers of new OmniHub boards better be on FULL ALERT, as we are all in trouble!

As you correctly mention above how do you even upgrade these units if there isn't anything available to upgrade too that won't brick the board!

I feel that Hayward owes me a new board, they are ones that failed here not me. I followed their directions. Anyone know who I need to call!

Even if I get a new board I'm still screwed, because I don't know what firmware is safe to upgrade too, or where to get it!
 
Call Hayward Customer Support and escalate if you don't get satisfaction. If someone will not get you to a supervisor or manager hang up and call again.
 

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Ok, this is amazing, but I called support and explained my problem and the support person that answered said she would have an Engineer call me. I thought that was going to be a major brush off, but no! I just got a call back from engineer based here in St. Petersburg, FL.

I was told that unless you had a version PRIOR to 3.0 then you need to upgrade to 3.0 before going higher, but you should not have any issue going from 3.0 to anything higher up the firmware load for the MSP.

The Bad News:
However, the engineer told me that they are seeing a bunch of these MSP failing to perform the update and yes the unit is now fully Bricked!

The Good News:
He has offered to come to my home and replace the unit free of charge because they need the failed units to determine what is causing the firmware upgrade problem!

So I should have an update for everyone tomorrow on how to avoid / fix this issue.

I've also requested a full set of early rev MSP firmware updates, if I get those I'll work with Allen to see if we can make them available for download.
 
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My tech did send me 3.2 and 4.8 but at one point I had access to a site that had every MSP just can’t find it right now. It was tricky to navigate. Don’t know if I am allowed to share these files though….😏
 
ChrisLPC said:
My tech did send me 3.2 and 4.8 but at one point I had access to a site that had every MSP just can’t find it right now. It was tricky to navigate. Don’t know if I am allowed to share these files though….😏
Click to expand...

Don't do anything that may get you in trouble.
 
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I'll ask the tech today where to find the files, all of these should be made available to all customers hiding them is simply a terrible disservice to customers and installers. They already publish them on their site once, why wouldn't they share all the previous versions of firmware like most other companies is beyond explanation....
 
Just wanted to update everyone on the outcome of my bricking the MSP unit.

The Hayward tech came out to the house and fully replaced my MSP (touch screen controller). He told me that there should have been NO issue upgrading directly from 3.0 to 5.0.x and that they had a number of MSPs that had failed the upgrade (2x in the Tampa Bay Areas - I was number 3). When he installed the new unit we started at 3.0 and we did a USB update directly to 5.0.1 without any issue. He said they were trying to figure out the issue with the upgrade process and that nationally they had something like 50 units out of 35K plus units fail the upgrade.

If this happens to you I would recommend pushing to get to a service tech manager and tell them you are aware of the Bricking issue they are having and you want the MSP replaced at NO COST. You should NOT have to pay for a new unit as this is a Hayward issue not a customer created problem. If you have an installer or your unit is under warranty just have the take it back and give you a new one. There is nothing you can do with bricked unit.

Hayward is likely to update the firmware again (I think they just did actually) but I doubt they will say anything in the firmware release notes about not bricking their units.

Good Luck, and I hope this doesn't happen to anyone else!
 
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