How does the "Backup user program to file system" on PCD1.M2xx0 work?

FAQ #101632

 

Introduction
Since the first release of the PCD1.M2120 it was possible to store the user program to flash by a "Copy user program to flash". The first version of this backup mechanism was copying the user program together with the hardware configuration (S-Bus address, IP address, memory allociation) to a "hidden" file on the flash file system or to a file in the folder PCD_BACKUP on a INTFLASH or the M1 flash card. 
This backup does not include the content of the registers, flags and counters.

In order to improve the backup functionality a new backup strategy has been implemented in firmware 1.16.27 and more recent firmware releases. With this firmware the backup is written to a file and contains also the media contents:

Content	backup to     hidden onboard flash,  FW before 1.16.xx	FS backup to hidden   onboard flash  FW 1.16.27	file system backup (to M1 card or INTFLASH)
User program and  memory allocation
RAM and ROM DBs  (at the time of the backup)
S-Bus settings (address,  IP address, modem, password)	*)	*)
Content of media (R/T/F)   e.g. first-time-inits
IP protocol settings   (DHCP, FTP, HTTP etc.)
Smart RIO files  (PCD3.T66x programs)	n/a	*)

*) The configuration of the IP extensions as well as the program files are stored on the onboard flash and thus are remanent; this is why they are not included to the onboard backup file.

Location of the backup on the file system
The backup file is always written to folder "PCD_BACKUP" in the root of a flash module (e.g. "INTFLASH:/PCD_BACKUP")
The name of the backup file starts with the device name from the PG5 project (first 8 characters), followed by the current date and has the extension "*.SBAK":


How to create a backup to the file system?
PG5 2.0 SP2 provides an improved dialog for the definition of the destination device of the backup. With PG5 2.0.150, the backup can be done as usual as soon as the folder "PCD_BACKUP" has been created manually on the M1 flash module or the INTFLASH.
The following order will be used for the backup and restore:

• M1_FLASH:/PCD_BACKUP
• INTFLASH:/PCD_BACKUP

 Additional remarks

• Every time a new backup is created, the existing backup in this folder will be deleted by the PCD
• If there are several backup files in the same folder "PCD_BACKUP", there is no rule which the PCD will take!
  --> don't copy several backup files to the same folder
• It is possible copying the backup files from one PCD file system to another e.g. using FTP access
• PG5 2.0 SP2 will be able to generate backup files directly
• The IP extensions (DHCP, PPP, DNS, FTP- and Web Server configuration) are included to backup (onboard and flash card/INTFLASH)
• Because the new FS backup is written to a file system, the memory cards containiing the "backup partition" (PCD7.R500, PCD7.R551 and PCD7.R651) modules are no longer necessary; the backups can be written to any flash card with a file system.
  

Firmware dependency for the "file system backup with media content"

PCD System	Minimal firmware for file system backup
PCD1.M2xx0	1.16.27