chknvm2(1)                                   Qualcomm Atheros Open Powerline Toolkit                                  chknvm2(1)

NAME
       chknvm2 - Qualcomm Atheros PLC Image File Validator

SYNOPSIS
       chknvm2 [options] file [file] [...]

DESCRIPTION
       Check  Atheros  HomePlug AV firmware files for obvious errors, including obsolete format, incorrect file size, bad check‐
       sums and read errors.  Make no attempt to check any internal information other  than  firmware  header  checksums,  image
       lengths and image checksums.  Optionally, display header and image information on stdout.

       This  program  handles both the older Thunderbolt and Lightning and the newer Panther and Lynx firmware file formats.  It
       validates files directly from memory and so it is faster than program chknvm but needs more memory at runtime.

       This program is part of the Qualcomm Atheros Powerline Toolkit.  See the AMP man page for an  overview  and  installation
       instructions.

OPTIONS
       -i     Print  revision  string identity fields in fixed-width columns.  This option is useful when searching .nvm folders
              for a specific build.

       -m     Display manifest content, if present.  The manifest is a special module, included in some image chains, that  con‐
              tains useful information about the chain.  This option suppresses the summary ’looks good’ message.

       -r     Print  firmware revision string on stdout.  This option automatically suppresses the summary ’looks good’ message.

       -q     Suppresses printing of routine messages.  Specifically, it suppresses the summary ’looks good’ message.

       -v     Print additional information such as the image header for each image processed.  This information can be  used  to
              distinguish one firmware file from another, if you know what to look for.

       -?,--help
              Print program help summary on stdout.  This option takes precedence over other options on the command line.

       -!,--version
              Print program version information on stdout.  This option takes precedence over other options on the command line.
              Use this option when sending screen dumps to Atheros Technical Support so that they know exactly which version  of
              the Linux Toolkit you are using.

ARGUMENTS
       file   The name of an Atheros image file.  By convention, Atheros Image files have a .nvm file extension but this program
              does not enforce this convention.

DISCLAIMER
       Qualcomm Atheros firmware file structure and content is proprietary to Qualcomm Atheros,  Ocala  FL  USA.   Consequently,
       public information is not available.  Qualcomm Atheros reserves the right to change firmware file structure or content or
       change the name or behavior of any program that inspects or changes firmware files, in future software  releases  without
       any obligation to notify or compensate users of such programs.

EXAMPLES
       This example reads file abc.nvm and validates it.  The message shown indicates that the file is the correct length, image
       headers and images have the correct length and checksum and there are no read errors.  The file can be  have  either  the
       newer or older format.

           # chknvm2 abc.nvm
           abc.nvm looks good

       The  following  example  reads three files in succession and reports on each one.  You can suppress good news with the -q
       option.

          # chknvm2 INT6400.nvm AR7400.nvm AR7420.nvm
          INT6400.nvm looks good
          AR7400.nvm looks good
          AR7420.nvm looks good

       This next example prints the firmware revision string found inside older image files.  The option can be used to identify
       the  actual  firmware  image  present  when  the  filename has been changed.  Newer image files have a manifest, instead.
       Observe that file AR7420.nvm shows no revision string since it is the newer image format where firmware images  are  com‐
       pressed.

          # chknvm2 -r INT6400.nvm AR7400.nvm AR7420.nvm
          INT6400.nvm (3) INT6000-MAC-4-1-4122-01-4020-20100219-FINAL
          AR7400.nvm (5) INT7400-MAC-7-0-7011-01-52-20110811-FINAL

       The  following  example  displays  the firmware revision strings, from the last example, as fixed width columns.  Observe
       that the external filename may, in some cases, not reflect the file content.

          # chknvm2 -i INT6400.nvm AR7400.nvm AR7420.nvm
          INT6000 4020 20100219 4.1 INT6400.nvm (3)
          INT7400 0052 20110811 7.0 AR7400.nvm (5)

       This example prints the manifest found inside newer firmware files.  This can be used to distinguish firmware files  from
       parameter  files,  determine  exact firmware or parameter file revisions and so forth.  Observe that we specified several
       files on the command line but only one file, AR7420.nvm, contained a mainfest.

          # chknvm2 -m INT6400.nvm AR7400.nvm AR7420.nvm
          ------- AR7420.nvm (0) -------
                  Signature: 1234ABCD
                  Hardware Compatibility: AR74200
                  Chain Major Version: 0
                  Chain Minor Version: 1
                  Chain Type: Firmware
                  Build Major Version: 0
                  Build Minor Version: 0
                  Build Type: Special
                  Manifest Version: 1
                  Build Number: 0
                  Build Date: 20110811
                  Build Time: 203853
                  Device Type: 29728
                  Build Hostname: TOR-SW-SIM04
                  Build Username: buildbot
                  Build Description: Custom
                  Build Version String: AR-7420-FW-0_0-0_2-20110811:203853-buildbot:TOR-SW-SIM04-1-0_1

SEE ALSO
       chknvm(1), chkpib(1), chkpib2(1), int6ktest(7), nvmmerge(1), nvmsplit(1), plctest(7)

CREDITS
        Charles Maier <cmaier@qca.qualcomm.com>

open-plc-utils-0.0.3                                      November 2013                                               chknvm2(1)