Need help updating old Ledger Nano S firmware 1.2

[Corn Chowda]

I have one that hasn't been used in a long time and it has old firmware (1.2) I have no idea how to update it and have contacted Ledger support, but have not received a response. The website says to use Ledger Live, but that it cannot update firmware older than 1.3 and below. It also says to contact support about a replacement device. I'd rather find a way to update it - if anybody can help, I would appreciate it so much. Thanks in advance for those who provide answers.

[DdmrDdmr]

<...>

On Ledger’s support page for upgrading the firmware (https://support.ledger.com/hc/en-us/articles/360002731113) it states:

Firmware versions below 1.3.1 cannot be updated with Ledger Live. Please submit a support request to get a replacement device.

Therefore, that is the necessary path to follow.

There is also a general recommendation by Ledger to update the firmware regularly (see https://support.ledger.com/hc/en-us/articles/360003117594)

Do I have to update my Ledger Nano S if I am not using it?

We recommend regularly updating your devices to benefit from the optimal security level and user experience offered by our products.

[Lucius]

Corn Chowda, do you have any coins on this device and did you try to use Chrome Ledger App to move them to another wallet? If you have valid seed you have option to recover bitcoin via Electrum (be sure to use only official site https://electrum.org/#home), but since there is no option to upgrade such old firmware, you need to wait Ledger to replace it with new device. Before sending to Ledger you should reset it to factory settings by entering wrong PIN three times.

[jerry0]

This is pretty concerning.  So that means if one doesn't update their nano ledger once every so and so months, then they risk something like this happening?  Example if you use ledger live now, do you update it every single time there is an update ready to install in ledger live?


What about the nano ledger itself?  So every month, you should connect it to the computer just to make sure the firmware is up to date? 

[bob123]

Example if you use ledger live now, do you update it every single time there is an update ready to install in ledger live?

Of course. Why should you not install an update ?

Updating and not updating both have pros and cons. But overall updating is always better than not updating.

What about the nano ledger itself?  So every month, you should connect it to the computer just to make sure the firmware is up to date? 

Not necessarily, you could also check ledgers website whether some crucial updates are out which HAVE to be installed.


Tbh, i don't know why ledger live isn't capable of updating devices <1.3.1
The reason probably is that they changed quite something in their architecture which makes it not possible for ledger live to perform this upgrade.


However, in the future this should NOT happen again, since ledger live is doing incremental upgrades if a full upgrade isn't possible.
This means, if you can't update directly to the newest version, it will first upgrade to the highest possible version and afterwards to the next highest possible version.. etc.. until you reached the latest available version etc..

But still, checking it every few months (e.g. 6 or at least 12) wouldn't harm.

[DdmrDdmr]

<...>

It looks like we’re going to have to keep it updated “regularly” to avoid this kind of situation. It may be a one-off thing, or it may happen again between versions. If you hold the 24 word card, then there is really not that much of an issue if support replaces the device (I figure the procedure will be such that you do not send them the current device – if required - before wiping it).

I have seen multiple people mention that trying to update from a firmware <= 1.3.1 caused their Ledger Nano S to be bricked, and that may be the operative cause for the replacement protocol. There is a particular person who bricked it, and found a workaround to update the firmware, initializing it in unsafe mode and a then initializing the device from Ledger Live 1.9.1. This is rather unorthodox, and seemed to have worked in this case, but I would not recommend the process if there is a replacement policy in place.

(see: https://www.reddit.com/r/ledgerwallet/comments/bx189t/mcu_firmware_not_genuine_full_reset/).

[jerry0]

bob, well i do log into my ledger live account a few times but i do not connect my nano ledger to my laptop that many times.  So you mean for the ledger live update, always update it when necessary.


But in the OP example, he isn't talking about that right?  He is talking about the firmware for the nano ledger itself right?  Thus if he did not connect the ledger to his computer for a long time, this is what caused it?  But the firmware update would be shown in the ledger live or previously the ledger manager right?  I had to update the firmware 2 times i believe total with my nano ledger

[Pmalek]

bob, well i do log into my ledger live account a few times but i do not connect my nano ledger to my laptop that many times.  So you mean for the ledger live update, always update it when necessary.


But in the OP example, he isn't talking about that right?  He is talking about the firmware for the nano ledger itself right?  Thus if he did not connect the ledger to his computer for a long time, this is what caused it?  But the firmware update would be shown in the ledger live or previously the ledger manager right?  I had to update the firmware 2 times i believe total with my nano ledger

You can update your Ledger Live app without connecting your Ledger device - YES.
To update the firmware you need to connect the device and click on Account Manager. You need to have the device connected to be able to see the Ledger Account Manager. I don't think you can see the firmware version without it.

[TryNinja]

Actually, it does look like there is a solution? (That doesn’t involves getting a replacement device).

Ledger Live version 1.3.2 is now available to download as a pre-release. It contains an upgraded repair tool for users that encountered difficulties while updating their Ledger Nano S to firmware version 1.5.5. If this concerns you, closely follow the steps described below. As this install must be done manually, please only do so if you are having trouble finalizing your firmware update. It will become available later as an automatic update to existing Ledger Live installations.

Step by step instructions:

1. Download Ledger Live version 1.3.2 for your platform: Windows, MacOS or Linux.
2. Open the file you just downloaded to install it. Your settings will be preserved.
3. Start Ledger Live.
4. Open the device repair tool: Settings > Help > Repair your Ledger device.
5. Connect your Ledger Nano S and check the message it displays.
6. In Ledger Live, select the corresponding case and click Repair. The repair process will start.
7. If the loader is at 100% and the device stays stuck on Bootloader:
Windows/Linux: Restart Ledger Live by pressing CTRL + R. Then start the repair tool once more.
MacOS: Restart Ledger Live by pressing ⌘ + R. Then start the repair tool once more.

https://www.reddit.com/r/ledgerwallet/comments/aiqtkf/updated_firmware_update_repair_tool_available_in/

Maybe you could try?

[HCP]

That's a very old version of Ledger Live, we're currently at version 1.9.1... and my understanding is that firmware 1.2 never connected to ANY version of the Ledger Live. You needed to be on firmware 1.3.1... and the only way to get from firmware 1.2 to 1.3.1+ was by using the old Chrome Ledger Manager plugin.

I'm led to believe that the Chrome Ledger plugin no longer works for firmware updates.

I'd rather find a way to update it - if anybody can help, I would appreciate it so much.

Did you try my suggestion in your other thread? I think the stumbling block will be finding a copy of the firmware to be able to flash it... it's possible you need to update the bootloader as well, hence the requirement to actually replace the device.

Honestly, I think the best solution is to contact Ledger support, advise you are on firmware 1.2 and ask them directly what you need to do to fix this issue. As mentioned in my other post, the Ledger devs/support seem a lot more active on reddit that here: https://www.reddit.com/r/ledgerwallet/

[Corn Chowda]

Thank you to all for the responses. I've been contacted by Ledger Support and will update everybody when a conclusion is reached.

[jerry0]

Okay so let say you don't use your ledger to send or receive btc for a while.  But every so often you should definitely open ledger live and login to check your balance and see if there is an update ready to install right?  And if it shows that, always do it?  But if you don't do it for a long time, would there be an issue with this?


The main issue here is the firmware which means its the nano ledger s right and not the ledger live?  So make sure you connect it to a computer at least once every month and log in with your pin?  Also i believe i did 2 firmware updates with my nano ledger a while back.  But can someone tell me when do they ask this?  I mean when you connect it to your laptop, does it say a firmware update is needed and then you go with it?  Or you need to click on account manager and check at least once a month?  Such as does it notify you when you have it connected to laptop?  Or you have to check on it manually?

[jerry0]

I just updated my ledger live on my computer.  I then plugged in my nano ledger s to my laptop.  How do i check if i have the latest firmware update?  Does it ever notify you if an update is needed?  Or it only does that if you are going to send/receive btc and then it alerts you?  Or you have to check it manually?

[HCP]

You need to connect the device... then select "Manager" in Ledger Live... then click on the device to allow ledger manager. It will show you the current version installed:


If there is a new firmware, it will tell you on that Manager screen and have an "update" button available:

image borrowed from bitgear

Other ways to know if new firmware is available? Follow Ledger on Twitter or check their blog regularly

[jerry0]

Hcp thanks again.


I just plugged it in and notice there is firmware 1.5.x update.


I have 1.4.1 at the moment.  So always update it whenever there is a firmware update available right?  Otherwise there is a risk like if the firmware is too old?  Does anyone know when was the 1.3.1 version update?  Such as how many months ago etc?  So basically if someone didn't plug their nano ledger s into their computer in over say 6 months, there is a risk of not being able to update the firmware?  HCP, you always update firmware every single time you see an update is available right?


To me, that sucks because if someone wants to store their coins on a wallet like this and keep it untouched... and then they can not update the firmware, that seem to be a huge issue... don't most agree?


Would ledger try to fix this issue?  I mean if someone doesn't touch their ledger in a long time... i mean not being to access in their coins because of firmware... that is kind of ridiculous.  So basically unless its a paper wallet, this will always be an issue?

[HCP]

As far as I'm aware, this issue has only occurred once... and only for devices on the 1.2 firmware and it was only caused because of the switchover from Chrome Web Apps to Ledger Live. It's not like it happened overnight and suddenly you couldn't update your device. I mean, the 1.3 firmware was released around Feb/Mar 2017!!?! That is over two years ago... and well before Ledger Live was released.

In any case, I don't anticipate there being similar problems going forward (assuming you're on at least 1.3.1 or higher and can use your device with Ledger Live)

It's no different to any wallet (aside from paper wallets) really... look at things like MultiBit, MultiBit HD... They quietly "died" and the wallets effectively became unusable. Developers usually do their best to go for backwards compatibility, but sometimes the situation will dictate that an update "breaks" something. Ledger were kind of "forced" into the Ledger Live situation due to Google dropping Chrome Webapp support.

Would ledger try to fix this issue? 

They have... they're giving replacement devices.

In any case, as long as you have your seed mnemonic safely and securely backed up... you should still be able to recover your funds.

[bob123]

So always update it whenever there is a firmware update available right?   

As already mentioned, yes.

This is not specific to firmwares. Updating is always the preferred way.
It is a trade-off between features/security and compatibility/usability.

The general consensus is to always update, since it has more pros than cons.

Otherwise there is a risk like if the firmware is too old? 
[...]
So basically if someone didn't plug their nano ledger s into their computer in over say 6 months, there is a risk of not being able to update the firmware? 

I have already replied to this:

[...]
However, in the future this should NOT happen again, since ledger live is doing incremental upgrades if a full upgrade isn't possible.
This means, if you can't update directly to the newest version, it will first upgrade to the highest possible version and afterwards to the next highest possible version.. etc.. until you reached the latest available version etc..
[...]

To me, that sucks because if someone wants to store their coins on a wallet like this and keep it untouched... and then they can not update the firmware, that seem to be a huge issue... don't most agree?

Not necessarily, you can still update the firmware without 'touching' your coins.
Simply plug in the nano s and update.

I mean if someone doesn't touch their ledger in a long time... i mean not being to access in their coins because of firmware... that is kind of ridiculous. 

Your can always access your coins in any other BIP39 compatible wallet, as long as you have your mnemonic code backed up (which you always should!).

[jerry0]

bob, well i mean if you want to update the firmware on nano ledger, you still need it connected to a computer right?  Also i dont think i tried this but if you try pressing buttons on the nano ledger s without connecting it to anything, does something show up on the screen or not?



bob and hcp, so everytime there is an update on ledger live... update it.  Then connect your ledger nano s to it and check manager to see if there is firmware update, then always update it.  Im curious but do you know how often they have these updates?  I had no idea the old update from 1.2 was that long ago.  So basically if someone doesn't touch their nano ledger s for a few months... its generally still safe right?



Yes i know that nano ledger can send you a replacement... but obviously ppl don't want this and prefer to just use it as is etc. 

[BitMaxz]

bob, well i mean if you want to update the firmware on nano ledger, you still need it connected to a computer right?  Also i dont think i tried this but if you try pressing buttons on the nano ledger s without connecting it to anything, does something show up on the screen or not?

It should show a bootloader screen as what shows in ledger nano's manual.

It looks like this

Source here https://support.ledger.com/hc/en-us/article_attachments/360009323553/User_manual_-_Ledger_Nano_S.pdf

Much better read the whole manual guide from the link that I put in the image caption above.

[Lucius]

Im curious but do you know how often they have these updates?  I had no idea the old update from 1.2 was that long ago.  So basically if someone doesn't touch their nano ledger s for a few months... its generally still safe right? 

If you're interested in history of Nano S firmware updates you should search for that info on internet, but since this is not something you like to do I find something which should satisfy your curiosity. By this article firmware 1.2 is released in October 2016, and after that we have only 4 updates (correct me if I'm wrong), so we can say we have an average of one firmware update per year.

You can keep Nano S in your drawer as much as you want, it is important that you have your seed. But since this is electronic device subject to failures, good practice would be to check it several times a year.



Ledger is working on new firmware for Nano S, and will be available this summer.

In addition, during the summer we will roll out a new firmware update to continue enhancing security along with new HSMs to improve application management performance. We are also working on adding ERC-20 tokens in Ledger Live.

Supporting and Improving the Ledger Nano S