Resolving a passphrase mismatch

If a controller fails, you can remove its SD or microSD card and insert it into a replacement unit and keep your business running. However, the removable card contains the system passphrase for the original unit, which does not match the passphrase for a replacement unit. This results in a boot sequence failing due to a passphrase mismatch indicated by a Stat LED flashing with a 50% duty cycle and a 1 second period.

A controller has failed. You removed its memory card and inserted it into a replacement unit, but the replacement unit will not boot due to a passphrase missmatch. You are working in Workbench running on a PC that is on the same network as the controller. You know the passphrase for the original controller.

If you are monitoring the debug port, this notification banner opens in the serial shell.

Figure 1. System passphrase mismatch warning in the serial shell
Note: The following shows a JACE-8000 - shell connection. JACE-9000 message is similar.


This warning prompts you to log in using platform credentials and update the system passphrase via the serial connection.

  1. Make a serial connection to the unit’s DEBUG port.
  2. Log in to the controller via the serial connection.
    The System Decrypt Failure Menu opens with the following options:

    1 Update system passphrase

    2 Remove all encrypted data

    3 Reboot

    4 Logout

  3. Choose Update system passphrase.
  4. Enter the system passphrase for the original controller.
Pre-configuring (via a serial connection) the replacement controller with a system passphrase that matches the one stored on the removable memory card (which you swapped out from the original unit) facilitates commissioning the replacement unit. In this situation, the commissioning process does not prompt for a passphrase since it detects a passphrase match.