Technical issue update: Neat pads not completing upgrades after 24.3.0 release

Last updated June 10, 2024

Issue description

During the recent Neat OS firmware upgrade of 24.3.0, a small selection of Neat Pads were unable to complete the upgrade to the latest software version. While some of these Neat Pads restarted automatically and resumed functionality as normal (while running version 24.2.0), the majority of these Neat Pads were stuck in the purple update screen. As a result, these Neat Pads could not be used for meeting room control or monitoring purposes.

What caused this issue?

So far our investigation has shown that the issue happened due to an unexpected restart during the 1am-5am upgrade window. The restart is caused by a low-level software crash in the memory controller and it can be triggered due to unusually high memory usage. We understand the root cause of this crash and this issue has been addressed in the Neat firmware release 24.3.0. Unfortunately the affected Neat Pads have not yet been able to upgrade to the latest firmware to obtain this bug-fix.

How to recover from this problem?

If your Neat Pad is stuck in the purple update screen, please restart the device, either from the Pulse management platform or by physically disconnecting and reconnecting the cable on the Pad. This should recover the device so that you can use it for meeting room controls again.

However, at this point, the device will still be running the older firmware version (24.2.0) and not the latest firmware version (24.3.0). Please read the next section for instructions on how to upgrade the Neat Pad.

How to upgrade the Neat Pad after a failed automatic upgrade?

In order for your Neat Pad to upgrade to version 24.3.0, you can try any of the following options:

  • Manual update from Neat Pulse management platform: You can manually update the Neat Pad from the Neat Pulse management platform. Navigate to the device, open device settings and click the ‘Update now’ button next to the Neat OS update available icon. If the upgrade process fails due to this low level software crash again, we advise you to retry the process.
  • Manual update from the Neat Pad: You can manually update the Neat Pad by navigating into the system settings and choosing update (System Settings -> System -> Software update -> Automatic updates and click on ‘Download and install’). If the upgrade process fails due to this low level software crash again, we advise you to retry the process.
  • Factory reset the Neat Pad: If repeated attempts of manual upgrade do not work, we advise you to try a factory reset of the Neat Pad. Please note that if your Neat Pad is paired with a Neat Room device (e.g. Bar, Bar Pro etc.), you will need to factory reset both paired devices. Instructions on how to factory reset can be found here: How to factory reset a Neat device – Neat Support

Finally, if you don’t try any of the above steps, as long as the Neat Pad is set to automatic upgrades, it will check for a new software release. If a new software is available (e.g. 24.3.0) it will attempt an upgrade during the next upgrade window (between 1:00am to 5:00am local time the next day). However, please be aware that you may encounter this issue again (Pad stuck in purple update screen) and follow the instructions in this article to recover it.

How to get help?

If you are still encountering issues with the upgrade process, please reach out to Neat Technical Support team by emailing support@neat.no.