You can use recovery mode if you want to use the WatchGuard System Manager Quick Setup Wizard to force a Fireware installation regardless of the Fireware version that is currently installed.
You can also use recovery mode to recover devices that might have had firmware upgrade failures. It can be used when a device is unable to restart normally.
When you start a Firebox in recovery mode, the device uses the version of Fireware that was originally installed when the device was manufactured. The Quick Setup Wizard finds the latest version of Fireware installed on the management computer and installs it on the Firebox. When you start the device in recovery mode, the Quick Setup Wizard installs a new Fireware image and all files on the device are removed.
One reason to use recovery mode is to install an older version of Fireware on a device, if you do not have a device backup image. For more information, go to Use the Quick Setup Wizard to Downgrade Fireware.
In Fireware 12.3 and higher, you can also use recovery mode to automatically restore a designated backup image from a USB drive that is connected to the Firebox. When the Firebox starts in recovery mode and a valid auto-restore backup image exists on a connected USB drive, the Firebox restores the backup image automatically and reboots. For more information, go to Automatically Restore a Backup Image from a USB Drive.
If you only want to reset the device to factory-default settings, but do not want to change the Fireware version, use the steps to reset the device to factory-default settings. For more information, go to Reset a Firebox.
We recommend that you do not downgrade a Firebox to a version of Fireware lower than Fireware v12.1.3 Update 8, v12.5.9 Update 2, or v12.7.2 Update 2, based on your device model. You cannot restore a backup image from a version of Fireware lower than Fireware v12.1.3 Update 8, v12.5.9 Update 2, or v12.7.2.
Contact technical support for help if you have problems when you use recovery mode.
- Power off the Firebox.
- Press and hold the Reset button on the back of the Firebox.
- While you continue to hold the Reset button, power on the Firebox.
- Continue to press the Reset button until the Attn indicator begins to flash.
- Release the Reset button. Do not power off the Firebox yet.
- Wait for the reset process to complete. This can take 70 seconds. When the reset is complete, the Attn indicator stays lit and does not flash.
The Firebox is in recovery mode.
- Power off the Firebox.
- Press and hold the Reset button on the front left of the Firebox, and briefly press the Power button on the front of the Firebox to power it on.
The Arm indicator is red. - Continue to hold the Reset button while the Arm indicator (
) is red.
The Arm indicator starts to flash green. - Continue to hold the Reset button while the Arm indicator flashes once per second.
- After the Arm indicator starts to flash green twice per second, release the Reset button.
- Wait until the Arm indicator starts to flash red.
The Firebox is in recovery mode.
When the device is in recovery mode, it is ready to be discovered by the WSM Quick Setup Wizard.