Technical Tip: FortiOS firmware can be installed through a USB flash disk

[vprabhu_FTNT]

Description

This article describes how to install firmware from a USB disk.

This is not a firmware upgrade to preserve the configuration! Configuration files may be lost.

Scope

FortiGate.

Solution

1. Download the firmware file, and load it onto the root drive of the USB disk using a PC.
2. Check whether the automatic USB firmware and configuration installations are enabled in config. They are disabled by default.
   
   

config system auto-install
    set auto-install-config disable
    set auto-install-image disable
end

3. If enabled, the process will start automatically. When disabled, connect the USB disk to the FortiGate and follow the next steps. To check the USB device contents, enter the below command on FortiGate CLI after connecting the USB disk to the FortiGate.
   
   

exec usb-disk list

It will show output such as this:

(global) # exec usb-disk list
2024-08-20 13:04:16 65532578 FGT60Fv7.2.9.out <<< file renamed to short version for easy restore
2024-08-19 10:09:28 <DIR> System Volume Information

4. Enter the following command to restore the image file from USB:

execute restore image usb <filename>

For a VDOM enabled environment:

(global) # exec restore image usb FGT60Fv7.2.9.out 

This operation will replace the current firmware version!
Do you want to continue? (y/n) Y <-- Press y to upload the image and reboot FortiGate.

Please wait...

Copy image FGT60Fv7.2.9.out from USB disk ...
Get image from USB disk OK.
Verifying the signature of the firmware image.

Checking new firmware integrity ... pass

Please wait for system to restart.

After the reboot is done, check the firmware image on the FortiGate unit as per the below CLI command:

get sys status

Reference article for flash format TFTP uploads through console connection:

Technical Tip: Formatting and loading FortiGate firmware image using TFTP