Packetshaper 4500 - recreate basic.cfg
March 19th, 2010
  • Hello We have recently purchased a packetshaper 4500 from ebay. It functions correctly except that the previous owner was a little over zealous in clearing the information from it.. and have deleted the basic.cfg. This file contains the serial number of the unit.. when booting the box checks this file against the burnt in serial if no match, doesnt function properly... Looking through the binary of the rom it seems that it is somehow possible to make the unit re-create this file (test menu).. vendor wants to charge $$$$ forcing us to take out a support contract.. anyone know how to re-create this file..


  • well yes it appears that the box was once $16k, however its now a discontinued unit, and taking out a support contract is not something we can afford. The unit came from bankrupt stock, and company doesnt exist anymore, flash was wiped and disk was hammered. Packeteer tell me that its possible to recreate this file on the unit, but obviously wont do so, which I understand... Hence the question here.


  • basic.cfg is a binary file.. You may be right, however I have searched it already for references to both the onboard macs and serial number and came up dry. Its possible that its either compressed, enocded or encrypted... I know I would if I were them.. The main board is intel, and as far as I can see the unit loads an absolute file into memory and executes at the beginning.. Im getting to the point where I might dissassemble this and start prodding around, I know from a string search in the binary that the box can re-write / re-initialise this file. Im guessing they have been lazy and used standard bios reads/writes, as the host flash is sandisk based. All this might seem a little extreme but this has now become a bit of a challange as well as a quest to get a useful box. Im not trying to get anything for free from the company, these boxes have already been paid for, im just trying to recover the functionality that should be there if some fool hadnt wiped the flash clean without finding out if that was a good idea first.


  • product was sold as considition unknown, other than the fact that the memory and p3 cpu had been removed - which I have replaced from a working unit I have. Incidently I have tried using the basic.cfg from another 4500, it doesnt work ( correctly anyway, most functions are disabled due to the mismatch of serial ) .. Im guessing because it compares the serial number in the basic.cfg to a hardware copy of it or even the mac address of the onboard nics. One approach might be if someone knows someone that works for packeteer? Ive got another one of these in the same state, so if I can get a resolution to this I will include a nice tip.


  • Ive upped this to $200.. Would like to get a resolution to this asap if possible.


  • Since the product arrived non-functional, perhaps at least you could contact the seller and complain, plus leave negative feedback, unless the unit was sold explicitly As-Is including indicating that the configuration was wiped. Regardless of the original source of the product, the seller sold you something that was essentially DOA to you. If you feel this is the case, then talk to the seller about getting a refund and returning the product.


  • http://support.packeteer.com/documentation/packetguide/6.0.0/nav/tasks/administrative/restore-configuration.htm says you have to return the unit to the factory if the basic.cfg is loaded wrong. Since it's a $16,000 unit retail http://www.nwc.com/1324/1324f33.html, even a nominal 10% standard service contract wouldn't be unreasonable... I'm guessing you saved at least that much on ebay. Best bet: contact seller for basic.cfg.


  • Is the basic.cfg file text or binary? I bet you might be able to copy the old basic.cfg, and do a hex edit or notepad on it and change the appropriate information.







    • #If you have any other info about this subject , Please add it free.#
    Your name:
    E-mail:
    Telphone:

    Your comments:


    If you have any other info about Packetshaper 4500 - recreate basic.cfg , Please add it free.

    Posted in portal.zjrp.com | edit