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| STG_E_FIRMWARE_SLOT_INVALID | STG_E_DEVICE_UNRESPONSIVE |
STG_E_FIRMWARE_IMAGE_INVALID
Storage firmware image is invalid
STG_E_FIRMWARE_IMAGE_INVALID is HRESULT 2147680777 (0x80030209) from winerror.h. AllStat describes it as “The specified firmware image is invalid.” The result belongs to firmware download validation by a storage device or controller. The symbol this result is useful only when tied to the method and lifecycle phase where the supplied image does not satisfy the target device firmware format, identity, size, alignment, or signature rules.
The decisive meaning of this result is that the supplied image does not satisfy the target device firmware format, identity, size, alignment, or signature rules. The severity bit does not decide handling; the controlling fact is that the supplied image does not satisfy the target device firmware format, identity, size, alignment, or signature rules. A reliable it diagnosis preserves the raw value and reconstructs the state that made this true: the supplied image does not satisfy the target device firmware format, identity, size, alignment, or signature rules.
Where the result appears
- This result can surface in a storage firmware query, staged download, activation, device reset, or post-activation verification.
- map the failure to one concrete operation among IOCTL_STORAGE_FIRMWARE_GET_INFO, IOCTL_STORAGE_FIRMWARE_DOWNLOAD, activation state, slot flags, alignment, and maximum transfer size.
- Preserve device instance ID, model, serial or anonymized asset ID, controller path, firmware revision, slot table, image hash, offset, and transfer size before releasing or replacing the object that returned this result.
An incident record for this HRESULT must distinguish caller, runtime, provider, and backing resource while testing whether the supplied image does not satisfy the target device firmware format, identity, size, alignment, or signature rules.
Typical causes and interpretation boundary
The immediate contract boundary is specific: the supplied image does not satisfy the target device firmware format, identity, size, alignment, or signature rules. Common cause branches include the following:
- The package targets a different model or revision.
- The transfer omitted or reordered image chunks.
- The image signature or header is damaged.
Confirm the cause branch that explains why the supplied image does not satisfy the target device firmware format, identity, size, alignment, or signature rules by using call arguments, object state, metadata, device information, or provider traces.
Correct handling and recovery
The primary recovery is to obtain the vendor-authorized image for the exact hardware, verify hash and alignment, and restart the staged download from the beginning. The result failure report should expose enough firmware download validation by a storage device or controller state to understand why the supplied image does not satisfy the target device firmware format, identity, size, alignment, or signature rules without a production debugger.
The owner of it must define idempotency, cancellation, attempt limits, and reconciliation for the failed firmware download validation by a storage device or controller. Reconcile persistent, remote, device, or ownership state before repeating it.
Practical scenario
A management agent downloads firmware for a related controller family; the device validates the header and rejects it before activation. Record the decisive state for this HRESULT and verify recovery on a fresh object or request generation.
Difference from related HRESULTs
STG_E_FIRMWARE_SLOT_INVALID concerns the destination; it concerns the image payload Tests and telemetry should preserve that boundary for this HRESULT.
Developer and administrator guidance
Developers handling it should make object lifetime and state transitions explicit, preserve the native HRESULT, and keep cleanup paths safe when initialization or output is partial. Use vendor-approved test hardware and cover wrong slot, wrong model, interrupted transfer, reset, re-enumeration, and rollback guidance.
Broad permission or compatibility changes are inappropriate unless evidence for the supplied image does not satisfy the target device firmware format, identity, size, alignment, or signature rules points to that layer. Repair for this HRESULT should target only the evidence-backed component, provider, document, device, or configuration.
References
- Microsoft: IOCTL_STORAGE_FIRMWARE_GET_INFO
- Microsoft: IOCTL_STORAGE_FIRMWARE_DOWNLOAD
- Microsoft: STORAGE_HW_FIRMWARE_INFO
- Microsoft: STG error codes
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