---
name: "uhd_image_loader"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "libuhd"
version: "4.9.0.1-8"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/uhd_image_loader"
---

# uhd\_image\_loader(1)

UHD Image Loader

## NAME

uhd\_image\_loader - UHD Image Loader

## DESCRIPTION

Burn firmware and FPGA images onto connected Ettus Research devices.

## SYNOPSIS

**uhd\_image\_loader \[OPTIONS\]**

## OPTIONS

- List options:

  \--help

- Device and loader arguments:

  \--args=""

- Custom firmware filepath:

  \--fw-path=""

- Custom FPGA filepath:

  \--fpga-path=""

- Don't burn firmware:

  \--no-fw

- Don't burn FPGA:

  \--no-fpga

## SPECIFYING A PARTICULAR DEVICE

Without any arguments given through the *args=""* option, this utility will start a session with the first Ettus Research device it sees. The arguments shown below will narrow down the utility's search for a particular device:

### All devices

The *name=* and *serial=* arguments can be used to specify any device except an uninitialized USB device or an OctoClock bootloader. The *type=* argument can be used to specify any device, as described below:

"type=" argument

Argument       \|     Device

type=usrp2     \|     USRP N200, USRP N210

type=b200      \|     USRP B200, USRP B210

type=e3x0      \|     USRP E310

type=octoclock \|     OctoClock

NOTE: The USRP1, USRP2, and USRP B100 are not supported.

### Network devices

By default, this utility will check all network interfaces for network-based devices, but a specific IP address can be specified with the *addr=* argument.

### NI-RIO devices

An X-Series devices connected via PCIe can be specified by its NI-RIO resource through the *resource=* argument, and the RPC port through which to communicate with it can be specified with the *rpc-port=* argument. Using these options is not recommended, as their default values are almost always used.

### OctoClock devices

An OctoClock's name and serial are only exposed when the firmware is loaded, so if the device only has a bootloader, only the *addr=* argument can be used to find it.

## DEVICE-SPECIFIC LOADER OPTIONS

Certain devices have specific options for customizing their image loading process, and these can be passed in through the *--args=""* option. These arguments are specified below:

### USRP N200, USRP N210

The *overwrite-safe* option will overwrite the device's safe-mode firmware and FPGA images. This is NOT RECOMMENDED, as these images serve as the backup if the device's primary images are corrupted.

The *reset* option will automatically reset the device once the loading process finishes. When the device resets, it will have its new images loaded.

### USRP X300, USRP X310 (Ethernet only)

The *configure* option will automatically reset the device once the loading process finishes. When the device resets, it will have its new FPGA image loaded.

The *verify* option will tell the device to internally verify the integrity of the image as it loads. This greatly increases the loading time.

## EXAMPLES

### Load only the default FPGA image onto a specific N2x0 device and reset

uhd\_image\_loader --args="type=usrp2,addr=192.168.10.2,reset" --no-fw

### Load a custom FPGA image onto a specific X3x0 device

*uhd\_image\_loader --args="type=x300,addr=192.168.40.2" --fpga-path="/home/user/my\_x300\_fpga\_image.bit"*

## SEE ALSO

UHD documentation: **http://files.ettus.com/manual/**

GR-UHD documentation: **http://gnuradio.org/doc/doxygen/page\_uhd.html**

Other UHD programs:

[uhd\_images\_downloader(1)](/uhd_images_downloader/1.md) [usrp2\_card\_burner(1)](/usrp2_card_burner/1.md)

## AUTHOR

This manual page was written by Nicholas Corgan for the Debian project (but may be used by others).

## COPYRIGHT

Copyright (c) 2015-2022 Ettus Research, A National Instruments Brand

This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.

This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License for more details.