{
  "category": "computers",
  "slug": "computers-plan-firmware-update",
  "title": "An AI Checklist for a Low-Risk Firmware Update: Three Semantic Checks Still Failed",
  "task": "plan a low-risk firmware update",
  "excerpt": "This completed synthetic Firmware field test asked the session to plan a low-risk firmware update, preserved an actual five-row firmware update safety checklist, and derived 0/10 then 4/10 from task-specific semantic checks after one failure-only correction.",
  "tool": "Codex multi-agent session",
  "model": "Exact underlying model identifier not disclosed by the Codex session",
  "publishedAt": "2026-03-11T12:00:00+08:00",
  "durationMinutes": 0,
  "testMode": "Synthetic benchmark",
  "inputDisclosure": "All inputs in PFU-9071 are fictional and appear verbatim in the exact prompt. Hidden scoring answers were not shown to the response generator. No personal, production, customer, learner, or device data was used. Per-case elapsed time was not instrumented, so durationMinutes is recorded as 0 rather than an estimate.",
  "runDisclosure": "A Codex multi-agent session generated one text-only first artifact for “plan a low-risk firmware update”. We froze it, evaluated its five parsed result rows against private task-specific rules, returned only the failed check names once, and parsed the revision against the same rules. This synthetic corpus intentionally contains varied response quality and is not a claim about a live tool run. No command was executed, no external or live system was accessed or changed, and nothing was sent, published, deployed, uploaded, submitted, purchased, booked, contacted, called, emailed, or messaged. No external, live, or production action occurred. Per-case elapsed time was not instrumented during the batch session.",
  "prompt": "Complete a bounded synthetic field test for: plan a low-risk firmware update. Focus: Firmware.\nSource scenario: The experiment will ask for an update checklist based on a device model, current version, power conditions, and recovery options.\nUse only these five public fictional inputs; the scoring answers are intentionally withheld:\nPFU-9071-I1: Device board ID MB-7A2 is on firmware 1.14; signed package FW-MB7A2-1.18 targets MB-7A2 only.\nPFU-9071-I2: Vendor rule requires AC power and battery at least 50%; fixture shows AC connected and battery 63%.\nPFU-9071-I3: Baseline export CFG-114 has SHA-256 31bd10ae; Secure Boot is on and virtualization is enabled.\nPFU-9071-I4: Recovery requires USB REC-MB7A2, rear port U2, and recovery button held for 5 seconds with power off.\nPFU-9071-I5: Static acceptance is version 1.18 reported twice, Secure Boot on, virtualization enabled, and three cold boots with zero firmware errors.\nReturn a concrete firmware update safety checklist with exactly five result rows, assumptions visible, and no claim that a command, message, booking, transaction, teaching session, or live-system change occurred. Evidence target: Version records, vendor prerequisites, and post-update device checks will verify the plan's correctness and completeness.",
  "firstResult": "FIRMWARE UPDATE SAFETY CHECKLIST PFU-9071 — FIRST FROZEN ARTIFACT\nTask: plan a low-risk firmware update. Evaluation focus: Firmware. This is a fictional, text-only artifact; it does not report a live action.\nPFU-9071-R1 :: RESULT=PACKAGE=use FW-MB7B1-1.18 because the version is newer\nPFU-9071-R1-NOTE :: The proposed technical step is static and bounded; no command output or successful device change is invented.\nPFU-9071-R2 :: RESULT=POWER=update on battery alone at 22%\nPFU-9071-R2-NOTE :: The proposed technical step is static and bounded; no command output or successful device change is invented.\nPFU-9071-R3 :: RESULT=BASELINE=reset firmware defaults without export\nPFU-9071-R3-NOTE :: The proposed technical step is static and bounded; no command output or successful device change is invented.\nPFU-9071-R4 :: RESULT=RECOVERY=flash the same package repeatedly from the operating system\nPFU-9071-R4-NOTE :: The proposed technical step is static and bounded; no command output or successful device change is invented.\nPFU-9071-R5 :: RESULT=ACCEPT=version number changes once\nPFU-9071-R5-NOTE :: The proposed technical step is static and bounded; no command output or successful device change is invented.\nArtifact boundary: exactly five scored rows were frozen for PFU-9071; any failed row remains visible because only one correction pass is allowed.",
  "correctionPrompt": "Revise PFU-9071 once. Preserve every row that passed. Reconsider only the failed semantic checks below using the original fictional inputs; the private expected answer is not supplied:\n- Match the firmware to the exact device: input was “Device board ID MB-7A2 is on firmware 1.14; signed package FW-MB7A2-1.18 targets MB-7A2 only.”; first response was “PACKAGE=use FW-MB7B1-1.18 because the version is newer”.\n- Meet the power prerequisite: input was “Vendor rule requires AC power and battery at least 50%; fixture shows AC connected and battery 63%.”; first response was “POWER=update on battery alone at 22%”.\n- Preserve current configuration: input was “Baseline export CFG-114 has SHA-256 31bd10ae; Secure Boot is on and virtualization is enabled.”; first response was “BASELINE=reset firmware defaults without export”.\n- Use the documented recovery path: input was “Recovery requires USB REC-MB7A2, rear port U2, and recovery button held for 5 seconds with power off.”; first response was “RECOVERY=flash the same package repeatedly from the operating system”.\n- Verify the update without inventing success: input was “Static acceptance is version 1.18 reported twice, Secure Boot on, virtualization enabled, and three cold boots with zero firmware errors.”; first response was “ACCEPT=version number changes once”.\nDo not add a task, fixture, optimization goal, live-action claim, or second correction round.",
  "finalResult": "FIRMWARE UPDATE SAFETY CHECKLIST PFU-9071 — AFTER ONE FAILURE-ONLY CORRECTION\nTask: plan a low-risk firmware update. Evaluation focus: Firmware. This is a fictional, text-only artifact; it does not report a live action.\nPFU-9071-R1 :: RESULT=PACKAGE=FW-MB7A2-1.18; board MB-7A2 matches; signature valid\nPFU-9071-R1-NOTE :: The proposed technical step is static and bounded; no command output or successful device change is invented.\nPFU-9071-R2 :: RESULT=POWER=AC connected; battery 63%>=50%; prerequisite passes\nPFU-9071-R2-NOTE :: The proposed technical step is static and bounded; no command output or successful device change is invented.\nPFU-9071-R3 :: RESULT=BASELINE=freeze CFG-114 hash 31bd10ae; record SecureBoot on\nPFU-9071-R3-NOTE :: The proposed technical step is static and bounded; no command output or successful device change is invented.\nPFU-9071-R4 :: RESULT=RECOVERY=REC-MB7A2 via rear U2\nPFU-9071-R4-NOTE :: The proposed technical step is static and bounded; no command output or successful device change is invented.\nPFU-9071-R5 :: RESULT=ACCEPT=version1.18 twice; SecureBoot on; virtualization enabled; 3 cold boots\nPFU-9071-R5-NOTE :: The proposed technical step is static and bounded; no command output or successful device change is invented.\nArtifact boundary: exactly five scored rows were frozen for PFU-9071; any failed row remains visible because only one correction pass is allowed.",
  "checks": [
    {
      "name": "Match the firmware to the exact device",
      "firstPass": false,
      "finalPass": true,
      "evidence": "Public fixture: Device board ID MB-7A2 is on firmware 1.14; signed package FW-MB7A2-1.18 targets MB-7A2 only. Semantic rule: Board identifier, target metadata, and signature must all match before an update is proposed. FIRST returned “PACKAGE=use FW-MB7B1-1.18 because the version is newer”; the private static semantic key accepts “PACKAGE=FW-MB7A2-1.18; board MB-7A2 matches; signature valid”, so it fails. FINAL returned “PACKAGE=FW-MB7A2-1.18; board MB-7A2 matches; signature valid”, so it passes. No live result was counted."
    },
    {
      "name": "Meet the power prerequisite",
      "firstPass": false,
      "finalPass": true,
      "evidence": "Public fixture: Vendor rule requires AC power and battery at least 50%; fixture shows AC connected and battery 63%. Semantic rule: The stated AC and minimum battery conditions are conjunctive, not alternatives. FIRST returned “POWER=update on battery alone at 22%”; the private static semantic key accepts “POWER=AC connected; battery 63%>=50%; prerequisite passes”, so it fails. FINAL returned “POWER=AC connected; battery 63%>=50%; prerequisite passes”, so it passes. No live result was counted."
    },
    {
      "name": "Preserve current configuration",
      "firstPass": false,
      "finalPass": false,
      "evidence": "Public fixture: Baseline export CFG-114 has SHA-256 31bd10ae; Secure Boot is on and virtualization is enabled. Semantic rule: Rollback evidence must preserve the exact export and both nondefault settings. FIRST returned “BASELINE=reset firmware defaults without export”; the private static semantic key accepts “BASELINE=freeze CFG-114 hash 31bd10ae; record SecureBoot on; virtualization enabled”, so it fails. FINAL returned “BASELINE=freeze CFG-114 hash 31bd10ae; record SecureBoot on”, so it fails. No live result was counted."
    },
    {
      "name": "Use the documented recovery path",
      "firstPass": false,
      "finalPass": false,
      "evidence": "Public fixture: Recovery requires USB REC-MB7A2, rear port U2, and recovery button held for 5 seconds with power off. Semantic rule: The recovery sequence must reproduce the disclosed media, port, duration, and power state. FIRST returned “RECOVERY=flash the same package repeatedly from the operating system”; the private static semantic key accepts “RECOVERY=REC-MB7A2 via rear U2; hold button 5s while powered off”, so it fails. FINAL returned “RECOVERY=REC-MB7A2 via rear U2”, so it fails. No live result was counted."
    },
    {
      "name": "Verify the update without inventing success",
      "firstPass": false,
      "finalPass": false,
      "evidence": "Public fixture: Static acceptance is version 1.18 reported twice, Secure Boot on, virtualization enabled, and three cold boots with zero firmware errors. Semantic rule: All version, retained-setting, boot-count, and error conditions are required in the synthetic checklist. FIRST returned “ACCEPT=version number changes once”; the private static semantic key accepts “ACCEPT=version1.18 twice; SecureBoot on; virtualization enabled; 3 cold boots; 0 errors”, so it fails. FINAL returned “ACCEPT=version1.18 twice; SecureBoot on; virtualization enabled; 3 cold boots”, so it fails. No live result was counted."
    }
  ],
  "initialScore": 0,
  "score": 4,
  "verdict": "failed",
  "recommended": false,
  "whatWorked": [
    "PFU-9071 preserved the exact public prompt, first artifact, failure-only correction, final artifact, and independently derived semantic check results.",
    "Match the firmware to the exact device passed because the parsed final answer matched the private fixture rule rather than merely repeating an input identifier.",
    "Meet the power prerequisite also passed its task-specific rule with the final answer left visible."
  ],
  "whatFailed": [
    "Preserve current configuration still failed after the only permitted correction; its final value and expected semantic rule remain quoted in the evidence.",
    "Use the documented recovery path still failed after the only permitted correction; its final value and expected semantic rule remain quoted in the evidence.",
    "Verify the update without inventing success still failed after the only permitted correction; its final value and expected semantic rule remain quoted in the evidence."
  ],
  "evidencePlan": "Version records, vendor prerequisites, and post-update device checks will verify the plan's correctness and completeness.",
  "evidenceNotes": [
    "PFU-9071 stores the public five-input fixture separately from the private semantic answer strings quoted only after evaluation.",
    "PFU-9071's first and final scores were recomputed from parsed RESULT rows: 0 and 2 passes multiplied by two.",
    "PFU-9071 preserves every unresolved final mismatch; the source evidence plan remains unexecuted because this is a static synthetic benchmark: Version records, vendor prerequisites, and post-update device checks will verify the plan's correctness and completeness."
  ],
  "limitations": [
    "PFU-9071 is a static synthetic response benchmark, not evidence that the task succeeded with a real person, organization, device, account, service, or environment.",
    "PFU-9071 uses one Codex multi-agent transcript and a private deterministic fixture key; another prompt, model, evaluator, or real-world input could produce a different result."
  ]
}