See https://www.yamahasynth.com/ask-a-question/o-s-updater-problem-or-not#reply-68117

There have been previous version combinations where no data was wiped. v2.0 to v2.5 is not the first example. Assuming it will be wiped is safest since Yamaha does not want to publish a matrix for people to follow - this is unnecessarily complicated both to document and to follow. There is no "not supposed to be wiped" property. If you upgrade from v1.50 to v2.50, your data will be wiped. Other combinations as well. It's not a property of the new firmware - it's an interaction between what you currently have and the new firmware. There's a check which either will execute or not depending on the results and I believe this is where the data is lost.

The most correct statement is that your user/library content may be wiped out - so take a gamble OR backup. This has always been true. I like the conservative approach where the statement is: "Assume your user/library content will be wiped, so make a backup." Either way - both statements are true. A statement that your user/library area shall be (as in the legal use of "shall" ) wiped - as an undeniable fact - has always been false. This version doesn't change that.

I'm not saying the official docs are on-point or not. That needs to get cleaned up to remove the ambiguity if the docs are not factually correct.

The firmware readme and website OS updater page:
"- All User memory (Library data, User data, User sample and so on) will be initialized by this updater. Please make sure that you have saved all User data to a USB flash drive before performing this update."

Should not use "will" in order to be factually correct. I personally think the best way to modify this would be to say:

"- Assume all User memory (Library data, User data, User sample and so on) will be initialized by this updater. Please make sure that you have saved all User data to a USB flash drive before performing this update."

I updated my OS to 2.5 firmware and as in the past all went as stated. The only weird thing is that all my libraries and user data are still intact. I have checked the version in Utility and it verifies the update. I was under the impression I would need to load all this from a backup file.

Also, my previously downloaded MOTIF performance library is still there along with the new updated "montagified" versions.

Any thoughts??

It is simply a good “Best Practice” to backup all your data.

Updating from some versions will cause loss of data, updating from certain other versions there will be no loss of data. When you enter the Updater routine, it typical matters not what version you have since the current update will include all previous version changes. If you updated from a more recent firmware you will discover your Libraries remained. However, if you were unaware of some of the previous (more major) firmware changes, you might experience loss of installed Libraries. For example, if you were updating from 1.01.x to 2.50.x -you might experience some loss... (testing each possibility, who would want read thru all of the results...)

Mileage can vary... therefore, there is no downside to always backing up your data before updating firmware. This is why the general message errs on the side of SAFE over SORRY! It’s no more complex than that. There is no downside to leave a sign that generally says “Warning, Danger Will Robinson, backup your data!”

Thanks for the info Jason. As a matter of fact I don't recall losing the date in the 1.60 to 2.0 update. But, I'm a freak for backups so I certainly understand being encouraged to backup before the update. I just wanted to make sure I didn't have a problem with the update. All seems to be working well. The only thing I had to do was delete the older Motif performances that I installed after 2.0.
Thanks again!