Can anyone help.....

Just getting my new/second hand 800 up and running.....im trying to upgrade the second stage from 82 to 84

ive found a .nfi and a .ipk file - both i can flash, successfully but neither seems to update the second stage -when it boots it still says 82. From what i can see lots of new images need 84 to be installed, which begs another question - what is the second stage? is it a software flash or a firmware flash that once on is always there no matter what image you flash - the other and main reason for this is that the new version of barry allen needs 84 to be installed. As ive been posting like a champ this week with other problems (motors, barry allen etc etc) i distinctly remember seeing 84 at boot 10 or 20 flashes ago so is it a software only thing that an image flash overwrites...?

Look forward to any light that can be shed on this one.....

thanks