Hi Gang,
Our old CRIO was stuck in SAFE mode preventing a re-image. If you can see your CRIO with the 2012 Imaging Tool (the one that shows the CRIO and its slots), and no matter what position the SAFEMODE switch is in, it's always "SAFE", then you may have the same problem we did.
The SAFE MODE DIP switch does not appear to be the hardiest of switches and it gets beat on a lot. Especially with leaded pencils, the adjustment tool of choice.
In our case, the switch was shorted closed which is: SAFE MODE. You have 3 options:
1) Send it back to National Instruments and hope to get it back by bag-n-tag.
2) Have a friend in the electronics industry with high-temp de-solder equipment remove the DIP and install a new one or,
3) Hack it.
I hacked it. It took about one hour including re-imaging. The instructions are attached.
THIS WILL VOID YOUR WARRANTY (if you have one)!!!
I do not recommend students doing this unless they are experienced in electronic repairs. You will be cutting a pin on the DIP switch and possibly soldering.
By the way, I forgot to add the step where you verify the cut has been made, but that should be pretty obvious.
Good luck!
Mitch
...if the penalties were not significant and match-deciding then there would not be much incentive to pay attention to them, would there? - dtengineering [more] 
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