Is there a special way to do force firmware upgrade on Dish receiver?
Yes!
Can I talk about them no not really. Since dish network never put a force update code in there receivers your kinda sol.
If you let the box sit connected assuming it understands the switch configuration so it can see 119/110 on even/odd transponders, then your left with two options ones I vaguely go into to keep dish network from making Scott or another mod delete this posting.
I will state this once and only once both methods to force update are not illegal but are used by hackers so hence why I wont go too far deeply into them.
1. Programers port - basically having a computer file of the latest software and uploading it via a special programmers port that use to be visible underneath the receiver. If you use google to visit alt.dbs.echostar ( note this is not a hacking news group) news group there is a man named Fat Bastard who does repair receivers he has the knowledge and means to correctly upload the latest software for your 301 . You could google this information and buy the stuff and try it your self but your likely screw up your box doing so as there important information that has be taken from your receiver first and copied over to the software image to make it work right with the receiver so it best to leave it to a professional repair, or a well trained hacker.
2. If you have a 301-05 301-10 you can do a "blank"yard fix. ( note fill in the blank , heres a hint this is where the 301 will go if you dont get new software for it or your screw it up ) 301-13 can do it but it much more involved. Do to smart programing on dish networks part that if your firmware on the receiver were to ever become corrupted say like the power went out during a firmware upgrade that secondary programing would kick in automatically grab what ever software version for your receiver was in the satellite stream and re-download and install. Basically what happens is you short out the firmware chip causing the software to be corrupted forcing the secondary programing to kick in. But this is also dangerous as you could fry the box, you also have to open the box .
Note I do not condone the theft of satellite services, while I find nothing illegal about these methods Dish Network tend to feel if you use these you are a hacker, but that kinda like if you own a gun you are a mass murder type of scenario.
3. The Long Shot. This is probably the only method in this post dish network wont flip out about. I call it The Long Shot, as it depends on who you get at Dish Net Tech Support line . Since your software it too old to make the upgrade from where your at to where you need to be, I managed twice out of 20 times so 1 out of 10 shot here of a tech supervisor putting old Software for the 301 back in the satellite stream.
So they would put a version that your box could upgrade to in the satellite stream let the box upgrade to that and rinse and repeat until the software revision is at a version that will allow you to accept the latest 301 software.