Firmware FAQ and Upgrade Solutions

[deejaygee]

I got my chip and serial cable and one try it worked like a charm just like in video thank you Ean now im off to load the tsi.

[mogh]

Hell, Hell, Hell, Heaven

I just sucessfully updated my VCI-100(v1.2) to firmware 1.3 but it was a long road, I just point out all the pitfalls i made, even thou I am pretty confident with computer equipment. I live in Germany so the USB Adapter is a local thing but its fine (Hama USB- Serial Konverter RS232 Nr. 00 053325) bought at the big Discount Electronic market for easy returning it "Media Markt".


Gear: Mac Pro Windows 7 64Bit (two front USB), Hama USB Converter, Long 5 m USB Cable for Power.

Firtsly I followed the steps but got

Received immediate response from device: 0x55 Errors
then i got Error No 15024: Boot failed
from every single cable and Inition method i could think of.
I also tried several COM Ports (1,2,4,7) but nothing changed

After about 20 attempts in different configurations, I realized that i can't get it to work and moved on to my Laptop.

Gear: Laptop WinXP SP3 Hama USB Converter, Long 5 m USB Cable for Power (plugged into the Mac).

I tried about 10 Configs and believed that had a bad contact on my Firmware kit (which was not) and startet to resolder some conections also on the RS232 plug (which i realized where blank intentionally). I was getting really pissed of at this time as i realized that some lights where sometimes on on the VCI (should be off in boot mode) so i pressed and loosened the conector several times and everytime I swithced it on the Windows 7 (the mac) was activating the USB device and lighting up the buttons. (the Adapter was still on the Laptop i was to lazy to move the power USB Cable to the laptop too)

Then I relized I have to get this thing into a proper boot mode bfore i can do anything usefull, and as a final solution I used the good cable from the midi fighter on the Laptop for the power, and very important! I held the VCI Vertical ! not that that makes any sense but it prevents that any buttons are pressed i think this was my problem that touching the joogwheels or any of the other buttons (from the pillow) prevented a propper boot mode.

worked on the first time after the boot mode was initialized vertically.

Just my to Cents.

Short Version:
Hama USB- Serial Konverter RS232 Nr. 00 053325 is fine dont forget the driver
Use a short USB cable
don't press any buttons while engaging boot mode with the power swith
use the 1000 ms sec delay feature ... (read the other htreads to understand this)

thanks ... I am off beatjuggling

[deejaygee]

I do have to say that if you can get your hands on an old desktop .Go for it worked like a charm just as Ean said had not 1 problem loaded right up .I think it took me a total of 15 min to do it all .Dont do what I do read read read and follow the direction to the t if you can and it works great .Any one in ny are wants to come to me to use my desktop just drop me a line and we can set it up ,,

[SJ MAC]

Quote:
Originally Posted by HotNife
Just to add, if your using serial cables make sure it's a null modem serial cable.

Hum, but in one of thepoints Ean mantions is:


So how is it, should it be a null modem cable or a standard one?!

Yo guys, could someone clear this up? Coz on the little peice of paper I got with my firmware upgrade kit from DJTT it says "the serial cable must be a 'standard serial cable' and not a 'null modem cable'

So whats the score? Is it a null modem cable or a standard one?

[midifidler]

Def standard serial cables

[Illian]

This question might've been answered already but I can't seem to find it by searching so sorry if it has.
Do you leave the firmware upgrade piece inside the VCI-100 once you're done loading the firmware?

[midifidler]

No you remove the update pcb

[vnuts]

I picked up a startech DB 25M to DB 9F Serial Modem Cable, is this the same as a standard serial cable? No where does it say its a null modem cable.
I also picked up a DB9 M to DB 9 M Gender Changer so I can plug the female end of the cord into the female DB 9 Chip.
I also picked up a startech USB to DB 9 cord just in case option 1 didnt work. After about 4 hours I had to give up as both lead be to the infamous boot fail.

Do I need different serial cords?? If so, anyplace online I can order it from? Any suggestions to a type of USB to DB 9 cord that worked?

Anyone in the Calgary area that has done this upgrade???

Please Help!!! I need my VCI ready for a set next week!!!

[edc1]

It's worth checking the soldering on the upgrade plate. I'd been battling with the 15024: Boot failed error message for hours. Tried USB to Serial cable, loads of different straight serial cables. I even dug out an old ADSL router with a console port on it to make sure I could get a serial connection through that. Turns out my upgrade plate had a blob of solder joining two of the pins on the top side of the plate together. Removed it with a soldering iron and it worked a treat.

[EuphoricF]

Hi,
does anybody know if it is possible to do the fw-upgrade with Parallels running Windows XP on a mac?