OK. Let me try to break it into the sequence of how you get here.
You get a K3 and it's pre loaded with a certain MCU and DSP, etc..
My K3 was loaded with 2.57 MCU and the corresponding DSP.
Time past. I got a straight-DB9 serial cable on Friday (Frys) and
proceeded to use it to test the latest K3 Utility (whatever version the
latest is) that my PC (Dell D600 Latitude Notebook) was able to talk to
the K3. It was. I could see my filter data, etc..
Now came the new firm ware: I wanted to try the beta release, 2.63 I
believe it was.
So I ran the Utility, tested the connection.
I set the Folder to store firmware.
I left the checkbox checked "copy new files from Elecraft" because I had
none yet, this would be the first upgrade so I needed the files copied
from their ftp server.
I pressed Send all Firmware to K3.
It downloaded the firmware, and loaded it on the K3. No errors. No
resynchronization warnings, etc.. All good.
Time past.
I noticed a behavior with my amp-key line that I didn't notice on 2.57 so
I wanted to regress the condition with the original 2.57 to make sure it
wasn't firmware, but perhaps the amp or something else. I had to strike
firmware off the list given that 2.63 was fairly new beta firmware.
So I tried to reload 2.57 but I had no copy and none is on the Elecraft
web site, hence my request earlier for a copy.
I got a copy (thanks!) and put it into a folder. I re-ran the utility,
set the folder to look there.
I pressed Send Firmware to K3 **
** = mistake
When this happend, I began to see scores of warnings "Resynchronized at
load address x0XXXXX, response "N", sent 67b, # attempts.. etc..
The last Log entry in the Activity Log was:
18:55:42 MCU block write failed at address x0XXXXX
18:55:42 MCU programming failed. Verify file source and version.
Turn the K3 off and back on, then re-try the firmware load.
18:55:42 MCU programming failed. Verify file source and version.
Turn the K3 off and back on, then re-try the firmware load.
18:55:45 Ready
So I tried to restart the K3 and re-load the MCU.
Restarting the K3 so a new load can be done is itself tricky as I
learned. If you cycle power, and restart the K3 you need to wait for some
reason until the existing firmware bootloader (or whatever the exec is on
the K3 that runs) finishes it's business before the Utility will even
succeed in "test-connection."
Once the test-connection passes, I re-attempted (2nd attempt for the MCU
load) and received the same error as before.
I realized too late that I forgot to uncheck the box "Copy new files from
Elecraft".
After I figured out the bone-headed mistake, I tried to start over by
trying to load the latest from Elecraft (2.46 is the latest regular
release).
After some painful waiting and hundreds of warnings about the
Resynchronization I was finally able to load 2.57 last night.
This morning, I got a copy of 2.65 (yes .65) from Elecraft and tried to
load it with my knowledge of how the Utility works (Uncheck "COpy new
files" and press Check Versions Now) before trying to "Send all Firmware
to K3."
Since this morning, I've been unable to successfully load a MCU. The
cable is new and I tested it. The serial port is on a computer that has
shown no issues (I use it with ACLog), so I'm just a little perplexed.
I'm convinced I pooched it, but I don't know exactly what I could have
done to continue the badness given I am using (I hope) the Utility the way
it was designed.
Comments below, inline:
On Tue, 11 Nov 2008, Dick Dievendorff wrote:
I'm not quite sure what you did! If the "copy new files" check box is
checked, then the K3 Utility will do an FTP step and copy files from
Elecraft's FTP server to your firmware folder. First. Before it tries to
send firmware to the K3.
Then the "most recent" firmware files in the firmware folder are sent to the
K3.
These aren't concurrent operations.
Yup, that was my understanding initially too.
The Utility lets you get latest regular release (currently being 2.46) or
let's you install beta or any other version when unchecked.
Could you expand on your sentence "The Utility was directed by the user to
move certain firmware files to the K3 and the configuration of the Utility
interface was not concordiant with the version of the firmware files." I'm
not quite sure what you mean there!
I directed the Utility to move certain files to the K3 by pressing "Send
all Firmware to K3", and:
The files it had moved were files that were from a folder on the PC and
the checkbox "copy new files" was checked. The folder already contained
files from a different version MCU. So I was asking the Utility to Send
All Firmware, and what it did (since the checkbox was checked) is first
download (into the folder already populated) and then begin the MCU LD.
Thus, I had no clue that the data it downloaded clobbered some data that
was already in the folder, or maybe not. I really don't know, hence fubar.
Yes, I know how stupid that was. I just didn't notice the checkbox before
I pressed "Send all Firmware to K3."
I'd like to get this right if it can be made better so that no one else
stumbles on this.
I'm sure hope no one else does.
;-)
Thanks, I'll let you know how it goes when I see you Saturday.
If you see a K3 under my arm, it means it has died and I hope Lyle can
breath life into it.
-jeff
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