Problem with my Final Expansion (FE3)

nbla000 · Post by **nbla000** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 5:41 am

Hi,

I've a big problem with my FE3, I'm not able to read the integrated SD2IEC drive.

With a LOAD"$",8 I get a DEVICE NOT FOUND ERROR

The problem should be the latest sd2iec firmware update (0.9.1) from (0.9.0).
I've copied the file sd2iec-0.9.1-larsp-m644p.bin to the root of the SD-Card.
Switching the Vic-20+FE3 ON, I've seen the green light flashing for a while (typical during firmware update) but after that I'm not able to use this drive anymore.

Now If I switch ON the Vic-20+FE3, I see the red LED for a while (boot phase) then the green led is fixed ON (I don't know if is correct)

There is a way to reflash the internal drive from an external drive ?
I've also a uIEC (Drive #10) and a SD2IEC (Drive #11) both updated to the latest 0.9.1 version may I use them in some way to fix the Internal FE3 drive ?

Any Idea about my problem ? have you updated your FE3 drives with latest 0.9.1 firmware version ?

orion70 · Post by **orion70** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 5:55 am

So sorry for that.

I'm pretty sure it won't help, but my experience is that after the last firmware update (NOT to the most recent version, which I still haven't installed), I got the same message. I desperately turned the computer on and off several times, then mysteriously it began to work (don't know why).

Diddl?

Diddl · Post by **Diddl** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 7:21 am

Sorry SD2IEC is firmware from Unseen, I don't make any changes.

Normally there is no need to update to 0.9x, cause most changes are only REL files concerned. There is no VIC software using REL files ...

In principle 0.9.1 works fine. If nothing helps make a downgrade to 0.8x

nbla000 · Post by **nbla000** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 7:43 am

Diddl wrote:Normally there is no need to update to 0.9x, cause most changes are only REL files concerned. There is no VIC software using REL files ...

OK btw since 0.9.0 worked fine and the 0.9.1 is a bugfix release, I've just tried to update it.

Yes I know, this thread is a big disincentive but have you updated your FE3 with latest 0.9.1 sd2iec firmware ? all is ok ?

In principle 0.9.1 works fine. If nothing helps make a downgrade to 0.8x

how to downgrade ? Just put the old version 0.9.0 in the root of SD-Card ?

Vic20-Ian · Post by **Vic20-Ian** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 8:29 am

check the din plug is connected - I have done that a few times.

Is there any chance you have broken one of the 3 wires that connect the din to the FE3?

This happened to me when I opened up the cart to do something.

Diddl · Post by **Diddl** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 8:32 am

In F64 board some people announce problems with 0.9.1. Some other say it works fine ...

FE3 has a normal SD2IEC hardware, so it is no problem of FE3 but from SD2IEC firmware maybe. Hope it is solved at 0.9.2 ...

Try to downgrade by copying the file to SD. I'm not sure this works but you cannot make it worse.

In case a downgrade doesn't work, - do you have an ISP programmer?

I don't have updated this.

Normally I do an update only if I have a problem (bug) or I want a new feature. I never do an upgrade only cause an upgrade exists. I do so on all my systems: Windows, Linux, WIZ ...

Diddl · Post by **Diddl** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 8:34 am

Vic20-Ian wrote:check the din plug is connected - I have done that a few times.

Is there any chance you have broken one of the 3 wires that connect the din to the FE3?

This happened to me when I opened up the cart to do something.

Hi Ian

Did you make this 0.9.1 update? Did it work for your FE3?

nbla000 · Post by **nbla000** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 9:30 am

Vic20-Ian wrote:check the din plug is connected - I have done that a few times.

Your assembling work was perfect, no hardware problems

Diddl wrote:In F64 board some people announce problems with 0.9.1. Some other say it works fine ...

This does not help but at least I'm not alone

In case a downgrade doesn't work, - do you have an ISP programmer?

do you mean this ?
No I haven't it and I really hope I don't need it, this evening I will try the downgrade with the old file.

Normally I do an update only if I have a problem (bug) or I want a new feature.

I agree with you:
new feature 0.9.0 (D41 and DNP support)
bug fix 0.9.1 (REL files)

And since I'm the new mainteiner of the CBM-FileBrowser project I wish to test compatibility with new firmware releases.

btw this is just a side question, the main question is that the SD2IEC drive inside my FE3 is off

Diddl · Post by **Diddl** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 9:59 am

I think it is no real problem.

In case SD2IEC firmware won't downgrade it is only a bootloader protection mechanism.

It is possible to make a version of 0.8.x which will recognized by the bootloader as a "up"grade.

--

does the bootloader work or is a general problem with your SD2IEC? Can you try to flash 0.9.1 again?

Maybe update was not successful? Some user says bootloader is less flexible with the SD type: It must be FAT (not FAT32) and not every SD works correctly with bootloader.

nbla000 · Post by **nbla000** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 11:02 am

I will do some tests this evening and I will report results here.

Vic20-Ian · Post by **Vic20-Ian** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 1:24 pm

Diddl wrote:
Vic20-Ian wrote:check the din plug is connected - I have done that a few times.

Is there any chance you have broken one of the 3 wires that connect the din to the FE3?

This happened to me when I opened up the cart to do something.
Hi Ian

Did you make this 0.9.1 update? Did it work for your FE3?

No I haven't seen a need to upgrade it yet. Let me know if you want me to. I have time tomorrow.

Vic20-Ian · Post by **Vic20-Ian** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 1:26 pm

NBLA000 - sig update below

Mega-Cart: the cartridge you plug in once and for all.........until you get an FE3

Post by **Jeff-20** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 1:36 pm

Vic20-Ian wrote:Mega-Cart: the cartridge you plug in once and for all.........until you get an FE3

I like the product, but not the name. "Final"? What if the next hardware project adds a speech cart to the mix???

rhurst · Post by **rhurst** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 1:41 pm

FE3 Redux
FE4
Final MMX

... or "Finally"?

nbla000 · Post by **nbla000** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 3:58 pm

Vic20-Ian wrote:.........until you get an FE3

NO, I've just tried to update the Internal SD drive for testing with my CBM-FileBrowser, nothing else, while for external uIEC and SD2IEC all is ok with 0.9.1 firmware, the internal FE3 drive is dead and now I'm in a nightmare, not exactly what you said

I've tried to use these files on boot in 2 distinct SD cards:
sd2iec-0.8.3-larsp-m644p.bin
sd2iec-0.9.0-larsp-m644p.bin

But nothing happens, the green led is fixed on, it does not flash like typical firmware update and the DEVICE NOT FOUND message still remain of course.

1st hypothesis:
Maybe that it is the correct behaviour since now there should be a newer firmare (0.9.1) and in this case I need to wait a 0.9.2 version but there is an "emergency" firmware that will be always flashed from any version ?

2nd hypothesis:
Maybe that the current firmware is totally corrupted and it is not able to autoupdate firmware.... so I need an ISP programmer

The 2nd hypothesis means, without external helps, the dead of my FE3 and any future developement for it, CBM-FileBrowser or any other tool.

Diddl wrote:does the bootloader work or is a general problem with your SD2IEC? Can you try to flash 0.9.1 again?

How to test if the bootloader works ? I'm not able to flash any version (0.8.3, 0.9.0 and 0.9.1) the green led of the SD drive still remain fixed ON.

Maybe update was not successful? Some user says bootloader is less flexible with the SD type: It must be FAT (not FAT32) and not every SD works correctly with bootloader.

Yes I suspect this but I've 2 SD cards (512mb A-DATA and 2GB Verbatim) both FAT formatted (not FAT32), I've successfully used both SD-Cards to update respectively the SD2IEC and the uIEC to the 0.9.1 version then I've tried to update the internal FE3 drive by using the 512mb A-DATA SD-Card, after boot the green led flashed for 3/4 seconds and after a while I tried to use it without success.

In the sd2iec firmware page there is a bootloader subfolder with zip files with various things may I use some hex files to revitalize the internal drive...

the nightmare continue...