Need firmware install help badly.

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  • July 15, 2015 at 1:54 pm #8010
    travelphotog
    Member

    Hey Guys,
    First of I LOVE the TinyG controller. I love using Chilipeppr as the interface. But the last update to Chilipeppr killed y TinyG pretty much. My TinyG has been running an older firmware for a long time and doing great. I pretty much never had issues and could always count on it to run a LONG job without issues. But the latest version of Chilipeppr needs the 440.15 firmware installed and nothing i do seems to get the TinyG to flash a new firmware of ANY sort. I have tried the update app and I always get a failuar on it right away and nothing shows up in the console. I have triple checked the com ports. I have auto and manually reset the Tinyg for uploadig and nothing works. So i give up on the app. Then I tried the AVRdude method. I think i did that one right but I am not by any means a diehard computer guy so i very well could be screwing up the CMD lines I need to try that method.

    I have tried the CMD line method and loos like it needed the config file added. so i tried that but that is where it seems I am missing something someplace and it stil is not working. I am really in hopes someone can lend me a hand witht he CMD method and help me get the new firmware installed so I can get my mill back up and running as it is far too unstable and I am losing expensive aluminum toolplate stock with crashed jobs far too often now since the Chilipeppr changed and needs the 440.15 firmware to work.

    I will even paypal a few bucks someone’s way for a drink of their choice if I can just get the help needed to get the firmware updated. I know someone will need more data like DIR paths and such to help me. But I can provide all that fun stuff when someone offers to lend me a hand. I hate asking for help and I have read and read the forums, but something I am doing is just messing me up and I am about ready to go postal on the TinyG sadly.

    Thanks for any help in advance. Looking forward to buying someone that beverage and seeing my mill back up and running.

    Matthew

    July 15, 2015 at 6:48 pm #8020
    cmcgrath5035
    Moderator

    What version of tinyG fw is currently installed?
    If 440.14, then you are OK , just stay away from the Recent Coordinate System added features.
    See this summary of running current CP with 440.14:

    You mention Com ports – you running windows?
    What version of avrdude are you using?

    July 15, 2015 at 10:50 pm #8022
    Riley
    Keymaster

    440.16 JUST got pushed to master. Check it out.

    Sorry about the confusion. The tg-updater app @ https://github.com/synthetos/TinyG-Updater/releases

    Should now, when clicked on master should grab you 440.16 and all should be well. Please note that if you have trouble run the app.. Unplug the USB from your TinyG then re insert it and it should recognize your TinyG and be read to flash master up to it. If that still does not help. Hit reset on your TinyG then hit “Go” (with the correct port selected of course) and it should work.

    NOTE: If you have spjs running then it can tie up the serial port and not allow for the updater to “grab” the tinyg port. Make sure its not running.

    Hope that helps.

    Riley

    July 15, 2015 at 10:52 pm #8023
    Riley
    Keymaster

    You can verify that this worked by issuing a:

    $fb from something like coolterm. See.

    You should see 440.16

    • This reply was modified 9 years, 4 months ago by Riley.
    • This reply was modified 9 years, 4 months ago by Riley.
    • This reply was modified 9 years, 4 months ago by Riley.
    July 16, 2015 at 1:35 am #8027
    travelphotog
    Member

    OK i tried the new firmware install app and I still get the same result. It shows up as com3 and says I have 435.1 when i ask it to lookup. I hit the reset button on the TinyG and it starts flashing red. I hit the Go button and it goes to the next screen, says CONNECTING for a split second then shows VERIFY FAILED! and nothing shows up in the console at all. I have never been able to flash a new firmware to this TinyG. I tried a few times before to keep it nice nd up to date but it never worked. Always failed. But untila few days ago it ran fine and i could cut large 25+HR jobs without a worry. Now it seems to crash every few hours during a job and loses zero to reboot it and have it respond at all. Sort of at my wits end right now honestly.

    But I am willing to try anything as I need my mill back in production ASAP.

    To answer the other Questions: yes I am on A Windows PC. I have tried using both the Arduino AVRdude and also the one linked on the Synthetos page. Both failed for me but I am not 100% sure i had the right thing typed into the CMD line as I never use those and I ended up seeing the “Need config file” message and I am not sure I ever got the whole long line right in the CMD line.

    I have rebooted and made sure nothing else is running on the computer when i tried the firmware app. So far no joy, always does what I said above for the app. I an grateful for all the help and I feel sure someone out there has the answer aside from having to buy a new TinyG to get back up and running.

    July 16, 2015 at 6:30 am #8030
    cmcgrath5035
    Moderator

    Reading your detailed dialog above, I suggest you try this first:

    1. Connect your tinyG to your computer.
    2. Make sure no other interface (e.g. SPJS, CoolTerm, putty,…) is connected to tinyG.
    3. Do NOT reset tinyG manually.
    4. Start the tinyG updater app.
    As of Today (16July2015), it should report your current version and suggest to install FW=440.16, posted overnight. Select the checkbox to do an Automatic reset.
    5.Select Go in the tinyGUpdater window
    6.Report back success/failure.

    tinyGUpdater uses an avrdude sub process that is built in to the binary. tinyGUpdater will reset tinyG before starting it’s avrdude process.

    tinyG Updater expects to connect to tinyG when it starts, not to see the bootloader interface, which is running for 10 secs after manual reset.
    I believe that is why you see the immediate failure of tinyGUpdater.

    Using the so called “AVRDUDE Process” is different; there you must manually download the tinyg.hex file, reset tinyG manually and start avrdude from the command line while the bootloader is still running as avrdude is looking for the bootloader.

    July 16, 2015 at 8:13 am #8031
    Riley
    Keymaster

    Not sure what’s up with the updater. The need config file is an easy fix. I am in the car but I can get the exact command tonight. But basically you need to supply the path to the avrdude.conf file. I think it’s a -C ../etc/avrdude.conf try adding that to the command line when using the arduino flash tools zip I posted in the wiki.

    If this does not so the trick let’s just get you another tinyg in the mail and you can send me yours. I would rather have you cutting then trying to update.

    I will be offline for about 8 hours. I will check back then.

    ril3y

    July 16, 2015 at 8:44 am #8032
    cmcgrath5035
    Moderator

    I guess we need to remind Riley not to text while driving 🙂 .

    Try the tinyGUpdater first, it is easier. It was your detailed description that highlighted to me that you were resetting tinyG and (possibly) immediately launching tinyGUpdater that was causing tinyGUpdater to fail.

    The multiple Avrdude possibilities are confusing, since one is “installed” and Windows takes care of dependencies and one is running from un-zipped archive and needs help finding support directories.

    If simpler way (tinyGUpdater) still fails, come back and we’ll walk through avrdude.

    July 16, 2015 at 11:36 am #8036
    travelphotog
    Member

    OK I did the update app and it did the same result with both the “Attepmt automatic reset” button check and on checked. I did not touch the TinyG and I restarted the computer before I launched the app to make sure nothing else was running. But I get the same result where it says right away that “verify failed” and nothing shows up in the console. I am very willing to send the TinyG in to find out what is wrong with it. It is a great little controller which I love and has done amazing work for me on my mill. I can be reached at uepmatthew AT gmail.com. in the mean time i am open to help on the AVRdude aspect. I can move the needed stuff to any directory to make the CMD line easier for someone if that might help. But I truly am at a lose. Thanks for all the help guys!

    July 16, 2015 at 1:44 pm #8040
    cmcgrath5035
    Moderator

    This is just a check that in fact your bootloader is running.

    When you use the manual reset button, does the SpinCw/CCW led flash abnout 1/sec for a duration (5 sec or so?)

    July 16, 2015 at 4:29 pm #8045
    slammed39
    Member

    Different person here experiencing the same issue. I just attempted to flash 440.16 to my 440.14 v8 board with the tinyg updater app and it goes straight to verify failed. The app recognizes the tinyg and shows the current firmware, but fails everytime within a second with verify failed. Maybe there is more to this since I’m also having the same problem.

    July 16, 2015 at 4:34 pm #8046
    Riley
    Keymaster

    We had a few boards slip by without a bootloader. Good point perhaps they do not have one?

    July 16, 2015 at 4:42 pm #8047
    slammed39
    Member

    It blinks the spin/dir on a reset. My board was purchased in May.

    July 16, 2015 at 5:29 pm #8049
    cmcgrath5035
    Moderator

    Gotta go out to the airport, check back sunrise Friday for an annotated How-To get avrdude to work for you.
    Both Windows, correct?

    July 16, 2015 at 8:49 pm #8051
    slammed39
    Member

    Windows

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