Flashing for dummies

[tintin]

Ok
I've had an issue with the telemetry on my Taranis.

I phoned up the people I bought it from and they suggested I updated the latest firmware. I tried before but ran into problems, so left it.

The transmitter says
2013-07-23
x9dv1.0.01
EEPR215.

I'm struggling to understand how to to this.

I've watched the Scott Page guides and he has a different computer set up to me that doesn't help.

I have been to open tx.org and downloaded firmware release r2923.

When I download it to my computer it gets saved as a compressed file, when I chose the option to take it as "source code zip". The other option is tar.gz ( I haven't a clue what this means).

When I follow the scott page tutorial he has a the latest firmware as a "single file" on his computer which he selects after pressing the "load firmware" button on companion 9x.

I have got to the stage where I'm about to "write firmware to tx" and I'm trying to "load the firmware" by pressing the button to select the saved file.

My problem is that I don't understand how to load the zip file saved on my computer which contains the latest firmware .

It won't allow me to load the whole file.

When I open my zip file it contains 4 sub files:
SRC
Util
Release notes -9x
Release notes-taranis.

What do I do from here?

Tintin

[tintin]

I'm assuming that at someone who viewed this request has loaded new firmware.

How do I retrieve the latest firmware? I've got two options zip and tar.gz.
Do I store it as a zip file?
How do I then get the saved file (which is a zip file) to load and update the transmitter.

Tintin

[ReSt]

You downloaded the source code !! of the firmware not the executable hex file (that is not available there)

As I do not use these automatisms of compiling on demand I may be wrong in the details.

IIRC you have to run companion, define the correct radio in the setup and then do the download firmware.
This will, on the server, compile the required fw hexfile and download it to your PC
From there you should be able to 'Write Flash Memory' to your radio.

Sorry that I can't be of more help, as I only have a 9x and do not use these procedures by myself.

Reinhard

[Kilrah]

Yes, you need to download from within companion. Choose radio type, options, language and Download.

But what are your telemetry issues exactly? It is likely unrelated.

[tintin]

Thank you.

I will try again. This is area is a big light on detail for a computer illiterate.

I don't think the telemetry issue is related to the firmware, but they ( the importer) asked me to update to the latest version of firmware.
I think it's transmitter related. See the other post about telemetry being lost constantly during flight.

Thanks for the screen shot.

Tintin

[Kilrah]

I can confirm firmware will not change anything regarding this.

[tintin]

Hello
Can I ask some basic questions to try to understand what's going on/ going wrong.

Does the " companion "need to be connected to the internet to flash the firmware? I suspect it doesn't but needed confirmation of that.

I have delegated the original version of companion from my computer and installed a new companion (about a week ago)
Does this, now have a later version of the firmware in it?

The instructions I have read say the firmware is now on my computer and is retrieved using the companion.

When I'm in companion and try to write the firmware to the tx it comes up with a "load firmware" button.At this point it reverts back to "my computer " and a local disc with 7 files in it.
Do I select one of these? The only one that looks relevant is the "open tx- taranis-en " file.

When I select this it puts it in the firmware window .

Has anyone got any screen shots of what should be happening if it's going to plan? I press the burn button and get a DFU Util caption.

The problem is I'm not sure I've even selected a file to burn.

Tintin

[tintin]

Ok ,
I spent another whole day on this, I'm now stuck as I cannot get administrator permission to load the STM boot loader.

When I'm about to load the STM boot loader at the top of (page 25 of the open tx manual) it says to "run as administor"

I've attempted to load it several times as I get to the same point as the first screenshot of page 25
But it fails to load as I don't have the correct level of authorisation.

How do get or select the option to run as the administrator ? It says on the forums to right click and select the run as administrator option. I don't get this option.

I have windows 7 on a Samsung laptop.

I'm getting really quite fed up with this now.

Tintin

[MikeB]

Is your logon to Windows 7 an administrator account? Go to Control Panel, then select user accounts. This should tell you if you are an administrator.
If not, then you need to use an administrator logon.

Mike.

[Kilrah]

Again, all of this is pointless and unrelated to the issue, you should really just return your radio for repair/exchange.

[tintin]

I also suspect it's pointless.
But the importer has asked me to re flash the firmware before they consider it a problem.
I phoned them again and they are adamant it's a settings thing.

I'm Pretty much committed to reflashing it before they will accept the problem is not firmware related.

As the problem doesn't manifest itself during a range check I just hope I don't loose a plane just to prove the set is the problem.

I've googled for the loss of telemetry, and found almost next to nothing on it so suspect its my set and not a common fault.

I'll persevere until a flash it. Thanks for the help so far.

Thanks Tintin

[Kilrah]

Just point them to this thread saying that the developers of the firmware assured you they haven't changed anything that could effect it.

BTW, if he wants you to reflash, he probably wants you to flash the "official" FrSky firmware i.e. v1.1.02 from here, not the "bare" OpenTX.
Both the drivers and procedure are different.