30 replies to this topic

[alanb]

Hi, I got a Netduino Plus at Christmas so am a newcomer. I tried to update the 4.1.0.5 firmware to 4.1.1 Alpha, followed the instructions. But when I press deploy I get the messagebox with the progress bar saying Connecting to TintBooter but it just hangs there with no progress. Can someone tell me what is going wrong and how to fix it? Thanks Alan

[Chris Walker]

Hi Alan, Try unplugging and re-attaching your Netduino Plus after the "Connecting to TinyBooter" message appears. If that doesn't work, could you please upload a screenshot so we can help diagnose? Welcome to the Netduino community, Chris

[alanb]

Well, I whilst waiting for a reply I tried reflashing my N+ following the instructions in the video from OZ. SAM-BA step was ok so then used mfdeploy which seemed to download ok but hung after deploying the ER-Flash and ER_CONFIG files saying Executing Application. So I unplugged the N+ and reattached. I was able to ping and got a reply indicating that 4.1.1 was installed. So I tried running a program from visual studio which had run ok under 4.1.0.5. This hung saying a reeboot was necessary. However if I unplugged the N+ and re attached again the program ran so it had been loaded, this happens consistently each time I ran the code. I saw at http://forums.netdui...the-bootloader/ that Kevinn seemingly had the same problem with 4.1.0.6. So thinking the problem may be with 4.1.1 I downloaded 4.1.0.6 and again reflashed the N+. However I get exactly the same problem with version 4.1.0.6 (see sceen image) which has been hanging for 30+ miniutes. So what should I do now go back to 4.1.0.5 is there a problem with my N+ or is it just operator error ? Alan

Attached Files

•  screen.png   21.32KB   39 downloads

[alanb]

To add to above. I just reflashed 4.1.0.5 onto N+ and that works ok, no hang ups Alan

[Chris Walker]

To add to above. I just reflashed 4.1.0.5 onto N+ and that works ok, no hang ups

Hi Alan,

Are you running inside a virtual machine? If not, what version of Windows are you using (and is it 32-bit or 64-bit)?

Chris

[alanb]

Hi Alan,

Are you running inside a virtual machine? If not, what version of Windows are you using (and is it 32-bit or 64-bit)?

Chris

Chris,
I am running a 32bit version of XP with service pack 3 on an Esprimo with Intel core2 CPU 6300 @ 1.86 GHz showing 2.99 GB of ram although there is 5GB on board. I usually run Ubuntu but installed the only version of XP I own which is the 32 bit version from a previous machine. Not running on a virtual machine.

Alan

[Chris Walker]

Hi Alan, Would you mind trying to update to the new build (v4.1.0.6 release candidate 1)? Chris

[alanb]

Chris, Tried ubdating from 4.1.0.5 but MFDEploy hung waiting for bootloader so reflashed both 4.1.0.6 (and 4.1.0.6 48K just in case ) however both hung see snapshots.

Attached Files

•  4.1.0.png   20.66KB   18 downloads
•  4_1_0_6_48k.png   18.69KB   17 downloads

[alanb]

Chris, Sorry message above is not much help, as when reflashing 4.1.0.5 again I get the hanging initially in MFDeploy as with snapshots of 4.1.0.6 and have to unplug netduino and reattach. (had forgotten that). So I tried 4.1.0.6 RC1 again and unplugged and reattached. But then ran visual studio with small test app. The difference between 5 and 6 is that when running the program in 5 after downloading to the N+ the reboot is successful and the debugger continues and code runs. In version 6 the reboot hangs until the N+ is physically unplugged and re-attached. I have included a screenshot of running in version 5. When running version 6 nothing appears on the vs output window after the word rebooting until as I said the N+ is unplugged and then re-attached but obviously the debugger is not attached and it just exits. The code however is executed on the N+. Alan

Attached Files

•  reboot.png   1.83KB   17 downloads

[Chris Walker]

Hi Alan, We'd like to make 5 custom builds of firmware and have you test them (to see which of the builds fixes the issue for you). It appears to be a USB re-enumeration issue. Would you be up to an evening of reflashing? We could coordinate through the chat window. Chris

[Chris Walker]

Hi Alan, Following up from Chat... We have the five builds ready for you. Let me know a good e-mail address to send them to. Also, when/where did you buy your Netduino Plus? Chris

[alanb]

Chris, I have received the builds. All contain config and flash. Which version of TintbootDecompressor do you wish me to try them with from 4.1.0.5 or from 4.1.0.6 ? Alan

[Chris Walker]

Chris,
I have received the builds. All contain config and flash. Which version of TintbootDecompressor do you wish me to try them with from 4.1.0.5 or from 4.1.0.6 ?
Alan

Hi Alan,

If you haven't flashed a TinyBooter before then the one you have right now is fine. Otherwise, use the one from the v4.1.1 alpha 6 build or the v4.1.0.6 RC1 build. ["64KB" bootloader]


Chris

[alanb]

Chris, Tried all first with 4.1.0.5 TinyBooter build 3 was the one that worked in that vs debug deployment did not hang up all others did. So flashed 4.1.1 alpha 6 and tried that on build 3 again worked without hanging in vs. Also did not hang when used MFDeploy to clear code. I have attached output from vs and MFDEploy for 4.1.1 alpha 6. Just gone through vs debug , MFDeploy clear cycle half a dozen times without need to unplu/plugin N+. Havent tried any of the others do you want me to try all the other builds with 4.1.1 alpha6? By the way when using MFDEploy used to flash chip it still hangs up after finishing with Application executing message so I have to unplu/plug there but beginning to think that is an MFDeploy bug. You can catch me on Chat now.

Attached Files

•  vs_build3_on_4.1.1a6.txt   3.91KB   10 downloads
•  build3_MFDeploy_clear_4.1.1a6.txt   1.6KB   6 downloads

[alanb]

I cannot get the SD disk working. I am now trying a Transcend 2GB disc formatted with FAT and reported by my pc to be healthy. However the disc is not recognized at all. See code fragment below which includes code copied from another posting.

   while (true)
   {
       Debug.Print("Loop " + i.ToString() + "\n");
       string[] dirs = Directory.GetDirectories(@"\");
       foreach (string s in dirs)
           Debug.Print(s);
               
       i++;
       try
       {
           Directory.SetCurrentDirectory("\\SD");
       }
       catch (Exception)
       {
           Debug.Print("Exception occurred while calling SetCurrentDirectory");
       }
       Debug.Print("Current directory (after): " + Directory.GetCurrentDirectory());

       Thread.Sleep(8000);
   }

See attached file for output. I removed/re-inserted the SD card between iterations of the loop but it seems to make no difference. So can you tell if my SD card reader working or not or is it a software issue?

Attached Files

•  SDresults.txt   5.53KB   8 downloads

[Jim Davies]

Alan,

when using MFDEploy used to flash chip it still hangs up after finishing with Application executing message so I have to unplu/plug there but beginning to think that is an MFDeploy bug.

I always get this also.

Jim

[Frank]

I also get this.

[Nevyn]

I also get this.

On my system I get dirs set to an array of size one containing the string \SD

SetCurrentDirectory appears to the set the directory correctly as the call to GetCurrentDirectory returns \SD.

Regards,
Mark

[Chris Walker]

alanb, It's really weird that you're getting "\ROOT" and "\WINFS" at all. Which firmware build are you using? The special "build #3" that I sent you? Also, is the card formatted as FAT16 or FAT32? One last thought... Some 2GB and 4GB cards use non-standard sector sizes. SD used to be limited to 1GB and before a standard was put into place for 2GB/4GB, several manufacturers came up with their own schemes. This may be the case with your card. Every 2GB card we've tested has worked, but there's a chance that a few odd ones may not. Chris

[alanb]

alanb,

It's really weird that you're getting "\ROOT" and "\WINFS" at all. Which firmware build are you using? The special "build #3" that I sent you?

Also, is the card formatted as FAT16 or FAT32?

Chris

Yes I am using the special build you sent. I will reflash the old 4.1.0.5 today and try that. The SD card was formatted on my PC as FAT so I take that to be FAT16. I do know that when mounted on a USB carrier my pc reports the SD disk as healthy.

At present I do not know if it is the firmware or my N+ hardware that is at fault (if it is the hardware I will want to return my N+ to the supplier to be swapped under warranty for a fully working board).

I am under the opinion that perhaps secret labs should think about makeing some short test programs available (not necessarily in c#) that will enable users to establish definitively, if at all possible, whether a problem is hardware or software related. I think this could apply to the SD card, the Network interface etc.

For example is my short bit of code that doesnt report \SD a definitive test for the SD reader/firmware? If not what code would be?

Alan