PowerSDR Says Firmware Needs Upgrade Constantly

Paul, WB5AGF

I have a FLEX-5000A that has never been used (bought around Thanksgiving 2008) and now I am trying to use it.

I downloaded the latest version of PowerSDR and, after going around-and-around trying to get the FireWire Driver working, finally learned that I needed to completely uninstall it (I'd been running it in 'DEMO' mode to look at the screen) and that I could then get the FireWire Driver working under Windows 7 if I let the software install the driver and then hooked-up the radio without running PowerSDR (at that point Windows 7 announced that it had successfully installed the FireWire Driver).

Now the problem is that when I try and run PowerSDR a screen comes up saying that the firmware needs to be upgraded. I then say OK and there is a brief instant when the screen appears to show that something is happening and then I'm told that the firmware was successfully upgraded and that I should restart PowerSDR.

The same thing happens again-and-again .... I keep being told to update the firmware .... I've also tried restarting the radio but it doesn't do any good.

- Paul

Paul_Mills

When I had this problem, I had to uninstall power sdr AND go into control panel in windows and uninstall the flex FireWire driver. Let install choose values to use in driver. If you try to change and get values system does not like, you will need right back where you started.

Paul, WB5AGF

Paul;

I don't understand your comments (because) ...

As best I can tell the computer/PowerSDR now 'see' the FLEX-5000A Radio because 'before' .... when I was getting FireWire Driver 'failure-to-install' messages from the computer .... there was no evidence that PowerSDR could tell that there was a radio connected.

Now when I run PowerSDR I get the 'firmware upgrade' message and when I tell it 'OK' I am then asked if the radio is a FLEX-5000 (I was reading some upgrade notes and apparently .... after a particular revision .... the PowerSDR software can no longer tell if a connected radio is a FLEX-5000 or a FLEX-3000) software seems to be doing something but .... almost instantly .... I'm given the 'upgrade finished' message and it then tells me to restart PowerSDR .... then the whole thing begins again.

When I tell PowerSDR to go ahead and update the firmware there is a horizontal bar-gauge that appears .... presumably to show me the progress of the firmware upgrade process .... that gauge never does more than slow a tiny sliver of color on the left-most side and then I get the 'firmware upgrade complete' message .... which I don't believe is really happening.

- Paul, WB5AGF

Paul_Mills

Exactly what I had.

Bill -VA3WTB

I wish I could remember back when I saw this many years ago, I have never had it happen again. But I remember it was easy to solve.

W1MBG

Paul,
I was having this "Ground Hog Day" event a month ago.  I was getting ready to pack radio back to Flex.  I gave it one more try by trying another firewire cable.  That didn't work and I put the original Flex cable back on.  I then got a partial load of the SW (green progress bar hung about half way).  I reloaded PSDR again (may have done a reboot in between) and had success.  Also look at recognition of your firewire thru the "FlexRadio" program which is on my desktop.  Summary, solved by re-inserting firewire cable in pc and radio a couple of times.
John
W1MBG

Bill -VA3WTB

Makes me wonder if the fire wire is compatible with the Flex? It may be losing connection from time to time. But if there is no connection at startup, the software simply goes into demo mode.  I ordered a granite fire wire cable from flex, the best investment!.

Paul, WB5AGF

I've tried uninstalling & reinstalling both the FireWire Driver and the PowerSDR software three time now .... with no good results.

One really odd thing ..... the 'FlexRadio' software (I call it the FireWire GUI) says that the radio attached is a FLEX-3000 .....

When the radio is first 'seen' by the PowerSDR software (after a uninstall/reinstall cycle) it goes into an optimization routine which last maybe a minute or better .....  then after that the software begins squawking that the radio needs a firmware upgrade ... I say 'OK' .... it says 'finished' .... I try running PowerSDR again .... it says a firmware upgrade is needed (and again .... and again .... and again ....)

If I can't get this thing working within the next day-or-so I'm going to get a return authorization from FLEX and ship the radio back to Austin.

- Paul, WB5AGF

Bill -VA3WTB

what if you say no to it and continue?

Bill -VA3WTB

always make sure the radio is turned on before starting software

Paul, WB5AGF

The information 'window' says :
        ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

        A radio firmware update is required in order to continue.

        Would you like to update your firmware now ?
        If not, PowerSDR will be closed.

        ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

and then it provides a 'Yes' and a 'No' button.

If I click 'Yes' then I get the merry-go-round foolishness that I've described ...

If I click 'No' then PowerSDR immediately stops.

- Paul, WB5AGF

W9OY

I haven't run a F5K in years, but I always reset the database in PSDR every time I updated 

73  W9OY

Tim - W4TME

This behavior is covered in the PowerSDR Release Notes.  The Firewire interface in the PC is not communicating properly with the radio hardware.  I recommend opening a HelpDesk ticket so we can debug that actual reason for the failure as there can be several reasons why this is happening.

Paul, WB5AGF

Tim;

I've opened a ticket.

(but)

I don't believe that your comment is relevant in this situation as the FireWire Driver is the one being installed at the same time as PowerSDR vers 2.7.2 - at least that's the way that I interpret the comments in the Release Notes.

If I'm reading the Release Notes correctly the firmware upgrade message will be seen if an older version of PowerSDR is run after the FireWire Driver is upgraded to vers 4.1.3.17357 (that's what's installed with PowerSDR vers 2.7.2).

That is not the case I have .... I'm running (well trying to ...) PowerSDR vers 2.7.2 along with FireWire Driver 4.1.3.17357 (which came with the PowerSDR).

Also .... WHY is the radio being identified as a FLEX-3000 ?

Now ..... it was probably a 'bad thing' to do (i.e. I may have 'bricked' my radio) but in frustration a few minutes ago I 'told' the software that the attached radio WAS a FLEX-3000 (it asks) and ..... the horizontal bar-graph ('fuel gauge') display appeared to show that something happened ..... Now .... of course .... the radio isn't turning-on correctly but that doesn't surprise me.

- Paul, WB5AGF

Bill -VA3WTB

As Tim said, the communications are not working well, just let them work with you step by step.

Paul, WB5AGF

Early Saturday Morning
27 June 2015



THE PROBLEM IS FIXED (!)

Dudley Hurry, WA5QPZ, with FLEXRADIO's tech support organization, logged into my PC (using TeamViewer) on Friday afternoon and got my FLEX-5000A Radio up-and-running.

Dudley explained that the problem was due to the fact that my radio had such an old version of firmware (dating back to when I bought the radio around Thanksgiving 2008) that the current PowerSDR software was unable to work correctly with it.

The 'fix' was to load a more current version of firmware (let's call it an interim version) into the radio, but still not the most current firmware, and then run PowerSDR which could complete the 'fix' by uploading the current firmware into the radio.

There was an intermediate problem which Dudley had to address : The software which would load the interim firmware into the radio (newer than what the radio had in it dating from when it was bought in late 2008 but still not the latest version) dates from a time when the FLEX FireWire driver was significantly different than the current driver. As a result Dudley had to load an older FireWire driver into my PC before the interim firmware could be loaded into the radio. Then that older FireWire driver had to be removed from my PC so that the current FireWire driver could be installed ..... then PowerSDR was able to correctly upload the current firmware into the radio.

(Awhile back FLEX made a significant change to the FireWire driver, used to connect the FLEX-5000 Radio to the computer through the FireWire interface. The change is so great that any operating software from the earlier time won't work with the current FireWire driver and, similarly, current operating software won't work with the old FireWire driver.)

Thanks Dudley/FLEX !

- Paul, WB5AGF

Bill -VA3WTB

Good to hear Paul. I remember that upgrade, I kept up with all the updates as time went on so this was never a problem here. Enjoy your radio, it is still a very good performer.