Problems with DAX Drivers - unsigned certificates

Felice, IZ8FFA

Hello, owner of a brand new Flex 6300 since yesterday I'm having an

issue with the DAX sistem which doesn't work at all.


Let's start saying that on my PC I'm running Windows 7 64 bit and I've
the Service pack already installed.

I started with the insallation of Ssdr 1.9.3 and while the software is
working together with Cat application, the DAX is not working at all and
reports driver errors; checking in depht I found that the error in in
the lack of "digital signature".

I tried with the update of the Root certificate, manually uptaded
Windows but the error is still there.

So, I started once again > format Hard Disk > install again Windows 7 >
run updates > run Root certificate update > install Ssdr with
administator privilege but it's all like before: DAX not working because
of digital signature.

As I'm fighting against my PC since 30 hours, after reading all
informations on the Flex community about previous issues I, honestly,
don't know what else to do.

Please have a look at the attached picture and help me solve this problem.

Hope to receive news from you very soon.

Sincererly yours, Felice IZ8FFA

EA4GLI

Hi Felice,

This is a problem with Windows 7 install and the update service. Chances are you need around 150 to 250 updates, but your Windows 7 installation media is too old (even if it has Service Pack 1) and update hangs forever.

It is happening to a lot of people that tried Windows 10, didn't like it and wanted to go back. Microsoft is not making it easy at all for anyone to do that.

After some research I found a way around this issue.

First thing you need is to stop the BITS service, stop Update and clear the Update cache and history.
There is information in this website on how to do it:

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/91738-windows-update-reset.html

My advice is that you download the batch file provided in that site and remember to run it as administrator. By going to the folder where it downloaded and Right Clicking It and "Run as Administrator" (This will be different in Italian)

You then proceed to install, ONE BY ONE, and restarting after each one, the following 3 UPDATES from Microsoft.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3102810

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3112343

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3138612

You need to select the right one for your Windows 7 (32Bit or 64Bit)

I have shared this information already with 9 different Flex users with the same problem as you.
I went as far as putting all the necessary files in a convenient ZIP file I placed in Dropbox.
This is the link to the ZIP file, or you can download from the links above directly from Microsoft (a bit longer but the safer thing to do... never trust downloads from strangers, including me, hi hi).

Remember to RESTART windows after each one of those 3 updates. Follow the order from smaller number to bigger. Top to bottom in the list above.

After that last restart you can run Windows Update and it should find a ton of updates for your system. Make sure to change UPDATE setting so it will not automatically install anything. 

IMPORTANT: There is a particular update (KB971033) that will check if you Windows is Genuine. This is one the the updates at the bottom of the list. If you selected Automatic Updates this one will get installed and render your Windows inactivated, stopping further updates and the possibility to install DAX. It is imperative that you do not install it. Even if you have a valid copy of Windows 7 with your valid Key this update is known to break windows and you will have to go through a lot of trouble to get back to Windows activated (either legally calling Microsoft tech support... good luck with that, or illegally running a boot loader... dangerous as many are loaded with nasty viruses and trojans)... so just do not install that update.

If you have a lot of updates, including drivers and other things I would select a smaller group of updates, like 10 or 15 and get those going. Start from the bottom up.

If you have around 200 updates it will be 1.5 GB of data and it could take several hours. So if you are in a metered connection be aware of that.

I am not sure which one of those 200+ updates is the one necessary to get the DAX driver signatures going. It would be great if Flex Radio would tell us so we do not have to go through this painful process every time you install Windows 7.

Good luck!

Ross - K9COX

After reading this I am happy that I learned to like Windows 10

EA4GLI

So I spend time putting together a solution for a fellow ham, documenting the steps to get them up and running again, and the first thing I get is a snide comment.... This forum is going downhill fast.

Lawrence Gray

Most of us appreciate the work other users like you do. Don't let thoughtless comment discourage you.

EA4GLI

I guess I wasn't expecting it from Ross... Or maybe I am reading too much into it. Thanks.

K1UO Larry

Nice work Salvador...  I'm sure your help efforts were appreciated.

Rick

I appreciate the suggestion as I've had the same problem though not with DAX with SSDR. I filed a ticket yesterday and will wait for their response before going any further as I don't consider myself a confident computer jock, especially with Windows. TNX and 73 Rick, W2JAZ

LarryF

Salvador,

There only a few,  But most of us do appreciate what you have to say and the time you spend doing it!!  You are some of the posts I always read and look forward to them.  Please don't let one comment get you down because the are another 1k that say great job Salvador!!!

Thank you for your posts.

Larry, ke2yc


Felice, IZ8FFA

Hi Salvator, thank you so much for to help me.
I have followed step by step your detailed instructions and yes, the windows 7 have added about 270 new files and 1,3 Gb in 3 ours of download and instllation.
Now, finally I have my Flex Radio 6300 that run propertly.
Thank you again.
Ciao
Felice, IZ8FFA

EA4GLI

You are very welcome. Thanks for letting us know that it worked for you!

Rick

Salvador, I have a similar problem but with SmartCAT drivers not loading. I did at one time upgrade to win 10 but reverted to 7. In your helpful post you directed us in the first link to seven forums and suggested we do this and the. Run each of the Microsoft updates. My question is should I follow all 3 steps recommended in your first link to seven forums.? Rick, W2JAZ

Rick

Perhaps it would be easier to bite the bullet and install win 10. What do you think?

EA4GLI

Never!! Hi hi
I believe Windows 10 eventually will be ready for mainstream, but I feel that it is very picky now with drivers and the whole approach to updates and privacy is problematic to say the least. I don´t find it a reliable environment in its current state more so if you are not a "power user¨confortable changing things around.

I think if you have to have a computer to run your radio, which is the case with the 6000 series of Flex you are better of with a system as stable as possible. I would avoid installing anything beyond the software and hardware necessary to run your radio equipment. And if you like to try and install things I would make sure to have a backup and restore system that can get you back to a working environment.

Having said that.... and as per your question

Sevenforums has put into BATCH files the commands necessary to STOP BITS (which needs to run to get updates), the actual update service of Microsoft and remove any cache or history of updates that might confused your system into the never ending loop.

There was a recent update to the way Windows delivers the updates to users that provoked this issue. If you kept your Windows 7 up to date none of this applies to you. But if you, like many others have recently tried to load Windows 7 in a machine or have tried to install it in a VirtualBox inside a linux distribution, you might have the issue of the UPDATE not working.

The BATCH files provided by sevenforums perform the tasks necessary to stop the hung service. There are 3 BATCH files:

First one Resets Windows Update History only.
Second one Resets and Re-registers Windows Update Components
Third one Resets and Re-registers Windows Update Components AND Resets Update History in One Easy Click

 You might only need the 1st one or the 2nd one, but I just find it is easier to just run the 3rd one and be done with it.

That batch file runs a bunch of commands that required elevated privileges and that is why you need to Run it as Administrator. 

Short answer.

1. Stop Windows auto updates.
2. Run as Administrator this batch file and restart the PC.
3. Install each one of the Microsoft updates I linked above. Restart PC after each one.
4. Run Windows Update. Avoid update KB971003 you can right click on an update and select to HIDE it.
5. Grab a cold drink while your system installs a couple hundred updates.
6. Once done, restart and run Windows Update again. More updates.
7. Finally install SmartSDR 

KY6LA_Howard

W10 is NOT a good idea. DAX and CAT seem to break themselves with every automatic update to W10 So if you can avoid W10 until it is finally stable enough for mainstream. Probably a year or two yet. I have had to uninstall W10 from over a dozen systems now to get friends back to a stable W7 platform.

Rick

Thank you so much for this clear explanation. But it sure is complicated just to run a radio. Maybe it's time to move on and sell my 6000 series as I've had all sorts of software issues. Probably from my own inability to handle what Windows, but never the less .... thanks again. Rick

Rick

Howard, this seems like an inordinate about of work and grief justnti run a radio! I may go back to using my flex 5000 since PowerSDR is rock solid.

mikeatthebeach .

Windows 10 will be the cause of death of FlexRadio Systems !

EA4GLI

Windows 10 has compound the issues for many. I assure you I am very happy with Windows 7 and dearly advise you to keep it to run, not only SmartSDR, but a long list of other Windows radio software packages. There are plenty of issues that need to be resolved with SmartSDR but I run it daily on my Windows 7 64Bit machine without issues.

Hopefuly FRS will consider at some point to create a Linux version of SmartSDR.

It is very difficult to get away from the computer nowadays, but if it is painful and a nightmare to deal with, maybe you are better off with a radio that will not require it.

Eventually though, if you keep an electronic log, work digital modes or like to check cluster, propagation information and qrz you will have to use a computer regardless of the radio that you decide to run in your QTH.

Rick

Of course I use the computer for tons of amateur radio related tasks including regular satellite operation, so I'm not a complete novice at it. But it seems I'm always facing some sort of issues with SSDR. I'm going to try and follow your process and hope that all resolves itself. I did submit a ticket to Flex yesterday, but I'm afraid my problem will be viewed as a PC problem which is on me. Thanks again and I'll report how I made out if I can make it through what looks like a lengthy process. 

KY6LA_Howard

Rick

SmartSDR for the 6000 series is quite stable and much easier to use that PowerSDR.

As Sal indicated, you just need a CURRENT up to date W7 system... which frankly is not that much work.....

mikeatthebeach .

Windows 10 sucks

KY6LA_Howard

Alternative;  if you own an iPad or iPhone, SmartSDR for iOS is fabulous

Rick

Yes I use the iOS app occasionally but can't do many of the things I enjoy doing by using the app. It is a great tool though.
RIck

Rick

Salvador I followed your fist step downloading the bat file (actually step 3 as u suggested) and now computer locked up on Starting Windows Screen and just sits there. Now what if your will to help perhaps we should carry on via email....my email is rjlawn at gmail dot com. At the moment I'll stay close to my iPad as the computer will not start.

Kevin

Another conversation with a little light shed if you can get through the pile of trash heaped on top. Fabulous. 

VK7WH Winston

Thank you Salvador for your comprehensive posts. I have been running my 6700 on Win 7 since the day I purchased it over 2 years ago with zero problems, however I do have a four year old i5 Win 7 laptop I want to bring back into service, and I may want to use it with SSDR from time to time. As it has not been updated for quite some time, your posts on this thread, and the procedures you outline, will be of great assistance to me. Thank you again for the trouble you have gone to in detailing these procedures. I am sure that many others also appreciate your effort. Best 73 Winston

Walt - KZ1F

@Mike, I'd go one step further and say Windows in general. Further, DAX was such an incredibly bad idea it ties SSDR permanently to Microsoft. One can live and learn or merely tip-toe past the graveyard. Obviously, there are people who would disagree with that statement. I made a suggestion, which appears to not have gotten any traction, that what FRS should do is write the native bridge to bi-directionally  process the current DAX audio directly from flexlib rather than some abomination of faux audio devices, including a couple thousand (or so it feels like) 'reserved' devices. The premise of that suggestion is, anecdotally, it doesn't appear either the folks working on fldigi or Digital Manager are interested in making FRS able to jettison DAX. So it then becomes incumbent upon SSDR users to either live with whatever issues there are with DAX and Microsoft (they clearly have bigger fish to fry) or not use digital. Or, get a radio that, via a USB cable, simply looks like a sound card to the computer.  Of course that represents the worst heresy imaginable, huh?

Walt - KZ1F

@Sal, is the whole failed authentication check after that procedure a function of the execution of that procedure? I understand it if it were a bootlegged copy of Windows 7 but what if it is legit?

EA4GLI

Hi Walt. It has nothing to do with the key of windows. But a not activated version of windows will not get updates downloaded from Microsoft.

Without knowing exactly the update or updates that will get DAX working again we have to solve the update issue and then download ALL the updates. It is the current solution I have found. That is why I was asking FRS if they had an idea of the specific update or updates necessary to get DAX working on Windows 7.

Once you know, you can download the specific updates as opposed to waiting for Windows Update to do it for you. If you research this a bit, you can actually get all the updates bundled in a single package, and you can do that through some MSDN website, which I can't recall off the top of my head.

With so many updates you would have thought that Windows 7 would have an official Service Pack 2 to bundle them officially. But they went the Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 and eventually Windows 10 route, instead.

Regardless of bootlegged or Legit, the Windows Update will hang for you because there isn't an official Windows 7 SP2. There have been over 270 updates to Windows 7 since Service Pack 1.

Lawrence Gray

You can download a "convenience rollup" and update Win 7.  Instructions here:

http://www.howtogeek.com/255435/how-to-update-windows-7-all-at-once-with-microsofts-convenience-rollup/



Larry, W1IZZ