1.10.15 Stuck in Update

Steve Belcak

Updating Software...purple light on but just stuck and no progress...power button does nothing...

unplug'd power from back of radio, waited 5 minutes, plug in power, it started and same problem.

turned off power supply, waited 5 minutes, held OK button then turned on power it went right into purple light and updating software .......

this is a new install with a complete removal of all previous SDR/Cat/Dax software and com port clean up.  Cat and Dax load and show latest version. I closed and restarted SDR but now it doesn't see the radio......

any & all help appreciated....Thanks

Joe - KC2TN

Try resetting the radio by holding in the OK button, then pushing the power on button and releasing the OK button after the display counts down from 5-0.

Tim - W4TME

I'd unplug the power from the radio and let it sit for a while.  Then apply power and allow it to do the firmware update.  It can take several minutes depending on the number of processors that have to be updated.  If the radio still has not updated after that, open a HelpDesk support ticket.

Ian1

Steve

I have seen this behavior before Tim is spot on all should be OK after.

Ian

WA2SQQ

Spoke with Steve earlier. Radio has been sitting in this stuck mode for over 1 hour. Reset isn't working. It reverts back to this condition the moment power is connected.

Ria

It's a known issue unfortunately. Follow Tim's advice but if that doesn't work, maybe downgrading back to 1.10.8 is your only option. I can confirm that I had the stuck radio issue and downgrade got my radio functional again.

Steve Belcak

Hello Ria...The attempted update of software has developed a specific problem. Right now the power button is useless.....the only way to turn the radio on or off is by turning on or off the power supply. As soon as power is applied instantly it goes into purple light and screen say's "updating software" . Dudley at the Help Center has advised I return it to Flex.....I'm waiting for an RMA.  At this point I'm not sure that downgrading to 1.10.8 would help.. Thanks  Steve

WA2SQQ

Does anyone know if there is a battery back up inside? It would seem that some backup method is holding it in the present state.

Steve K9ZW

Open a HelpDesk ticket as FRS was the right thing to do.

My one instance in this stuck-in-update resolved after a turned off and pulled power from the Radio, the Controlling Computer I was running SmartsSDR from, AND downing the Cisco Router.

When I did this I also left EVERYTHING other than the Radio, Router and Computer off when I successfully recovered.

Only mentioning it, as normal reboots and partial system downs didn't get it there.

GL and I am sure FRS will sort out your radio soon.


73

Steve
K9ZW

Ria

In my case even though it went back to the "updating" mode with purple LED, firing up an older version of SSDR would show the radio and I could revert to an older version. If that is not showing up for you then your radio probably needs to go back to FRS.

Ria

Battery backup or flash memory.

WA2SQQ

There should be a way to get this fixed without shipping the radio back. The expense of shipping and insuring the radio is a big hit, not to mention the down time.

Steve K9ZW

I think that is why they have an exhaustive set of remote tools and procedures they ask you to run through before sending gear in.

But if there is a hardware fault or some sort of issue that prevents all solutions, guess the only positive thing is FRS has great techs.

Only one of my (3) Flex-6000 series (6700 serial number #11) has needed to make a trip back, and that was for the very early on upgrade process.

I've been less lucky with Maestros, as all needed to make the trip at one point or another to have the non-user accessible bootware upgraded.

For early adopter's equipment I'm impressed.  Thinking of other first series products I've bought over the years, the FRS stuff is awesome out of the box.  Some examples are a set of early new model pistols, which went back four times for rework until I gave up, a first of series expensive SUV that simply ate EMUs until it was upgraded to a silent "Mk II" EMU, some new model induction welders that the manufacturer ended up replacing for us after three trips back to the bench in Ohio, some complex large fabrications tools designed in Germany, built in Italy and installed in one of the plants I was responsible for in England that lead to dragging the old equipment out of pre-salvage sale storage & putting there back into use while people & parts were flown back & forth...  I've seen clients with $60m machine lines take a month to work out the first time design bugs when put into actual use - actually I visited a $160m new plant that was 5 months behind starting initial production of European gear made for the first time for the North American Market.  Just remembered that both the big blue and the apple logo outfits had struggles with the leading edge units provided to my grad school overseas for student use (think back to AT class and Color all-in-one machines respectively, each a fair bit before full release.)

We all may be impatient and some grumble opening about the FRS process to prepare new Software and Products for the market, but I am very pleased with what they deliver.   Then again I know how many times the early IC-7800 I dragged out of Dayton when there were just a handful allocated for the whole show (heard 2 and then heard 4 units, but it wasn't much) had to go back in for fixes.  Still a great radio for the time, but wasn't FRS ready for market.  Even the Hilberling I had bought from the ARRL went back all the way to Germany for fixes/upgrades shortly after they acquired it.

As for down time - remember "Two is One, and One is None" so if being on the ari is critical you should have a second Transceiver.  It doesn't have to be a second Flex-6700 but you should have something to keep yourself happy if a backup is needed.  I keep a TenTec Jupiter at each QTH as a backup, as I had them because I liked them anyway.  

73

Steve
K9ZW

Tim - W4TME

Steve - we'll get that RMA to you first thing this morning. This should be an easy issue to resolve and get your radio back to you in the least amount of time possible.  Our firmware update process is fairly robust, but an issue like this can occur, albeit very rarely.  Sorry for the inconvenience. 

Steve Belcak

Thank you Tim....isn't there anything we could try to avoid having to send the radio back.....Steve

John Leonard

This just happened to me.... is a return still the only option???

John Leonard

I hadn't used the Maestro in a long time... it makes sense that it no longer recognizes the radio..... correct....  

Steve K9ZW

@John Is it your radio or your Maestro that is hung? Different fixes depending on which of course. 73 Steve K9ZW

John Leonard

Hi Steve, it was the radio.... I tried the "cold reboot" where in addition to turning the power supply off I also unplugged the power cords to the radio and waited 20 minutes.... When I turned it all back up the upgrade was successful. 

I don't understand why it worked but I very glad it did. Thank you for asking

John
KK4FZI