Windows cumulative update problem

W2ECK

Woke up this morning to find Windows 10 had installed Security update KB4480979 and Cumulative update KB 4480966 overnight. AND that my 6600 would no longer connect to  SSDR 2.4.9. Still relatively new 6600 owner, so this is my first Win10 disaster. So what is the recommended fix to get my 6600 to talk to SSDR again ?

73
Paul
w2eck

Joe N3HEE

I have a 6600M and I can connect to my radio via SSDR 2.4.9 after installing above mentioned updates on my Win 10 laptop.  Try to reboot your computer and radio and see what happens ?  

Mike-VA3MW

Hi Paul

Windows has a habit of turning on the Firewall and/or making your Network card a different 'class'.  If you check your Network card, make sure it is set to Private (not Public).  When it is set t Public, it shuts down a lot of internet communications and essentially turns on the firewall.  This can prevent SmartSDR from communicating with the radio.

Go to Control Panel –> Network and Internet –> HomeGroup. ... This will open a charms dialog asking you “Do you want to allow your PC to be discoverable by other PCs and devices on this network”. Press the Yes button if you want your network to be set to Home or Work and No button if you want to be in public network.

Here is another link that says the same thing:  https://tinkertry.com/how-to-change-windows-10-network-type-from-public-to-private

Mike 

W2ECK

Joe- rebooted PC several times - no joy.
Mike - first tried Control Panel approach, never got the dialog box with question re Public or Private. But following instructions in the link you provided, I found that it was Public. So changed to Private and rebooted. End result, no change - 6600 still will not connect. 

73
Paul
w2eck

Mike-VA3MW

Ok, the next 2 things that I would try would be is to make sure your firewall is off.  

If it is, I would do a command prompt PING and see if you can Ping the Radio IP address from the PC.  You may have to look at your Router to figure out what the IP address of the radio is.

If SmartSDR can't find the radio, then something is blocking the radio broadcasts on your LAN.  I assume your Radio is plugged into your LAN.

Mike

W2ECK

Mike - Windows Firewall was On for both Public and Private - turned off on both, still no connection for 6600.
6600 is plugged into my router.
Did an IP Scan of my network and don't see a name or manufacturer with Flex on it. How would 6600 ip address be labeled?

Paul

Mike-VA3MW

On my radio, the radio shows up with a Manufacture name of "FlexRadio Systems" and the MAC address begins with 00:1C:2D....   

I did a scan with Advanced IP Scanner. https://www.advanced-ip-scanner.com/

It sounds like your radio isn't on the network.  If you haven't, try a full DC reboot.

Mike 

W2ECK

Mike - That was it - did the full DC reboot and now radio shows up in the IP Scan and connects to SSDR. 
So in the end not sure which suggestion remedied the problem, but all did seem to start with the Windows update.
Thanks for the help, I learned a few tricks in the process.

73
Paul
w2eck

Mike-VA3MW

Awesome... I think we covered most things that interrupt the LAN communications.  When Tim, Eric or I ask for your environment, we have to assume absolutely nothing as we deal with customers with all sorts of experience and some with very little.  That is why some of the trivial questions get asked first.

Jay Nation

Paul

Rebooting the radio and/or the router will reinitiate the DHCP IP address negotiation/handshake. Which might have become invalid using the previous values. Some other device on your LAN may have captured the previous values and still had them in use. you should be able to assign an IP address to the radio's, MAC address which would control other devices hijacking the IP assignment the radio gets. IOW it reserves that particular IP for that MAC address.

    #FlexRadio IRC chat

For real-time discussions

        SDRgadgets

User-created documentation.
           Volunteer!!

         73, Jay - NO5J

John Langdon

After the latest Windows cumulative updates were installed about 4 days ago, I could no longer connect remotely to the radio, either with PowerSDR on a remote PC or with Maestro, and at the same time Windows Remote Desktop Connection stop connecting.  Arggggh! Local connect with a PC was okay. Other port forwarded stuff, like a rotor controller, DLI power controller, and webcams kept working okay.  Smartlink test showed red. 

I had to 'un-register' and 're-register' the radio with Smartlink to get it going again. I also had to change passwords on the administrator account on the remote computer to get RDC working again.  YMMV.

73 John N5CQ

Burch - K4QXX

I work in IT and I hate windows 10.  We have two accounting applications that more times than not get messed up after a Windows 10 feature update.  It breaks the pdf printer function.   It seems device drivers are the most affected problem with these feature updates.  With the last two feature updates, the tax software vendors must have finally figured out what was causing the issue (or I got lucky) as I haven't had to reinstall the accounting software in some time.  I feel bad for Flexradio having to deal with this but I really wish they could figure out a way to keep the DAX drivers from getting messed up from these updates.  I have spoken to several prospective Flex buyers and the first thing they bring up is hearing about issues with windows updates.  This latest 1809 update broke my DAX drivers and I am able to fix it but many people won't put up with having to continually fix software issues. This issue is keeping many prospective buyers from buying a Flex radio.  And with Windows 7 at end of like next January, this issue will get worse as more users upgrade to Windows 10.

Mike-VA3MW

The updates that affect DAX are something that we are working with Microsoft on, so it is not lost that some of you have had DAX issues and it impacts Flex when we have to go fix things.

The good news is that it does not affect all Windows 10 users, just a few more than we wish.

Mike

Mark NS9N

There is an easy fix for now, just turn off the updates until you know the update is good. Works perfectly and totally in your control. And if you are concerned that you maybe missing something from Microsoft, I have 5 computers and they are running different versions as Microsoft has not rolled out the "latest and greatest" to everyone at the same time. For my ham station computer, updates are off and set for me to manually install them. This really should not be an reason for someone not to buy one of the best radios on the market.

DH2ID

2 solutions: 

1. Keep Win10 and run Windows Update Manager https://github.com/DavidXanatos/wumgr/releases
or
2. Go back to Windows 7, which I keep running on my main machine - still happy with it...

HNY, Alex -DH2ID

Pat N6PAT

This is why I stay on Windows 8.1 where I don't have to worry about the Windows updates disrupting my radio activities. I doubt I will go to 10 until this issues are worked out.

I wonder how many Flex owners are still on 7 or 8.1

Neal Pollack, N6YFM

I am glad you figured out the "user interface" (sic) of Windows 8.
That is the one release that caused a 30% decline in the PC Market
and resulted in Steve Balmer literally getting the boot.
The rest of us could never understand what MickeySoft was drinking
or smoking when they built (sic) Windows 8.

Cheers

DH2ID

:-)

Pat N6PAT

Neal,

I use Classic Shell . It makes 8.1 behave like Windows 7. It boots up to the desktop like 7 and the start menu is the same as 7. I don't bother with the 8.1 interface at all

Russ K5OA

Mike, had it happen again with 1809 so hope Microsoft and Flex can get a long term solution soon.  Know how to fix it just takes time.
I have it blocked on my main remote PC for now!

Russ K5OA

Andy - KU7T

I can confirm that the Windows Update Manager seems like a great tool (https://github.com/DavidXanatos/wumgr/releases). I have been running it for the last 3 weeks and 6 updates have been prevented (on 3 of my computers at home)... 

I actually are mostly interested in controlling the time of the updates. I do not want to prevent any updates forever. 

So, my question is, what do others do when it is finally a good time to take the updates?  Is it safe to completely uninstall all FlexRadio software, then do all the updates and install FlexRadio software again?   If yes, how do you COMPLETELY uninstall?

During my last WU fiasko, I tried to uninstall but it never worked. But, I did not get a chance to uninstall before WU came along...

Thanks
Andy
KU7T

DL4RCE

WIndows10 update also crashed my CAT settings, had to re-install FlexVSP. Works again.

I had very puzzling problems... 

73 de Volker, DL4RCE

Andy - KU7T

Is it safe to completely uninstall all FlexRadio software, then do all the Windows updates and install FlexRadio software again?   If yes, how do you COMPLETELY uninstall?

73
Andy
KU7T

W2ECK

People have mentioned, "turning off" the Windows 10 updates. I have yet to find within Win 10 how to do that ??? Can someone explain how to do it?

73
Paul
w2eck

DL4RCE

Hi Andy,

please carefully read:

https://helpdesk.flexradio.com/hc/en-us/articles/204975589-How-to-do-a-Complete-uninstall-of-SmartSD...

DAX and CAT will vanish and are not in your backup from SMARTSDR. ...I did not know and had to setup everything.

Since everything is persistently saved in your rig it is no problem to un/reinstall SMARTSDR. Maybe you saw this when installing SMARTSDR on a different computer, works as before but be aware of missing DAX/CAT configuration.

73

Volker, DL4RCE

Mark NS9N

For Windows 10 go to Start, Settings, Update and Security, Advanced Options, Choose when updates are installed and set them to the longest possibles. Some are. 35 days and others are 365. Then go back to active hours and set it for the 18 hours maximum which cover anytime your computer is on. Between the two, you will keep the updates from automatically installing.

W2ECK

Mark - I don't see "Chose when updates are installed"on the Advanced Options page ?

73
Paul

Geoff AB6BT

If you have Windows 10 Home those options are not available.

Mike-VA3MW

Some time ago, this was discussed in this forum and I think that Howard and Stu Philips let the charge on this.

The short part of the story was to spend the extra few $$$ and upgrade to Windows 10 Pro so you can control this.

I know it isn't the best answer for some, but it a valid solution.

Mike va3mw

Mark NS9N

Wow, keep learning more every day when it comes to computer and phone operating systems. I only use the Pro version of Windows so I guess I never thought that Microsoft would limit what you can do. But recently my company forced us off of Android and on to Apple for our phones. Now I understand how good I had it being able to modify and change how the android phone worked. I guess it all makes sense. If you need to control what you want, you need a operating system that allows it. If not , lock it all down so people don’t mess with it. That is all great, just need to get Microsoft to stop messing with what works. Oh wait, looks like Apple may have done the same thing with introducing the iPhone X. Well if it was not for the education we all get, technology would never move forward!