Is it ok to install US version firmware on an Australian copier?

[proudless]

Recently I bought a 2ndhand konica minolta bizhub 250 b/w photocopier and it works fine as a photocopier. But, I'd like to connect it to my LAN and use it as a printer as well.

The problem is that the driver CD that came with the copier are for old windows versions and wouldn't install on my Windows 7 32bit PCs.

There are W7 drivers that I can download from the Konica minolta website but it states that the drivers are compatible only with Phase 3 firmware and mine is not so I take it that I need to upgrade the firmware first before be able to print from W7 PCs.

The latest version of MSC firmware available from Konica minolta US website is 4040-0100-G30-80-002.
Apparently if it ends with -002, it's a US version, -003 for Europe and -004 for Others.
I'm in Australia and the current MSC firmware installed ends with -004 and it's not listed on the US website.

So I've been searching and searching for the '-004' version of the firmware but couldn't find it on the net. I'm guessing that I need a special reseller account (which I don't have) to be able to access the Australian Konica minolta secure access resource page

Umm, so long story short, is it ok to update my copier (currently installed with -004 version of old firmware) with the latest US version that ends with -002? I don't much mind if it suddenly spells colour as color or tell me to throw another 'shrimp' on the barbie :p

Plus, if it's ok to do that, do I upgrade the Printer firmware first or MSC first or do them at the same time?

And if it's not ok to do this, can someone help me to source the elusive -004 version of the firmware please? :( (I suspect that the file would be named as 200_250_350_4040-0100-g30-80-004.zip)

P.S I've got the compact flash type-1 card loaded and ready to go. :D

[nmfaxman]

The US uses inch for measurement.
You could use the US driver, but good luck finding inch size paper in a metric country.
It is not hard for a tech to upgrade firmware, clean it and make it run better in the long run.

Just my $.023 thoughts.

[proudless]

The US uses inch for measurement.
You could use the US driver, but good luck finding inch size paper in a metric country.
It is not hard for a tech to upgrade firmware, clean it and make it run better in the long run.

Just my $.023 thoughts.
Thanks for your reply nmfaxman. I didn't know US uses different sized paper up until today! Thanks for your $.023 thoughts :)

[EarthKmTech]

firmware shouldn't make any difference to paper sizes, that's determined by the marketing area chosen in the warm reset menu.

where in australia are you?

bizhub 250 firmware is quite small.

[proudless]

firmware shouldn't make any difference to paper sizes, that's determined by the marketing area chosen in the warm reset menu.

where in australia are you?

bizhub 250 firmware is quite small.
Hi, EarthKmTech, I'm in Sydney.

[Phrag]

Hi proudless. I've got the "Other" version firmware at the moment (Phase 3.1), but I can't seem to attach it; It just fails. 4040-0100-G30-004 I believe. The manual states you have to upload the MSC firmware first, THEN the engine and finisher (if you have one) firmware 2nd.

[pepper38_cnd]

The drivers that I see on the Canadian / US site do not suggest that anny particular firmware is required. Of course I am looking at the authorized dealer site not the public site. I suspect that what you are seeing is that the auto detec and auto configure may not work with certain firmware but the driver is ok it will work if manually installed and properly configured. By the way a PS driver is pakaged with windows7 for the BH200/250/350 series if you do not see it in the list choose search microsoft upgrade and wait for the list to populate. It does not have the OEM GUI but it will print.

My suggestion is just download a WIN7 driver and try it, then post your specific problem if you have one.

As far as firmware is concerned I would not recommend trying to load firmware for a machine that is not designed for that machine ie region. If you wanted to do so you may want to change the E2Prom on the main board as that is what tells the machine what region and type/speed it is. i would think that loading the wrong firmware would end up in an Eprom error that you may not recover from.

[nmfaxman]

Changing the region won't support the firmware installed.

Inch is inch, metric is metric. Motor speed and timing are controlled by firmware loaded for that country's measure standard and the NVRAM installed.

Ever tell a machine that it had a Japanese option installed in service mode in the US?

[Taminol]

Recently I bought a 2ndhand konica minolta bizhub 250 b/w photocopier and it works fine as a photocopier............
........compact flash type-1 card loaded and ready to go. :D

Great explanation.
I think, as a tech, if I got called out to a BH250 and the fault was 'client wants to print, but cannot do so for one reason or another'. I would arrive, sit at PC, and try to print. At this point would hopefully notice the absence of the printer driver. I'd locate it, install it and try to print again.
It's most likely going to print, but if it didn't......I'd make sure I could see it, by pinging it, then browsing to it.
This all can be done way before firmware is even thought about.
The wrong firmware, or incorrectly installed firmware can turn most MFD's in to coffee tables!

Good luck

Tam

[TheOwl]

Silly question to through in the mix here, you have a KM from another country which uses a different power rating. So how are you stepping down / up the voltage or have you replaced the power supply?

[Hansoon]

*Off Topic*

Welcome Owl, long time no see. Was already wondering what might have happened to you. Really missed your input.

:)

Hans

[TheOwl]

*Off Topic*

Welcome Owl, long time no see. Was already wondering what might have happened to you. Really missed your input.

:)

Hans

Hey Hans,

Work and too much of it happened to me... lol

Aside from a few topics, I see nothing has changed here in my absence with the same old crap.

Now back to your regular programming (sorry for dribbling half way through the thread).

Owl out...