We comment on iSeries firmware

[Bix]

Hi, I thought I'd create this thread to stay up to date on the recent firmware released for iSeries. We can comment on them and evaluate their usefulness for our problems.


WARNING: Do not use this thread to request firmware. Follow the rules and keep this thread clean.

[Bix]

Re: We comment on iSeries firmware

The currently recommended firmware is G00-B5. It solves several problems, especially with possible blocks.
Now the G00-B6 firmware is out. This should resolve slow start-up problems if the network cable is disconnected.

[copier tech]

Re: We comment on iSeries firmware

Hi, I thought I'd create this thread to stay up to date on the recent firmware released for iSeries. We can comment on them and evaluate their usefulness for our problems.


WARNING: Do not use this thread to request firmware. Follow the rules and keep this thread clean.

Yes there have been a few bugs with the iseries most issues seem to have been addressed now.

C250i C300i C360i G00-B5 Readme.pdf

C3350i C4050i G00-B5 readme.pdf

[occus]

Re: We comment on iSeries firmware

The currently recommended firmware is G00-B5. It solves several problems, especially with possible blocks.
Now the G00-B6 firmware is out. This should resolve slow start-up problems if the network cable is disconnected.

I am now once again brave and do a test with a customer machine who is very close to the company with activated standby to see whether it works with the G00-B5 so that the machine does not stay in standby.


Unfortunately the B6 is not yet available in knova.

I am now once again brave and do a test with a customer who is very close to the company with activated standby to see whether it works with the G00-B5 so that the machine does not stay in standby.Unfortunately the B6 is not yet available with us.

[arahael]

Re: We comment on iSeries firmware

What is difference
Special firmware
Periodic
Mass production

Which is best for flash?

[copier tech]

Re: We comment on iSeries firmware

What is difference
Special firmware
Periodic
Mass production

Which is best for flash?

First update to the latest mass production then update the latest periodic/special firmware.

Lastly up to the latest function version.

[srvctec]

Re: We comment on iSeries firmware

First update to the latest mass production then update the latest periodic/special firmware.

Lastly up to the latest function version.

I'm gonna have to disagree with you on the installing of the latest special F/W. Those are usually to fix specific issues that are only for a few or certain customers with a very large fleet of machines. We never update to the special F/W unless it fixes a specific issue we are having or unless KM suggests it to fix an issue. Just blindly installing a special F/W because it's available when it's not needed may cause unnecessary issues and be a waste of time installing it if it isn't needed.

[copier tech]

Re: We comment on iSeries firmware

I'm gonna have to disagree with you on the installing of the latest special F/W. Those are usually to fix specific issues that are only for a few or certain customers with a very large fleet of machines. We never update to the special F/W unless it fixes a specific issue we are having or unless KM suggests it to fix an issue. Just blindly installing a special F/W because it's available when it's not needed may cause unnecessary issues and be a waste of time installing it if it isn't needed.

I think it's different in The UK. On the training courses they advice us to update each firmware as & when it is released.

This makes perfect sense to us, that way your machine is always bang up to date.

The key here is preventative maintenance' fix any issue before you even know you had one!

We call this maintenance firmware not 'special'
C250i C300i C360i G00-B5 Readme.pdf

[srvctec]

Re: We comment on iSeries firmware

I think it's different in The UK. On the training courses they advice us to update each firmware as & when it is released.

This makes perfect sense to us, that way your machine is always bang up to date.

The key here is preventative maintenance' fix any issue before you even know you had one!

We call this maintenance firmware not 'special'
[ATTACH]46690[/ATTACH]

Yeah, there is probably a difference being across the pond. I'd call B5 the latest base F/W even though it's maintenance release 3, because that's where it gets downloaded from here in the states. Special F/W is a separate tab to the right of the base F/W tab.

[Synaux]

Re: We comment on iSeries firmware

I think it's different in The UK. On the training courses they advice us to update each firmware as & when it is released.

This makes perfect sense to us, that way your machine is always bang up to date.

The key here is preventative maintenance' fix any issue before you even know you had one!

We call this maintenance firmware not 'special'
[ATTACH]46690[/ATTACH]

Okay I'm going to shit on KM being lazy again:

Region might matter. (But why would they go though all that trouble to change all that code? I guess that could be the opposite of being lazy... )

Perhaps things have changed over the years; however, I have never read anywhere that the latest "Special Firmware" incorporates the prior special firmware fixes.

Moreover, there is no mention of this scenario: Does a base firmware released in 2020 incorporate a special firmware's fixes from--I dunno--2015. One would assume it doesn't as the special firmware and base firmware are still on a separate area as noted by srvctec.

This is program updating 101 stuffs. Ultimately, if legacy firmwares are incorporated into the new firmwares then all this is unnecessarily convoluted. There might be some scenarios where coding conflictions arise, but if there are, there should be at least a footnote about it in the release notes.

I will send KM an apology letter if someone can clarify this.

[copier tech]

Re: We comment on iSeries firmware

Okay I'm going to shit on KM being lazy again:

Region might matter. (But why would they go though all that trouble to change all that code? I guess that could be the opposite of being lazy... )

Perhaps things have changed over the years; however, I have never read anywhere that the latest "Special Firmware" incorporates the prior special firmware fixes.

Moreover, there is no mention of this scenario: Does a base firmware released in 2020 incorporate a special firmware's fixes from--I dunno--2015. One would assume it doesn't as the special firmware and base firmware are still on a separate area as noted by srvctec.

This is program updating 101 stuffs. Ultimately, if legacy firmwares are incorporated into the new firmwares then all this is unnecessarily convoluted. There might be some scenarios where coding conflictions arise, but if there are, there should be at least a footnote about it in the release notes.

I will send KM an apology letter if someone can clarify this.

OK so KM bring out base firmware, then as times passes engineers & customers report certain issues or reoccurring faults once KM realise the issue they release 'special' firmware as you call it quite often there maybe 5 separate 'special' releases, each one is included in the latest one.

Then when the next mass production firmware comes out all these are included in that.

[tsbservice]

Re: We comment on iSeries firmware

OK so KM bring out base firmware, then as times passes engineers & customers report certain issues or reoccurring faults once KM realise the issue they release 'special' firmware as you call it quite often there maybe 5 separate 'special' releases, each one is included in the latest one.

Then when the next mass production firmware comes out all these are included in that.

+1 on this. I still may be wrong but that makes sense to me.

There are special cases when KM releases customized FW versions for specific customers environment and they shouldn't be used widely unless one have that exact conditions.

I will follow up on this lately.

[Synaux]

Re: We comment on iSeries firmware

OK so KM bring out base firmware, then as times passes engineers & customers report certain issues or reoccurring faults once KM realise the issue they release 'special' firmware as you call it quite often there maybe 5 separate 'special' releases, each one is included in the latest one.

Then when the next mass production firmware comes out all these are included in that.

I hope this is correct and if true is how it should be done.

But the fact that over the years I have had multiple questions along these lines and never got a definitive answer is a communications blunder that requires one sentence in the release notes. One of my side hustles is computer and phone repair that requires the same stuffs, nothing has ever been so unclear... ever. I won't get started on the ridiculous file names. Anyways I guess I just hijacked this post...

More ISeries talk, go!

[copier tech]

Re: We comment on iSeries firmware

I hope this is correct and if true is how it should be done.

But the fact that over the years I have had multiple questions along these lines and never got a definitive answer is a communications blunder that requires one sentence in the release notes. One of my side hustles is computer and phone repair that requires the same stuffs, nothing has ever been so unclear... ever. I won't get started on the ridiculous file names. Anyways I guess I just hijacked this post...

More ISeries talk, go!

It makes perfect sense to me, all other manufactures are the same, you simply update to the latest available firmware this will contain all previous bug fixes etc, simple.

[Synaux]

Re: We comment on iSeries firmware

It makes perfect sense to me, all other manufactures are the same, you simply update to the latest available firmware this will contain all previous bug fixes etc, simple.

Well, the fact that special firmware is located in a different download area, one might conclude that they are not included in the newer base firmware. And it is not simple. The documentation does not support or deny this. When you have two categories of FW and neither mention anything of the other in their respective documentations, the whole matter is muddy. I have made allusions to this several times in the past and never got a definitive answer.

A very old version of this is that there was a special FW for the c650s that stopped the color IUs from operating during K only prints/copies. Are you telling me that the latest Base FW implements this? I do not have the time to confirm or deny this and probably never will. I always defaulted to installing the special FW.

For example, I just reviewed my database for the c650 et al.
The largest "special firmware" file is not the latest. And it is 12mb larger than a version released after it. To further justify this speculation, all the other special FWs are within 278kb of each other with one of the other biggest files being the oldest.

File size is not a definitive answer to this; however, if you are stacking fixes you tend to expect more code. This suggests larger file sizes. So I am going to maintain that the special FWs do not include prior special firmware fixes. Until someone learns Japanese and reports a definitive answer, I will ponder this.