Urgent: CF Card/FW Issue!

[Synaux]

Basically there is a huge job to do and one of the main machines is inoperable which is the only one with enough consumables to complete it....

I went and bought a new SanDisk 128 MEGABYTE CF card to reinstall the MFP Firmware (I am 99.9% certain the FW is necessary).
However, after numerous attempts I always am prompted by what feels like a foreigner with a speak impediment:
"Error
This is Invalid Card.
Please make sure the card"
And that is all.

1) I did NOT format before my first attempt to write the FW to the card...checksums are always identical.
2) I have scanned for bad sectors with highly professional programs.
3) Tried formatting with the Konica FW tools program.
4) I have tried several methods of low level formatting
5) I have tried writing the data via CMD (successfully, but no thanks to the service manual chalked full of typos on p.68).
(After all of these, I reloaded the FW and verified the write.)

Here are some quick print screens of the relevant SSD Support SolutionS that I threw together (2010):
(I wonder what this HEX code option is in the second pict?!? Maybe someone can get me the "attachment?")
Untitled-2.jpgUntitled-3.jpg
Here is the, in comparison, outdated service manual (2007):
Untitled-1.jpg
And just for anyone who has ever scratched their heads on a command prompt load:
Untitled-4.jpg

[RRodgers]

Re: Urgent: CF Card/FW Issue!

Pop it into a windows box and format it to Fat16 (or just called Fat on an xp box) and then give it a go. I've always used Scan Disk 256 mb cards.

[EarthKmTech]

Re: Urgent: CF Card/FW Issue!

And this machine is a what ?

Ensure there are no bent pins in the CF slot.

most of the CF updateable machines have the ability to download firmware via FTP too, however if the machine wont even start you must use the CF unfortunately.

[Synaux]

Re: Urgent: CF Card/FW Issue!

And this machine is a what ?

Ensure there are no bent pins in the CF slot.

most of the CF updateable machines have the ability to download firmware via FTP too, however if the machine wont even start you must use the CF unfortunately.

Haha, I hate it when people do not note the machine they are inquiring about. I am working on a c650 (still).

The whole reason I am doing this is because the Controller (service mode) and Network (admin settings) buttons are completely missing from the interface, so basically the ISW or whatever it is called is not really an option. :/

Physically, everything appeared fine but I am going over there in a few minutes--I will double check.

Pop it into a windows box and format it to Fat16 (or just called Fat on an xp box) and then give it a go. I've always used Scan Disk 256 mb cards.

Yep, I did that (and I tried the firmware tools that actually format to fat16 as well as name the card CFCARD).

I am leaning to the drive being too too small, but it simply doesn't seem logical seeing how the FW file is only about 80 megs. That is pretty good compression.

I wonder if I can make a 256mb fat16 partition on say a 4gb (can't find anything smaller locally)...probably will try it either way.

Anyways, I am installing R6 FW maybe someone could post the hash they got for their FW...I might have a corrupted file
Freeware Hash & CRC - check file hash sum / crc values
Or even better, see if KM posted a hash code on their page??

Thanks guys.

[EarthKmTech]

Re: Urgent: CF Card/FW Issue!

If data clear did not bring back the controller or network settings and it was working previously, i think what ever you have done has corrupted data in the NVRAM module.

I suggest escalating this problem with KM.

Certain NVRAM issues will prevent firmware from loading too.

[styaner]

Re: Urgent: CF Card/FW Issue!

Have you used the card on another machine to confirm that it is the card?
If data clear did not help then it certainly can be your ram pac
if it works in another machine try the ram reset firmware and reset the nick settings as a last resort to see if it picks it up
good luck

[Synaux]

Re: Urgent: CF Card/FW Issue!

If data clear did not bring back the controller or network settings and it was working previously, i think what ever you have done has corrupted data in the NVRAM module.

I suggest escalating this problem with KM.

Certain NVRAM issues will prevent firmware from loading too.

Yea man, I was just browsing the c252 docs and ran across:
c252 - PDF-XChange Viewer_2012-10-13_21-34-03.jpg
Might be related to higher models....

Interestingly, I have recently noticed that the detailed RAM check will get to 90% and loops for hours. I tried various basic things: switching slots, cleaning, etc.
But this now makes me lean toward bad RAM or MFP board...or I suppose the NVRAM, but the way I see it a low level RAM check might not be dependent on the NVRAM...?
I wish I had a laptop that used DDR1...then I could at least run memtest against those modules.

[Synaux]

Re: Urgent: CF Card/FW Issue!

Have you used the card on another machine to confirm that it is the card?
If data clear did not help then it certainly can be your ram pac
if it works in another machine try the ram reset firmware and reset the nick settings as a last resort to see if it picks it up
good luck

Nope... I haven't verified the card, or rather I do not really have the the privileged to randomly administer a FW rewrite on another machine that actually works (lol)

I am going to go ahead and overnight a San Disk 256mb CF card and try that before I do anything else for now.

How does one reset the nic settings, I am pretty familiar with the interface for this machine, but I do not recall a NIC reset.

Not familiar with the ram reset firmware.



Thanks for the replies everyone!

[EarthKmTech]

Re: Urgent: CF Card/FW Issue!

detailed ram test looping is normal.

it checks very thoroughly and if its not failing instantly its a good sign that theres nothing wrong with the ram. Bad ram usually shows NG in the quick test.

bad ram in bank 0, machine wont even start - orange start button, black screen, both LED's ON on scanner.
bad ram in bank 1, machine will boot, but may crash at hour glass or at ready screen.

(c203/253/353/451/550/650)

I seriously doubt ram is your problem.

[emujo]

Re: Urgent: CF Card/FW Issue!

IF you can plug the card into your reader, then plug it into your laptop and get the message, "this card is not formmated properly" then the card is formatted for VXWorks and if the correct firmware is loaded it should work DO NOT FORMAT THE CARD as it will never work in a color MFP again...You must use the imaging toolkit to write the files to the card. Invalid card messages are normally associated with a windows format on the card..It may look like the files have written properly, but with this format it won't boot. Some techs have mentioned that putting the card into a camera and formatting it here works, but I've never tried it. IF you have some type of diskediting tool you can try writing zeros to the card to get rid of the windows format. Emujo

[Synaux]

Re: Urgent: CF Card/FW Issue!

detailed ram test looping is normal.

it checks very thoroughly and if its not failing instantly its a good sign that theres nothing wrong with the ram. Bad ram usually shows NG in the quick test.

bad ram in bank 0, machine wont even start - orange start button, black screen, both LED's ON on scanner.
bad ram in bank 1, machine will boot, but may crash at hour glass or at ready screen.

(c203/253/353/451/550/650)

I seriously doubt ram is your problem.

Thanks for the insight.
Well that is unfortunate, a RAM replacement is probably the easiest and cheapest option as far as hardware replacements go.

[Synaux]

Re: Urgent: CF Card/FW Issue!

IF you can plug the card into your reader, then plug it into your laptop and get the message, "this card is not formmated properly" then the card is formatted for VXWorks and if the correct firmware is loaded it should work DO NOT FORMAT THE CARD as it will never work in a color MFP again...You must use the imaging toolkit to write the files to the card. Invalid card messages are normally associated with a windows format on the card..It may look like the files have written properly, but with this format it won't boot. Some techs have mentioned that putting the card into a camera and formatting it here works, but I've never tried it. IF you have some type of diskediting tool you can try writing zeros to the card to get rid of the windows format. Emujo

I was under the impression that it was formatting with FAT 16 (the service manual said VXWorks was not applicable when discussing the advanced settings for the Firmware Imaging Toolkit).

“[2]      Default Setting for Card Format  Select the default card format during software starting.
FAT: The format to be used by all models that the soft-ware supports.
vxWorks : Not available yet.”
 
“Format a card •  Format the compact flash card by the FAT or vxWorks form. NOTE vxWorks form is not applicable”
 And 
“(2)   Format a card
•  Make format of the compact flash in FAT or vxWork form.
•  To write the firmware data into the compact flash, the card should be formatted in FAT
form to clear (initialize) the description of the compact flash.
NOTE
•  In current version, only FAT format is available but not vxWork format.
•  After the firmware data is written into the compact flash, it becomes the own file
style that is different from the FAT, and the compact flash that the firmware data is
written cannot be browsed on the Windows OS.” 
(Maybe that is vxWorks?...who knows)

But yea, I did not format it until after much trial and error. And I tried several format/partition methods all in FAT16. I even tried a 4gb with a straight 256mb partition and overcf128-sandisk.jpg
This card does work though:
51PN9E8DYDL._SL500_AA300_.jpg

I just ordered 2 of the latter. Once I get them in, I will update my success (or lack thereof).

[styaner]

Re: Urgent: CF Card/FW Issue!

The nvram reset firmware will reset the ram in the nvram or the nic settings.
so i have heard

[emujo]

Re: Urgent: CF Card/FW Issue!

In the firmware imaging kit, "format vxworks" is greyed out as this is not available yet...but, when you use the toolkit and a unformatted CF Card, the VX works format is put on the card as part of the writing process. The toolkit is only used (to my knowledge) for writing the color MFP cards...copy and paste works fine for the B&W as they use a fat 16 format that windows can use. Again, if you're getting an invalid card error. either replace it with an unused card ( I have 128/256 cards that both work, both scandisk), or find a freeware disk editor (I use the one recomended on the SSD site) and write zeros to the card, then reload the firmware with the tool kit. The good news is that only the older color MFPs use this process and all new MFPs are updated with USB..so it's only a matter of time till this won't be an issue. My biggest issue is when will KM come out with a driver that works for the ISW trans and Windows 7??? I still have to keep a winxp box laying aound just in case we have to update firmware on the 500s /920s...Emujo

[Synaux]

Re: Urgent: CF Card/FW Issue!

In the firmware imaging kit, "format vxworks" is greyed out as this is not available yet...but, when you use the toolkit and a unformatted CF Card, the VX works format is put on the card as part of the writing process. The toolkit is only used (to my knowledge) for writing the color MFP cards...copy and paste works fine for the B&W as they use a fat 16 format that windows can use. Again, if you're getting an invalid card error. either replace it with an unused card ( I have 128/256 cards that both work, both scandisk), or find a freeware disk editor (I use the one recomended on the SSD site) and write zeros to the card, then reload the firmware with the tool kit. The good news is that only the older color MFPs use this process and all new MFPs are updated with USB..so it's only a matter of time till this won't be an issue. My biggest issue is when will KM come out with a driver that works for the ISW trans and Windows 7??? I still have to keep a winxp box laying aound just in case we have to update firmware on the 500s /920s...Emujo

I see.

"...find a freeware disk editor (I use the one recomended on the SSD site)"--you wouldn't happen to know the name of it would you?
I normally use DBAN to clear drives, but it was having a difficult time with CF cards...

USB was devised as far back as 1995 I find it difficult to accept the fact that manufacturers still use such wacky methods (CF card, Serial connections, etc) for firmware and other things (e.g., jig software), hell this c650 even has a USB port if I remember correctly.

As far as using XP, consider just installing a Virtual Machine of XP onto your laptop with Win7 on it...? If you have never done a VM I can help, but it is pretty easy most of the time.
Also, it might be a firewall issue and/or run with admin rights+compatibility mode? Thanks