Flash Copy on MX-M450N

[Ceechtay]

I was given the job of trying to fix some flash ROMs for an MX-M450N, as it does not boot up. (This copier's ROMs were put in another machine to get it going.)

I have an MX-M350N, which I have been using to try and re-write these ROMs. I am using CN6 to do this. (Neither MFP has DSK installed.)

I go through the procedure and it says it writes OK, although it takes less than 5 seconds before it says OK. I find it hard to believe that it writes these ROMs in that fast a time.

When doing the Boot ROM, it tries for a minute or two and then says NG. I immediately try again and it says OK after two seconds.

Anyone have success doing this?

Also, when doing the Boot ROM, do I write FLB1, FLB2, or both? I assumed that FLM1 = Main Rom (just as PCU = PCU ROM and Scan = SCN ROM).

As always, any help is appreciated.

[RascalMJ]

Re: Flash Copy on MX-M450N

I was given the job of trying to fix some flash ROMs for an MX-M450N, as it does not boot up. (This copier's ROMs were put in another machine to get it going.)

I have an MX-M350N, which I have been using to try and re-write these ROMs. I am using CN6 to do this. (Neither MFP has DSK installed.)

I go through the procedure and it says it writes OK, although it takes less than 5 seconds before it says OK. I find it hard to believe that it writes these ROMs in that fast a time.

When doing the Boot ROM, it tries for a minute or two and then says NG. I immediately try again and it says OK after two seconds.

Anyone have success doing this?

Also, when doing the Boot ROM, do I write FLB1, FLB2, or both? I assumed that FLM1 = Main Rom (just as PCU = PCU ROM and Scan = SCN ROM).

As always, any help is appreciated.

I hope someone gets back to you soon. I am going to be trying to do this too.

I am going to try to do this on a DX-C311. I looked and I don't see a CN6.... not 100% sure what slot to use, but we'll see.

[ZOOTECH]

Re: Flash Copy on MX-M450N

I was given the job of trying to fix some flash ROMs for an MX-M450N, as it does not boot up. (This copier's ROMs were put in another machine to get it going.)

I have an MX-M350N, which I have been using to try and re-write these ROMs. I am using CN6 to do this. (Neither MFP has DSK installed.)

I go through the procedure and it says it writes OK, although it takes less than 5 seconds before it says OK. I find it hard to believe that it writes these ROMs in that fast a time.

When doing the Boot ROM, it tries for a minute or two and then says NG. I immediately try again and it says OK after two seconds.

Anyone have success doing this?

Also, when doing the Boot ROM, do I write FLB1, FLB2, or both? I assumed that FLM1 = Main Rom (just as PCU = PCU ROM and Scan = SCN ROM).

As always, any help is appreciated.

I've never seen a firmware upgrade named FLB1, FLB2 before, it's usually named something like this: N3.01J0.sfu

You are using version-up procedure 3 if you're using CN6, right? The switches have to both be down to cancel "write protect". Are you using USB or Ethernet to connect?

[Ceechtay]

Re: Flash Copy on MX-M450N

After taking a quick peek at the DX-C311 manual, I don't think it has a flash copy procedure similar to the MX-M350N. It does have an emergency update mode where you can use a USB drive to update corrupted ROMs (although it probably won't work if the Boot ROM is the one that is corrupted). It looks like the emergency update does all the ROMs at once (just like via Sim 49-1).

Look at section 11 in the Service Manual regarding "Various Storage Data Handling" to see how to do the emergency update on the DX-C311. (It tells you to look there in Section 7 Firmware when you want to do an emergency update)

If your copier doesn't boot up to even the "emergency update" stage, I would guess that you would need a new Boot ROM.

Going back to my flash copy on the MX-M350N:

The firmware I used was version n3.03.J0. I used both USB and Ethernet to send the firmware file over (USB was MUCH faster), and got the same results using both methods. Both switches were in the down position.

Regarding the FLB1, FLB2, etc....
After I had sent the firmware file over to the copier via File2Prn program, I used the "UP" and "DOWN" keys on the display to choose the correct firmware file to update and to choose CN6, which was the slot I wanted to write the firmware to.

By using the "UP" and "DOWN" buttons, you can cycle through the options for what chip you want to "burn": FLB1, FLB2, FLM1, SCN, and PCU. There are four ROMs in the machine (Boot, Main, Scan, and PCU). By doing this, I believed I was telling the machine which ROM I had in CN6 and which firmware was supposed to be written to it.

The one ROM that I couldn't get to write properly was the Boot ROM. We ordered a new Boot ROM and installed it and the copier fired up without issue. I even tested with my ARM355N ROMs that I had rewritten and it worked with them installed (so they must have been written to correctly).

[ZOOTECH]

Re: Flash Copy on MX-M450N

I've never done the CN6, and forgot the .sfu file was broken down into the individual files. The emergency upgrade does work well if you can't boot up for the 49-1 TC.
Thanks for the update.

[RascalMJ]

Re: Flash Copy on MX-M450N

After taking a quick peek at the DX-C311 manual, I don't think it has a flash copy procedure similar to the MX-M350N. It does have an emergency update mode where you can use a USB drive to update corrupted ROMs (although it probably won't work if the Boot ROM is the one that is corrupted). It looks like the emergency update does all the ROMs at once (just like via Sim 49-1).

Look at section 11 in the Service Manual regarding "Various Storage Data Handling" to see how to do the emergency update on the DX-C311. (It tells you to look there in Section 7 Firmware when you want to do an emergency update)

If your copier doesn't boot up to even the "emergency update" stage, I would guess that you would need a new Boot ROM.

Going back to my flash copy on the MX-M350N:

The firmware I used was version n3.03.J0. I used both USB and Ethernet to send the firmware file over (USB was MUCH faster), and got the same results using both methods. Both switches were in the down position.

Regarding the FLB1, FLB2, etc....
After I had sent the firmware file over to the copier via File2Prn program, I used the "UP" and "DOWN" keys on the display to choose the correct firmware file to update and to choose CN6, which was the slot I wanted to write the firmware to.

By using the "UP" and "DOWN" buttons, you can cycle through the options for what chip you want to "burn": FLB1, FLB2, FLM1, SCN, and PCU. There are four ROMs in the machine (Boot, Main, Scan, and PCU). By doing this, I believed I was telling the machine which ROM I had in CN6 and which firmware was supposed to be written to it.

The one ROM that I couldn't get to write properly was the Boot ROM. We ordered a new Boot ROM and installed it and the copier fired up without issue. I even tested with my ARM355N ROMs that I had rewritten and it worked with them installed (so they must have been written to correctly).

yeah, I figured as much when I looked at the manual. I do have several other machines that I could use the flash copy procedure. it's just the 311 that is faulty

it boots into emergency mode, but never gets past " please wait".

how can you tell which is the boot rom?

I didn't see any indicators in the manual

[Ceechtay]

Re: Flash Copy on MX-M450N

Oops, I forgot that those machines have Prog1 and Prog2 chips. I would guess it would be Prog1, but I don't know for certain. It would be easiest if you have some known good chips to swap in.

Are you fairly certain that it is those chips and not something else causing the boot issue? Did the machine lose power during a firmware update? Maybe try swapping the board with a known good one.

[RascalMJ]

Re: Flash Copy on MX-M450N

Oops, I forgot that those machines have Prog1 and Prog2 chips. I would guess it would be Prog1, but I don't know for certain. It would be easiest if you have some known good chips to swap in.

Are you fairly certain that it is those chips and not something else causing the boot issue? Did the machine lose power during a firmware update? Maybe try swapping the board with a known good one.

Long story short that is what got us in this mess. We had a customer have have some weird issues, and tech support suggested replacing the PCU and MFP board. We have a demo unit in our office, so I swapped them out (didn't end up being the issue), but couldn't tell right away, so I brought back the boards from the customer machine and put them in ours. That is when the issues came up. Everything was fine at the customer sit, but their boards in our machine originally gave an A0-01 (PCU PWB ROMM ERROR), the manual says it is a firmware issue and to re-install the firmware. I did that and got an E7-90 error. I did some research into that... and here I am. ha

I talked to Sharp tech support a bit, but they just want me to buy a whole new set of chips. Certainly that is an option, but would rather firgure out what the problem is and if I can fix it. I do have access to another 311 (coming in from lease) here in the next week or so, but it will likely be back out the door (need to be kept in tact) at some point. So, I can't just rob it of everything... but it does give me some options. I just hope they are options that don't including blowing up that machine as well.

Right now, like I said the machine turns on, but no motors or anything kick on. I get an E7-90, and nothing on the control panel works, so I can't get to any SIMS or anything. I tried to do an emergency update of the firmware, but the machine just boots into the emergency update screen and says "Please Wait", that never goes away.

[Akitu]

Re: Flash Copy on MX-M450N

Right now, like I said the machine turns on, but no motors or anything kick on. I get an E7-90, and nothing on the control panel works, so I can't get to any SIMS or anything. I tried to do an emergency update of the firmware, but the machine just boots into the emergency update screen and says "Please Wait", that never goes away.

Is your emergency update file appropriately named?

[RascalMJ]

Re: Flash Copy on MX-M450N

Is your emergency update file appropriately named?

This machine has a dip switch that you change in order to get to the emergency update. I didn't think you needed the filename change, in this instance. I know that is in most of the other manuals, but I do not see it in the manual for the 311.

I actually did try to rename it to a few different names I found in the other manuals, but none of them provided any different results.

I know at the customer site mentioned above, I replaced the HDD as part of troubleshooting and was prompted with the emergency boot screen, I put in my USB and it read the .sfu the way it was originally named from Sharp. I am more than happy to try to rename it if you have the information. I think they changed the machine at some point in production because the sharp tech actually started to tell me to rename it, but then looked at a 311 he had access too and saw the dip switch, then said that I wouldn't need to change the name.

In the manual I have, I can see where they removed the section that talks about it.

[Akitu]

Re: Flash Copy on MX-M450N

Firmware file should be the one from Sharp renamed to "emupdate_f1.sfu" on the root folder of the flash drive. That should take care of your waiting issue. Try getting an updated manual as well.

[RascalMJ]

Re: Flash Copy on MX-M450N

Firmware file should be the one from Sharp renamed to "emupdate_f1.sfu" on the root folder of the flash drive. That should take care of your waiting issue. Try getting an updated manual as well.

thanks, I will give that a shot

I am pretty sure I have the newest manual on the sharp site, but I will certainly verify.

[Akitu]

Re: Flash Copy on MX-M450N

thanks, I will give that a shot

I am pretty sure I have the newest manual on the sharp site, but I will certainly verify.

The MXC312/402SC also applies as they're virtually identical machines. If one fails, check the other.

[RascalMJ]

Re: Flash Copy on MX-M450N

Firmware file should be the one from Sharp renamed to "emupdate_f1.sfu" on the root folder of the flash drive. That should take care of your waiting issue. Try getting an updated manual as well.

Thanks, but unfortunately this did not work either. It still just says "Update Program Init Please Wait". My guess is because 1 or more of the boards aren't communicating properly. I am hoping it is just the ROMs. I should fond out later today as I will be able to get my hands on a used 311 to help troubleshoot. I'm just not 100% sure where to start, I don't want to corrupt the ROMs from this machine too.

I actually looked in the manual for the 402 and it said to rename the file "emupdate_p2.sfu". I went ahead and tried that too, but to no avail.

[Akitu]

Re: Flash Copy on MX-M450N

Thanks, but unfortunately this did not work either. It still just says "Update Program Init Please Wait". My guess is because 1 or more of the boards aren't communicating properly. I am hoping it is just the ROMs. I should fond out later today as I will be able to get my hands on a used 311 to help troubleshoot. I'm just not 100% sure where to start, I don't want to corrupt the ROMs from this machine too.

I actually looked in the manual for the 402 and it said to rename the file "emupdate_p2.sfu". I went ahead and tried that too, but to no avail.

The emupdate_f1.sfu I was told to name it came from a very reliable source. I used it myself to correct an A0 error on a 311 in my office wherein one of my stationery clerks ever so kindly threw out my entire MFP PWB complete with EEPROM.

How long did it say "Update Program Init Please Wait"? It may take upwards of 10 minutes to complete the firmware update as it goes and rewrites every single firmware file regardless of what current version is present. If your firmware files aren't reading, it's a crapshoot as to what your actual problem is, if you can get your hands on a used machine, swap out MFP PWB, move the EEPROM from the defective machine to the new board as well, keep the original ROMs. Test and see what happens, if it still refuses to pass that section, replace the ROMs from old board into the new one, if all else fails, contact Sharp directly as your machine is pooched.