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Bix
09-01-2020, 04:15 PM
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
09-01-2020, 04:17 PM
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
09-01-2020, 05:00 PM
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.

46672

46673

occus
09-02-2020, 11:55 AM
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
09-03-2020, 06:17 PM
What is difference
Special firmware
Periodic
Mass production

Which is best for flash?

copier tech
09-03-2020, 06:49 PM
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
09-03-2020, 08:48 PM
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
09-03-2020, 09:01 PM
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'
46690

srvctec
09-03-2020, 09:14 PM
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'
46690

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.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200903/39e34280df3290caed7dedc1c210f84c.jpg

Synaux
09-04-2020, 05:01 AM
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'
46690
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... :rolleyes:)

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
09-04-2020, 08:31 AM
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... :rolleyes:)

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
09-04-2020, 10:03 AM
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
09-04-2020, 08:45 PM
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
09-05-2020, 11:09 AM
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
09-06-2020, 05:29 AM
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.

copier tech
09-06-2020, 11:03 AM
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.

He's my theory when the issue with wannaCry & SMB v1 first happened there was special firmware to enable SMB v2/3 however without updating using this specific 'special firmware' but the next 'special' firmware released a few months later still enabled SMB v2/3.

Any weird issues I have had in the past I always simply update with the latest firmware without even reading the note file 99% this resolves the issue so back up my theory that each latest release contains previous fixes.

This is the case with many other manufacturers, Ricoh, Canon & Kyocera for example.

Synaux
09-07-2020, 07:00 AM
///

Bix
09-24-2020, 03:36 PM
Hi, I inform you that the G00-B6 firmware is out in all iSeries models in Europe.

KMFLT3CH
09-24-2020, 04:51 PM
Be careful when upgrading to G00-B5 firmware on the color I-series, you may need to do a logical format of the storage board afterwards, as well as reload the movie data - See bulletin below.

Personally I stay away from the newest firmware releases for a few months as KM has a long history of pushing out buggy firmware.

46865

emujo2
09-25-2020, 02:14 PM
Just had a tech update a C360i to B5. He was just being procative..E301 errors as soon as f/w applied..SSD format has not helped, but he also did not bring the new Movie Data file with him..Will try a data init after we load up the correct movie file..FYI..no good deed goes unpunished..E

Bix
09-25-2020, 02:57 PM
Be careful when upgrading to G00-B5 firmware on the color I-series, you may need to do a logical format of the storage board afterwards, as well as reload the movie data - See bulletin below.

Personally I stay away from the newest firmware releases for a few months as KM has a long history of pushing out buggy firmware.

46865
For now, I haven't had this problem. But this certainly scares.
I believe that at this point, perhaps it is best not to update until you have problems. This is quite frustrating because I don't know what to do anymore. Better to update to prevent future trouble or better not to update but risking an imminent problem? :mad:

occus
10-29-2020, 03:19 PM
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.



Ok the test ist over, since the G00-B5 Firmware i have no more problems awakening from standby trough a button press or a print job. We have 3x c250i on different customers and no calls until today. And this problem we had on every c250i series! starting after 2 weeks until a month...
That means we don't deactivate the sleep mode anymore from the machines out of the box.

Im wondering if the older machines from previous production are different in hardware... so i can activate the standby on all i-series... would safe much fuser life time... would be the nex test.
The touchscreen awakening from standy function remains temporarily deactivated. I have no newer information about that problem.

Bix
10-29-2020, 03:47 PM
In the 8 series I do not change anything of the energy saving. Also in the 4 series I leave the default settings for energy saving. The new firmware seems to have been efficient for a few months. The only thing I turn off is the weekly timer but lately this seems to be working too (you make sure the printer time is correct because it is based on that).

drowranger
10-29-2020, 09:34 PM
G00-B5 have put a new tab on web interface [Administrator Settings] > [System Settings] > [OpenAPI and IWS application display setting] > "Display side menu" had to enable this to see the print button on embedded Papercut .

tsbservice
10-29-2020, 09:41 PM
G00-B5 have put a new tab on web interface [Administrator Settings] > [System Settings] > [OpenAPI and IWS application display setting] > "Display side menu" had to enable this to see the print button on embedded Papercut .

Don't know this we use SafeQ but Thanks for the hint in case one day Papercut is needed.

Bix
11-05-2020, 03:50 PM
new firmware GC2-B6 available!
Bug fix

copier tech
11-05-2020, 06:36 PM
new firmware GC2-B6 available!
Bug fix


Anyone tried this yet?

stan780953
11-10-2020, 06:17 AM
I have installed onto a C450i and awaiting feedback from customer. The machine would intermittently go into sleep mode, the blue light would flash on the side, if you pressed the sub power button or touched the screen nothing would happen. There doesn't seem to be much in the release not for this firmware and I have not seen any for G00-B6?

copier tech
11-10-2020, 07:35 AM
Another issue me & my team are having on a few of these iseries they simply won’t accept a firmware update?

Hold the button in behind the panel, we get the back dot the USB is in the panel, USB pen has the firmware in the correct FWxxx folder but the machine simply boots up as normal.

Tried various USB pen drives these all work on other models.

When the machine boots up it sees the pen & gives the option to print the contents of the FWxxx folder!

Is it possible that firmware update can be disabled by a SW switch?

Bix
11-10-2020, 07:48 AM
I have installed onto a C450i and awaiting feedback from customer. The machine would intermittently go into sleep mode, the blue light would flash on the side, if you pressed the sub power button or touched the screen nothing would happen. There doesn't seem to be much in the release not for this firmware and I have not seen any for G00-B6?

Hi, in your case it could be the weekly timer. You go into the power saving settings and turn it off.


Another issue me & my team are having on a few of these iseries they simply won’t accept a firmware update?

Hold the button in behind the panel, we get the back dot the USB is in the panel, USB pen has the firmware in the correct FWxxx folder but the machine simply boots up as normal.

Tried various USB pen drives these all work on other models.
a
When the machine boots up it sees the pen & gives the option to print the contents of the FWxxx folder!

Is it possible that firmware update can be disabled by a SW switch?

What firmware are you in now? This happened to me in series 4 after a firmware update. I discovered that even loading Movie Data doesn't work anymore (after a while it said NG). I solved it by loading the firmware and movie data using the USB ports near the ethernet port. It seems to have worked!

srvctec
11-10-2020, 03:10 PM
What irks me and what I don't understand is why KM can't keep the same naming format for base vs. special. The GC2-B6 is located in the base F/W tab BUT named like special F/W is. I sure wish they'd get their frickin' act together and name F/W consistently so as not to confuse. If they would do that, then at a glance, one could tell if the F/W is base or special. It used to always be that G00-** was base and anything other than "00" before the "-" was special.

Then there's the other thing that bugs me about this F/W GC2-B6. The pdf says "* The countermeasure of the problems solved on GC1-7B or earlier versions are included in this firmware." and GC1-7B is a special F/W from April of this year, located in the special F/W download section. So WTH would they include all the fixes of a special F/W and then put it in a F/W in the base F/W download section? Makes no sense to me.

My only guess is that they found out the fixes in GC1-7B warranted enough of a resolution to widespread issues that they decided to include those in the base F/W but if that's the case, why name the base like it's special when it isn't?

Bix
11-10-2020, 03:38 PM
Hi, I can help you on this. I too was very confused at the beginning but I then did a refresher course recently at Konica Minolta Europe.


There is a lot of confusion about the firmware and this is due to the merger of Konica and Minolta. The two companies had two different thoughts and over the years they have changed the structure to try to meet.


Here's how you need to interpret the firmware.
G00 and G20 are the master firmware, the definitive ones. They need months of testing to be launched.
Konica Minolta has realized that if there is a serious problem, the customer cannot wait 3 months for your final update. The printer has now been sold and I can't wait for your tests.


This is why periodic firmware and bug fixes are now born. These firmwares are experimental, not definitive. To give an example: your cruise ship is at sea, these bug fixes are used to plug the holes of water entering the hull. These holes could keep your ship afloat for a long time or cause it to sink.


Firmware bug fixes are classified as special because they include features requested by paid or high-demand customers, as well as bug fixes. For example, many have suggested the possibility of making the home dynamic. Konica Minolta has finally decided to make this feature in an official firmware.


Now I'll make you a table on the firmware and which one you need to download:
- G00/G20 are official master firmware.
- GC/GQ/GE/GF/GG/GH are bugfix/features firmware that will become master.
- GP/GQ/GR/GS/GT/GU/GW/GX/GY/GZ are custom firmware, exclusive for special customers.

srvctec
11-10-2020, 03:51 PM
Hi, I can help you on this. I too was very confused at the beginning but I then did a refresher course recently at Konica Minolta Europe.


There is a lot of confusion about the firmware and this is due to the merger of Konica and Minolta. The two companies had two different thoughts and over the years they have changed the structure to try to meet.


Here's how you need to interpret the firmware.
G00 and G20 are the master firmware, the definitive ones. They need months of testing to be launched.
Konica Minolta has realized that if there is a serious problem, the customer cannot wait 3 months for your final update. The printer has now been sold and I can't wait for your tests.


This is why periodic firmware and bug fixes are now born. These firmwares are experimental, not definitive. To give an example: your cruise ship is at sea, these bug fixes are used to plug the holes of water entering the hull. These holes could keep your ship afloat for a long time or cause it to sink.


Firmware bug fixes are classified as special because they include features requested by paid or high-demand customers, as well as bug fixes. For example, many have suggested the possibility of making the home dynamic. Konica Minolta has finally decided to make this feature in an official firmware.


Now I'll make you a table on the firmware and which one you need to download:
- G00/G20 are official master firmware.
- GC/GQ/GE/GF/GG/GH are bugfix/features firmware that will become master.
- GP/GQ/GR/GS/GT/GU/GW/GX/GY/GZ are custom firmware, exclusive for special customers.

Well, that explains it! Thanks, Bix!

Edit:
I noticed you have GQ listed twice and was wondering which location was correct because I'm putting this info in a file so I can refer to it later (I'm guessing that should be GD instead of GQ in the bugfix/features firmware list). Also GV is missing in the custom firmware; was that intentional (maybe it's not used)?

Bix
11-11-2020, 07:57 AM
Well, that explains it! Thanks, Bix!

Edit:
I noticed you have GQ listed twice and was wondering which location was correct because I'm putting this info in a file so I can refer to it later (I'm guessing that should be GD instead of GQ in the bugfix/features firmware list). Also GV is missing in the custom firmware; was that intentional (maybe it's not used)?

Excuse me, I took my notes back. I'm probably cross-eyed hahaha

is in alphabetical order:
so bug fixes/features: GC/GD......../GH
Custom firmware:GP/GQ/........../GZ

stan780953
11-12-2020, 06:24 AM
Hi, in your case it could be the weekly timer. You go into the power saving settings and turn it off.




What firmware are you in now? This happened to me in series 4 after a firmware update. I discovered that even loading Movie Data doesn't work anymore (after a while it said NG). I solved it by loading the firmware and movie data using the USB ports near the ethernet port. It seems to have worked!


Thanks for the reply. This was one of the first things we checked as it's normally disabled on PDI along with the power consumption in sleep mode. We have seen the same issue on a C250i and at the time this was on G00-B5, so we performed a full data clear and this hasn't played up since. Regarding the C450i and the B6 firmware this hasn't come in again either. Strange and random and not sure it's over yet!

robinsonad86
11-12-2020, 11:35 AM
Another issue me & my team are having on a few of these iseries they simply won’t accept a firmware update?

Hold the button in behind the panel, we get the back dot the USB is in the panel, USB pen has the firmware in the correct FWxxx folder but the machine simply boots up as normal.

Tried various USB pen drives these all work on other models.

When the machine boots up it sees the pen & gives the option to print the contents of the FWxxx folder!

Is it possible that firmware update can be disabled by a SW switch?

Are you writing to the USB stick using Windows 10? I had this where I couldnt get any FW to work using Windows 10. Had to use some DOS commands on Windows 7 to fully wipe the sticks and then write FW using 7, worked fine

srvctec
12-11-2020, 03:30 PM
What irks me and what I don't understand is why KM can't keep the same naming format for base vs. special. The GC2-B6 is located in the base F/W tab BUT named like special F/W is. I sure wish they'd get their frickin' act together and name F/W consistently so as not to confuse. If they would do that, then at a glance, one could tell if the F/W is base or special. It used to always be that G00-** was base and anything other than "00" before the "-" was special.

Then there's the other thing that bugs me about this F/W GC2-B6. The pdf says "* The countermeasure of the problems solved on GC1-7B or earlier versions are included in this firmware." and GC1-7B is a special F/W from April of this year, located in the special F/W download section. So WTH would they include all the fixes of a special F/W and then put it in a F/W in the base F/W download section? Makes no sense to me.

My only guess is that they found out the fixes in GC1-7B warranted enough of a resolution to widespread issues that they decided to include those in the base F/W but if that's the case, why name the base like it's special when it isn't?

Well, as I suspected, KM screwed up AGAIN. The GC2-B6 F/W is now where it should have been all along (on ALL i-Series models), in the special F/W tab and G00-B6 is the latest base F/W. I was checking yesterday to make sure we had the latest on a machine going out next week and discovered KM moved F/W around as they should have been from the start. Photos below taken today.

https://i.imgur.com/KWD4vdi.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/k5srRht.jpg

Bix
12-11-2020, 03:37 PM
This is no longer a problem. Now the G00-E9 version is out. Another flood of bug fixes and new features.

srvctec
12-11-2020, 03:41 PM
This is no longer a problem. Now the G00-E9 version is out. Another flood of bug fixes and new features.

But my point is they put a special F/W in the wrong place, making us techs think it was base F/W.

We don't have G00-E9 yet here in the states because Europe always gets updates before we do, it seems.

Genotrom
12-11-2020, 03:47 PM
But my point is they put a special F/W in the wrong place, making us techs think it was base F/W.

We don't have G00-E9 yet here in the states because Europe always gets updates before we do, it seems.

In Europe -france- GC2-B6 is considered a bugfix firmware. In case of problems, it is the first thing that the technical team has proposed to insert.

copier tech
12-11-2020, 03:50 PM
But my point is they put a special F/W in the wrong place, making us techs think it was base F/W.

We don't have G00-E9 yet here in the states because Europe always gets updates before we do, it seems.

The latest version I can see is GC2-B6

47572

Bix
12-11-2020, 04:01 PM
I prefer to have the bulletins of america instead of having firmware in advance hahaha

srvctec
12-11-2020, 04:05 PM
The latest version I can see is GC2-B6

47572

But where is it located on the KM website since you are in Europe? Is it like in the photos I provided, where KM moved the GC2-B6 back to special F/W tab where it belongs or is your GC2-B6 on the base F/W tab like it was here a few weeks ago?

tsbservice
12-11-2020, 04:51 PM
I prefer to have the bulletins of america instead of having firmware in advance hahaha

I will second that :D

HoonBoy
12-11-2020, 07:58 PM
This is no longer a problem. Now the G00-E9 version is out. Another flood of bug fixes and new features.

Mind sharing the release notes?

Bix
12-14-2020, 09:00 AM
Mind sharing the release notes?
here

47601

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