Help with local app for ios

[tecnodave]

I bought this computer from a dealer locally who buys factory refurbished computers. This one had a hard disk failure. My understanding is that Toshiba replaced it under warranty and sold it as a refurb unit.

It is NOT a low end computer. Toshiba has a stellar reputation!  The Satellite is their top of line.
It does have wi-fi, Ethernet, cd read /write, all the whistles and bells. I would have bought new but windows 8 is gawd awful so my only choice was to buy new model refurb.   The OS is not street variety 7 but is Windows 7 Premium 64 bit , processor is dual core intel 2.1Ghz

I have learned a few things digging around in it

There is a USB CDC serial port emulator under Ports (COM & LPT)

I selected that and tried the instructions but Windows decided that the driver was up to date and refused to update it from the \midnite directory

I changed it from COM5 to COM8

I tried updating anyway but update failed within seconds , tried 10 times

Message:  update failed , check cable and try again
I tried two genuine MidNite cables , same result

I have commented in past posts the the Classic has a red LED just above the USB port that lights when cable is plugged into Classic and computer. Also computer makes a sound when plugging in or unplugging.

Right now I have to assume that this is a different driver or the other sets are not correct I.e. Baud rate, stop bits, etc.

Stumped and frustrated !!!

Anything you can think of?

td

[dgd]

Great, you have the CDC port driver and you can set port to COM8. Don't bother trying to update it from Midnite directory.

Here is what I do.
No USB cable connected to Classic.
Start the firmware update program and select the model of Classic you are updating.
You should have the black box telling you to connect USB cable and power on Classic
Power OFF Classic.
Connect USB cable to Classic.
Connect USB cable to computer
Power on Classic.
Wait as it boots then after a few seconds the black box should say something like firmware downloading
and there is a % figure that increases to 100%
When it says completeed in black box just keep waiting until the black box disappears. This may take several minutes.

Same process but this time start the MNGP firmware update.
This goes slower and the % increases more slowly.
Again wait until black box disappears.

Restart Classic after unplugging the USB cable.

Works every time for me on WIN7 and WIN8.

If the serial cable message appears again then try using a different USB port on your laptop.
USB ports on laptops are notorious for getting zapped and faulty. Refurbised or not.

dgd

[Resthome]

I have learned a few things digging around in it

There is a USB CDC serial port emulator under Ports (COM & LPT)

I selected that and tried the instructions but Windows decided that the driver was up to date and refused to update it from the \midnite directory

I changed it from COM5 to COM8

td

dgd posted while I wrote this but his instruction are correct

Well the USB CDC serial port emulator under Ports (COM & LPT) is the driver Midnite uses. I'm not sure how you got there or if it was installed from the c:\midnite directory or not. So it looks like you have the driver installed. You set it to Com8 and I assume 9600 baud, 8 bits, None, 1, None and Use FIFO buffers. It's critical from this point on to follow the instructions EXACTLY for powering the Classic on and off. If it fails close the firmware GUI and try the sequence again. Not sure if you have a lite or full Classic but do the Classic update first then the MNGP if you have one. Some folks had trouble with original long Midnite supplied USB cables. If yours is the shorter cable one you should be good.

[tecnodave]

RH,

I went from there and get Classic updated and MNGP is updating now.

I went back and watched win7 install video and right under other was Ports COM & LPT but that is not where the video directs you to.

I did not mess with sets except com5 changed to com8

I think it is set 119200,8,N,1

I will check in a few when install is done.

Status screen last now says :    1821 : 04/14/2014.  MNGP
                                              1849 : 04/21/2014.   Classic

And yes it is the full version , if I had bought a lite I would be in deep stuff,  I knew what the MNGP does and would not buy any controller that I cannot program not depending on anything else.

USB CDC serial port emulation is set.  :  14400,8,N,1 flow control = none

I will not know until tomorrow noon or so before I get everything reconnected if it will work or not.

Can you tell me how to get to the dos command line on this machine?

They have moved everything around again.

td

[tecnodave]

John ,

I found the command but it is hidden, using DOS command line I find:

In c:\Windows\System32\drivers\usbser.sys  32,768 bytes. 08/04/2012 12:05PM
In C:\MidNiteSolar\usbser.sys.  32,768 bytes. 07/13/2009. 32,768  bytes. 01/21/2011  05:31PM

And several more copies of these files in \system32\Driverstore\filerepository\
With both of the above dates

As far as I know windows always stores drivers in use in \system32\drivers

Different dates and time, Microsoft version is newer.

Please do not assume that I am a computer newbie, I still have my first computer , the first computer kit from Silicon Valley, a IMSAI 8080 s/n 232  with 1k of memory , 2 MHz processor, and yes I can and do program in bit binary! I much prefer assembly!

td

[Resthome]

RH,

I went from there and get Classic updated and MNGP is updating now.

I went back and watched win7 install video and right under other was Ports COM & LPT but that is not where the video directs you to.

I did not mess with sets except com5 changed to com8

I think it is set 119200,8,N,1

I will check in a few when install is done.

Status screen last now says :    1821 : 04/14/2014.  MNGP
                                              1849 : 04/21/2014.   Classic

And yes it is the full version , if I had bought a lite I would be in deep stuff,  I knew what the MNGP does and would not buy any controller that I cannot program not depending on anything else.

USB CDC serial port emulation is set.  :  14400,8,N,1 flow control = none

I will not know until tomorrow noon or so before I get everything reconnected if it will work or not.

Can you tell me how to get to the dos command line on this machine?

They have moved everything around again.

td

Glad you got the firmware updated.

CMD can be typed in the RUN dialog found under Start menu to get the DOS window in WIN 7.  You may have to change the menu setting to show the Run option.

And while not my first computer I still have my Heathkit DEC LSI-11 with it's dual 8" floppies and RT-11 OS.

[tecnodave]

John ,

CMD can be typed in the RUN dialog found under Start menu to get the DOS window in WIN 7.  You may have to change the menu setting to show the Run option.

And while not my first computer I still have my Heathkit DEC LSI-11 with it's dual 8" floppies and RT-11 OS.

Thanks for that info, I did not find it there.  And yes I do remember the health kit DEC LSI-11 , I wanted one but I grew fond of the Z-80 chip and upgraded my IMSAI with a Cromemco Z-80 board and FDC.  My Multi-boot Win95\Win98 machine has a dos boot sector which has UNIDOS which handles the 80486 and a Z-80 on a isa card  using CPM and MSDOS programs , also residing in this is a 4 channel FDC which can do 16 floppies most any format and reads/writes most any format even an Mac disk and IBM mainframe 8" floppies.  I was in communications as a field service engineer when the computer industry was born , I swapped trades and worked in the hard disk field as a root cause failure analysis engineer at Seagate and others. Mostly hardware but with lots of exposure in coding.
12 years of that and I have a slight case of computer burnout!!!

thanks for the help to you and dgd and the others who chimed in.

td

[Resthome]

John ,

CMD can be typed in the RUN dialog found under Start menu to get the DOS window in WIN 7.  You may have to change the menu setting to show the Run option.

And while not my first computer I still have my Heathkit DEC LSI-11 with it's dual 8" floppies and RT-11 OS.

Thanks for that info, I did not find it there.
td

Right click the Start Button then select Properties - Select Start Menu - then Customize. Scroll down near the bottom and make sure the RUN option is check. You should now see Run on the bottom right of the menu when clicking the Start Button. Then you can type in the CMD command to get the DOS box.

[tecnodave]

John,

Thanks for that info, I have been off windows for some time but I must relearn it. The iPad is great but I am way over its limits of capability,

Classic back on line, upgrade successful, shutdown not happening.

Need another controller and want another kid so Classic can move to shop system full time.

Kid is flying in today I hope so I will have a backup system if nessecary

The horrible spelling is apple not me,  computers are supposed to be owr slaves, not the other way around.

td

[dgd]

Classic back on line, upgrade successful, shutdown not happening.

Thats good and you have removed busted from your sig  and SNAFU is not true 
The better news is that now you have mastered the firmware update it will be just so easy in future and if you use the same laptop you dont have to reset port to com8.
Its a good place, this forum, where there are RHs who persevere with assisting others...
dgd

[Westbranch]

Remember which USB slot you used, as you might have to use the same slot  for the update.  On my Asus W7 Netbook, the assignment of Com8 is slot specific...
I found out about this little wrinkle  while updating 2 Classics.

[zoneblue]

Im glad you perservered too. Its kind of a right of passage

[tecnodave]

ZB,RH,DGD,WB,Halfcrazy,& all who helped,


Thanks to all, I would have given up at least for a while. This is the one big reason why I bought midnite in the first place. I was on the forum Christmas Eve and some user was in trouble but others chimed in on the holiday eve. I know of no other manufacturer that has 24/7/365 support to this level.

The notebook has been returned to the dealer as it was too limited for my use. I'm shopping again and I'm impressed with Asus the most but I do not want to suffer Windoze8 so I'm looking for a factory reconditioned unit.

td

[Halfcrazy]

Yes Windows 8 is brilliant. 8.1 is even better. I need to start learning Linux myself and get away from Micro$oft.

[Cniemand]

Is this ios app still available somewhere? I am unable to find it in the app store. Even when I click on a link that should lead me to it, the store says it is not available.

- Cloud