kid update with a frozen "Bad Firmware" displayed

[SolarMusher]

Hi,
Just received a new Kid to be installed in a couple of days.
Try to update to the last firmware, following the manual. Problemo, my W7 laptop does not see anything, kid seems to be freezed.
I'm using the USB cable that has been used to update several classics and never had problem with it.
Is there something that I've missed? What's this bootloader?
Any help greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Erik

[tecnodave]

SolarMusher,

The bootloader is only for early beta kid's. If you bought yours retail then you do not need a bootloader. Windows should recognize the Kid controller as a removable hard drive. Do you have a new hardware item appear in the Windows machine?

When you plug in USB cable the laptop should do a windows. "Chong"  then a removable hard drive should appear.  Drag and drop firmware to new drive.

It's not at all like Classic firmware upgrade.

td

[SolarMusher]

Hi TD,
It would be too easy. Bootlander 2.2 is written with Bad Firmware. You're right there's a chong and intermittently a drive appears and disapears but impossible to drag anything.

[SolarMusher]

I've unpowered and powered the Kid but the screen is still frozen with a steady "Bootloader 2.2 and Bad Firmware" for now.
I haven't drag anything yet So How could it be a bad firmware from factory?
Is there a way to reset it?
Erik

[tecnodave]

SolarMusher,

I gave up and sent my misbehaving kid back to Mario for a checkup. He came back with all new guts and no blue screen.  Mine acted like yours is doing. It seems that the USB cable is critical, some longer ones do not work well and require multiple tries to finish the firmware upgrade.

Is your Kid an early beta unit? Maybe received in Jan or February., these are the units that need a new bootloader.

If you bought a production unit retail you should not have this problem.

PM Ryan (Halfcrazy) for bootloader information. He has the scoop on this.

td

[tecnodave]

SolarMusher,

I just remembered someone on this forum talking about winders doing some things on certain USB ports only , so try plugging into different USB port.

Classic is seen as a serial device so ports that work with the Classic might not work with your Kid.

td

[SolarMusher]

Hi TD,
I've PM Ryan about this. This is a production unit. The problem is that I've to install this kid in a small 12V system for a customer in the middle of nowere.
So, yesterday evening, powered the kid again and it came immediately with the "Bad Firmware" message and a frozen display (sometimes there was also some strange chinese hyerogliphes), I tried all USB cables and all the ports I have on this PC without success but as you told before the Kid appeared for just a few seconds with chongs as a new drive on my Win7 PC. It was impossible to drag anything, so I tried to copy and paste it as soon as the Kid chong'd and appeared on the screen. After 4-5 times, as the kid appeared for a few second longer, I pasted it and saw the kid was showing "update 2%" and so on. Bingo! it took the update (even with "Bad Firmware" displayed on CC screen).
For sure I won't try to do it again in the field at the customer's cabin as I do with Classic update. I just wondering if it will work once installed.
Is the Kid ready for WBjr and SOC?
Thanks for your help,
Erik

[tecnodave]

Erik,

Sounds like what I had to do, I would have been able to finish but I was renting space at a computer repair shop and was pressed for time. I sent kid back because I had the "blank blue screen nightlite syndrome" and Mario needed a test unit on his bench to research the problem.

The Kid is ready for Whizbanj jr.   Not sure about S.O.C. but I think it is.

td

[chris]

Is the Kid ready for WBjr and SOC?

   Sure is, has been working great for about a month or 2 for me

[SolarMusher]

Is the Kid ready for WBjr and SOC?

   Sure is, has been working great for about a month or 2 for me

Ok great, thank Chris and td.
Is your kid a beta or a production unit?
What was this bootloader? Is it equivalent to the "Midnite update guy" for a Classic?
I don't think a kid would need a VMM? Right?
Erik

[chris]

Is your kid a beta or a production unit?
What was this bootloader? Is it equivalent to the "Midnite update guy" for a Classic?

  Mine was a production unit....and came with the bootloader pre-installed, all I've had to do is plug in the laptop and do the drag and drop to update.
  My pc doesn't register the kid being plugged in till I go into the devices screen....but from that point, up dates are a snap.

   Oh.....mine did display "Bad Filmware" once, I realized I was trying to drag and drop a link to the filmware that I had made to leave on the desk top......but once I went into downloads and drag dropped the actual wile....Poof! Bob's your uncle
HTH

[tecnodave]

SolarMusher,

My kid is a very early beta unit and had the first firmware and the blue screen. These are the only units that needed a new bootloader. It seems that there is an issue with that screen so all the production units have a different screen than mine had. My kid was returned to me with a Rev2 board and new gray display.

td