Trying to update firmware - no luck so far

[Saskia]

Hi people, I've just spent a frustrating hour trying to update the Proteus firmware from OS 2.3 to 2.8 using session editor 2.51 and the Proteus serial cable attached to my COM2-port which usually works fine with my Wacom tablet. The Proteus either showed 'dl' or (after a while) '00' but didn't give any other reaction. No flickering display or anything like that.

Then I tried the other PC in the room, with the same result.

Andy, I know that this seems like a communication problem and you may want to tell me to return the Proteus and/or the cable, but that's a whole lot of hassle I'm not willing to deal with when I'm not yet convinced that either is faulty. How likely is this really? I've seen at least one other person on this forum having the same problem and finding a much simpler (and closer to home) solution. I've tried updating to firmware 2.5 first, but that didn't work. Anybody here have a suggestion on what to try next? Thanks in advance.

[Andy]

Are you changing the mode on the Proteus to "dL" before you update the OS?

Give that a try first, and do verify that your serial (COM) port is still working on your PC. It's the biggest cause of problems, and you're right, the console is never the problem.

Oh - are the batteries in the Proteus new alkalines? Maybe run it off the AC adapter if you have one.

Let me know what you find.

-Andy.

[Saskia]

Tried all possible combinations of COM-ports, session editors (versions 2.3 and 2.51) and OS (2.3, 2.5, 2.6 and 2.8) in both dL and PC modes to no avail. Did manage to establish that the cable is working bij connecting to speakers: digital noise came out (vaguely reminiscent of ZX Spectrum days). This also proved that the COM1 port was justly selected and working.

Will try again tomorrow using the most expensive brand new alkalines I can get my hands on.

To be continued...

[Andy]

Ok, 2 more questions:

You are using the BLACK cable to connect to the serial port, correct? (There's a grey one that's only for the Thoughtstream)

There's no need to try anything but the 2.5.1 editor and the 2.8 OS.

dL is the correct mode for the Proteus Console to do the OS update.

One long shot, try changing the buffer settings in Windows:
http://www.mindplacesupport.com/foru...?p=215#post215

I've never actually heard of anyone having a problem with a properly working RS-232 port, the correct cable and the Proteus.

Puzzling.

-Andy.

[TomC]

I seem to remember having similar problems updating my old Proteus from it's then 2.3 OS a few years ago. First of all I think the 2.3 OS used the PC mode for downloading, not DL (like later versions). I also had to slow down the transfer rate to slowest position (on the editor menu). Pretty sure I found that I needed to go into windows system menu to make sure that the port was assigned to either com 2 or 3 because it did not seem to like com 1, and higher port numbers did not seem to be selectable (don't have this problem once you actually upgrade to 2.8 OS). Managed to do it eventually, but is was a real pain.

Good luck and cheers,
TomC

[Andy]

I seem to remember having similar problems updating my old Proteus from it's then 2.3 OS a few years ago. First of all I think the 2.3 OS used the PC mode for downloading, not DL (like later versions).

Hi Tom;
I confirmed that it is in fact dL mode, even in OS version 2.3. I had to check it was so long ago!
http://www.mindplacesupport.com/foru...?p=476#post476

I also had to slow down the transfer rate to slowest position (on the editor menu). Pretty sure I found that I needed to go into windows system menu to make sure that the port was assigned to either com 2 or 3 because it did not seem to like com 1, and higher port numbers did not seem to be selectable (don't have this problem once you actually upgrade to 2.8 OS). Managed to do it eventually, but is was a real pain.

Good luck and cheers,
TomC

It always seems to be something to do with the serial port in the end. The Proteus is pretty rock-solid.

[Saskia]

YAY! And: Thanks, Andy! I was indeed using the TS-cable. When the machines arrived all the stuff got mixed up. I eventually found the black Proteus cable in the TS box.

Had to conquer another little hump which may be informative for others running into trouble: my COM-port is usually kept busy by my (Wacom) graphic tablet (input device). So when I connected the Proteus with the black cable, at first the display started flickering right away and wouldn't stop. The update failed. I had to disable the tablet drivers in the task manager for the COM-port to become available. After that: successful update from OS 2.3 straight to 2.8, no problem, using session editor 2.51. Hopefully someday someone will benefit from this experience.

Now my OS is new, I'd like to upload a session (from the complex set) too. But I don't want to lose any of the sessions presently uploaded. Is it true that whenever you write a single session to any of the memory banks, you'll overwrite the first session in that bank? So if you want to just add a session, you'll have to upload the old ones again too, would that work? If so, how can one get their hands on these sessions? I've only seen complete sets, where there's no option to add new ones.
How about the order in which new sessions get stored, it that alphabetical? Could you control the order by adding numbers at the start of the filenames? I have all these lovely charts and lists that help me select the right session, wouldn't want to mess all that up.

[Andy]

YAY! And: Thanks, Andy! I was indeed using the TS-cable. When the machines arrived all the stuff got mixed up. I eventually found the black Proteus cable in the TS box.

Had to conquer another little hump which may be informative for others running into trouble: my COM-port is usually kept busy by my (Wacom) graphic tablet (input device). So when I connected the Proteus with the black cable, at first the display started flickering right away and wouldn't stop. The update failed. I had to disable the tablet drivers in the task manager for the COM-port to become available. After that: successful update from OS 2.3 straight to 2.8, no problem, using session editor 2.51. Hopefully someday someone will benefit from this experience.

That's great news. Glad you got it working.

Now my OS is new, I'd like to upload a session (from the complex set) too. But I don't want to lose any of the sessions presently uploaded. Is it true that whenever you write a single session to any of the memory banks, you'll overwrite the first session in that bank?

Yes.

So if you want to just add a session, you'll have to upload the old ones again too, would that work?

Yes.

If so, how can one get their hands on these sessions? I've only seen complete sets, where there's no option to add new ones.
How about the order in which new sessions get stored, it that alphabetical? Could you control the order by adding numbers at the start of the filenames? I have all these lovely charts and lists that help me select the right session, wouldn't want to mess all that up.

Check out pages 6 & 7 of the Proteus editor manual. You create an album containing all the sessions you want to have in your bank (typically the Uxx if you want to leave the Pxx alone) and upload the whole album. Adjust the order in the Editor before you upload.
The editor manual is here:
http://www.mindplacesupport.com/Proteus.htm
Look for: "Proteus Session Editor 2.02"

The factory, complex and TS-controlled sessions are on that page as well.

-Andy.

[Saskia]

Thanks again, very helpful!