CDM1250 crashed during firmware update... How screwed am I?

[nmfire10]

I finally made a proper programming cable for the accessory connector with the boot control line and everything. I updated the firmware on one of my CDM's without a problem. By the way, it fixed everything and all the bugs that used to piss me off are gone now.

I go home to update my base radio (another CDM1250). It would start uploading the firmware and then crash in the middle with an error. I tried it a few times following the instructions exactly. It just wouldn't go. Now the radio seems to be a lifeless doorstop. Running the firmware update software fails immediately with TIME OUT OCCURRED WHILE SENDING SBEP COMMAND. I tried a trick I read on here. Start the firmware update on a working radio. Then when it says to restart in bootstrap, hook up the dead radio and continue from there, I guess tricking it. That doesn't work either.

I tried to do the firmware and it says the radio is not in bootstrap mode. No luck there either. Also reseting the hardware doesn't work either. The thing is just dead.

What can I do besides sending it to Mexico??

[fire_master_21]

What can I do besides sending it to Mexico??

Pray that it is shipped back as a XTL5000

[nmfire10]

I was afraid of that.

[nmfire10]

Ok, a little update. It downloads the bootcode, erases the flashrom, and starts uploading the firmware. Then it crashes in the middle of the upload. What can be causing to crash in the middle of sending the firmware?

[HumHead]

What speed is the COM port on your computer running at?

I have had some problems with CDMs bricking during firmware upgrades due to high serial port speeds. If you are using a RIB, you absolutely should not run above 19.2k. In theory a RIB-less cable can run at higher speeds, however, as a member of the once-bitten-twice-shy club, I always keep my serial port locked at 19.2k when doing firmware upgrades. I actually lock it down in the Windows Device Manager, not just by clicking the 19200 speed in the firmware upgrade tool.

[Hightower]

I've had quite a few CDM brick 1/2 through the upgrade process too. Don't know exactly why, but if I keep trying it eventually takes the firmware. Dozens of bricked radios were able to be revived after a few attempts, so nothing lost

I seem to have better luck at 38,400 baud, and in the windows comport settings turning down the FIFO buffers seemed to help as well.

So far firmware refreshes have fixed all the problems in all the CDM's so far. Dam earlier firmware R04.xx.xx and below is very buggy - pure trash!!

[nmfire10]

I have the com port locked at 19.2. Tried it faster, slower, with an without FIFO buffers. I guess I can try another PC.

[wavetar]

For what it's worth, I've never been able to get the inofficial LAB tool to load firmware. It's crashed at some point in the flash every single time, with multiple different radios & computers. I don't know why. However, I do occassionally use it on corrupted radios to do the eeprom erasing, then use the swap trick you describe to re-flash the radio with the "regular" firmware update software. I don't have the ribless cable for the CDM, so it's always at 19.2KBs. The portables I always use the 115KBs...what can I say, I live dangerously

Todd

[Rayjk110]

I'll echo Hightower...

In the dozen or so CDM1250s and CDM1550s that I've had do that (between the EEPROM CS ERROR as well), just keep trying to write it and it eventually takes it like a b!tch. I've never been able NOT to revive one while doing that.

[Andreas]

When you still have problems on different PC´s,use older bootloaders for the inofficial lab upgradetool!
Get the latest tool,because you can have a tool with bad firmware; R02.05.03 is the latest one.
You can also upgrade a good radio with the latest regular firmware (and before you click on upgrade) and extract the firmware and codeplug from internal RAM with Winhex or HxD.
I always use win95 to upgrade.

Andreas

[nmfire10]

UPDATE

Using a windoze 95 laptop and after messing with the com port settings a million different ways, I got it to go using the labtool on both bricked radios!!! That is $600 worth of Depot avoided. Both of my CDM's are now working great. They TX and RX better than they did before.

Only one thing I can't figure out. I have a 20-48 watt UHF CDM and it won't do more than 28 watts. I certainly don't need more than that anyway and it works perfectly at 28 watts. I'm just a little confused why it won't go higher like it should.