Flashing firmware after update failure

dmnvk

Hello all,

I'm having a really rough time trying to get firmware back on my MB6HC via my Mac.

I created new firmware for my delta using the reprap builder and when I went to upload it via the web control page it simply loaded and loaded but then never did anything after that. I let it sit for a few hours and came back to a bricked board.

I've tried following every tutorial to do this but can't get anywhere with it since Bossa won't launch and the command line version crashes upon start.

Does anyone have any insight or am I stuck just ordering a new board?

droftarts

@dmnvk unfortunately the Mac version of Bossa does not work for the 6HC; @chrishamm has been looking at it to try and get it working.

Currently your best bet (if you don’t have a Windows PC available) is to download Linux (Ubuntu should be fine), make a USB stick, and boot your Mac from it into the ‘Live USB’. Then install Bossa on Linux and flash the firmware from there.

Edit: before doing the above, just check that the firmware is actually erased; if there is firmware, the status LED should flash on/off once a second, but will be dully lit constantly if firmware has been erased. If it’s flashing, it’s probably a bad config file; remove SD card and check config on your Mac. See the getting connected guide to communicate with Duet.

Ian

dmnvk

@droftarts Thanks for the info - I must have been reading the docs wrong and thinking it would work for my board.

droftarts

@dmnvk The firmware update documentation (https://docs.duet3d.com/User_manual/RepRapFirmware/Updating_firmware#all-other-duet-boards) point to this thread https://forum.duet3d.com/topic/11445/flashing-firmware-on-mac-os-x and specifically for 6HC to this thread: https://forum.duet3d.com/topic/17556/duet-3-6hc-firmware-upgrade-flash-locked

Unfortunately, the last time I tested @MartinNYHC 's compiled version of Bossa (about a month ago), it didn't work for me on Mac, though I thought it had previously.

Generally, firmware updates through DWC take less than a minute. If the board hangs and doesn't reboot after that time, it's usually just that it hasn't acted on the reset at the end of the firmware flash for whatever reason. It's rarely happened to me, but you can safely turn it off and back on again after a couple of minutes.

Ian

dmnvk

@droftarts Good info - I'm currently trying to get ubuntu on a flash drive but can't seem to get my M1 Mac to allow me to boot from it. One issue after another today apparently!

Currently my board has a solid light and per your prior response is telling me the firmware is gone. Not sure what could have happened to it during that update but it appears to have lost its firmware during that process through DWC. Bad board from the factory possibly? I was able to get on DWC during initial install of the board/wiring to the printer itself, but once uploading that new firmware for my delta it decided to not cooperate anymore. I specifically made sure to avoid the erase pins by putting some electrical tape around them so I know I didn't accidentally bridge them.

droftarts

@dmnvk Ah, M1 Mac... there's no Linux distro that will work on that, at least for now. People are working on it https://asahilinux.org/, but it's still not 'easy', and I have no idea if bossa would even run on it.

If the firmware on the 6HC has been erased, I'd see if you can find/borrow a Windows machine somewhere.

EDIT: I also don't know if you can flash the firmware in Bossa using a Ubuntu/Windows VM on an M1 Mac, but that might be worth trying.

EDIT 2: If you have a Raspberry Pi, you can install bossa and flash the Duet from that.

Ian

dmnvk

@droftarts I finally got some firmware to upload to the board after borrowing a coworkers windows machine. Had no luck with getting it to work via a linux machine I had lying around. I now have a new issue - upon connecting to the board with serial tools and sending M552 to start establishing a network connection I get this error:

M115
FIRMWARE_NAME: RepRapFirmware for Duet 3 MB6HC FIRMWARE_VERSION: 3.4.0 ELECTRONICS: Duet 3 MB6HC v1.01 or later FIRMWARE_DATE: 2022-03-15 18:57:26
ok
M552
Error: M552: Network-related commands are not supported when using an attached Single Board Computer
ok

As of this time I don't have any SBC connected or plans to use one. I can't seem to find anywhere in the docs for what to do next to get rid of this error.

Any insight?

Phaedrux

Just to confirm, you have nothing connected to the 6HC SBC ribbon cable port?

Can you send M122 and copy paste the full result here?

chrishamm

@dmnvk Provided you want to operate the board in standalone mode (no SBC attached), check that you have a working microSD card in the Duet.

dmnvk

@chrishamm @Phaedrux

Turns out my SD card must've died on me somewhere along the way as replacing it and dropping in the backup I took of it before the firmware update seems to have gotten me access to web control again. Unfortunately, I have another new issue! It's asking for a password that I'm not aware of in order to access web control. Currently looking through the docs hoping to find what the default is.

Thanks everyone for the help so far.

Edit: Using M551 I was able to get in and change config.g file with a password I know. All is well for now until I end up breaking this thing again!