Idiot's Guide To Upgrading Duet Firmware

gbartsch

In this case the idiot is me, and I have a lot of very basic questions; @Phaedrux has graciously suggested I start a new thread after he and others answered another question I had on a different topic before the discussion turned to firmware. I hope to be able to learn how to upgrade firmware so I can maintain my controller board but also hope someone else can benefit from this.

I read through some of the details of the differences in newer versus older firmware and quickly became overwhelmed since I don't understand much of what was written. I hope to be able to get through the process without needing to become an expert in GPIO pins. A friend set up my machine initially but has since moved so I need to learn how to manage the firmware upgrade process myself.

A possibly complicating factor is I have a disability so if I need to do physical operations on the printer I could be slow in getting those done since I'll need to ask for help. My apologies in advance.

What I've done so far:

Removed the Duet MicroSD card from the Duet and copied the files to my Windows PC. Put the card back in the Duet.
Run M115 at the Console which returned the following in my case:

FIRMWARE_NAME: RepRapFirmware for Duet 2 WiFi/Ethernet FIRMWARE_VERSION: 2.04 ELECTRONICS: Duet Ethernet 1.02 or later FIRMWARE_DATE: 2019-11-01b1

Downloaded my current config file from the DWC ('config - current.json' [attached]) and ran the the RepRapFirmware Configuration Tool using the current config file to generate a new one ('config - new.json' [attached]).

My machine has a BLTouch (with a broken probing pin) attached but I don't use it - and don't want to use it - so chose 'No Z Probe' in 'Probe Type'. Otherwise I changed very little from the values that populated the form fields.

I ran 'config - current.json' against 'config - current.json' in a file compare program and observed the few changes I made within the RepRapFirmware Configuration Tool.

@Phaedrux mentioned rebooting after certain operations: how do I reboot the Duet board? From the DWC? Do I simply press 'Emergency Stop'?

What do I need to do next? Have I backed up the appropriate files? Do I need to make more preparations?

Thank you!

Duet Web Control 2.1.7
FIRMWARE_NAME: RepRapFirmware for Duet 2 WiFi/Ethernet FIRMWARE_VERSION: 2.04 ELECTRONICS: Duet Ethernet 1.02 or later FIRMWARE_DATE: 2019-11-01b1
Custom Cartesian machine

config - current.json
config - new.json

homex.g
homey.g
homez.g
homeall.g

o_lampe

@gbartsch
I guess a good starting point will be reading here. Especially the Migration from RRF2.x chapter.
It is a bit overwhelming, but the only thing you have to do manually is maybe pressing the reset button on the Duet or powercycle the PSU.
(and being able to bang your head against the wall or table can help, too )

gbartsch

@o_lampe Thanks. Yes, that's the document that intimidates me. My machine has a power switch I can operate so I'm glad to know I can reset the Duet by turning that off/on (one issue solved). And I have walls in my house so I'm good for the head banging part.

gbartsch

@o_lampe said in Idiot's Guide To Upgrading Duet Firmware:

It is a bit overwhelming, but the only thing you have to do manually is maybe pressing the reset button on the Duet or powercycle the PSU.

So that means I can get myself into, and possibly out of, trouble without physical assistance. That's concerning and encouraging at the same time.

Phaedrux

@gbartsch said in Idiot's Guide To Upgrading Duet Firmware:

Downloaded my current config file from the DWC ('config - current.json' [attached])

Did you also get your config.g file? the .json file is used by the config tool to store it's settings for if you want to re-import your config and make changes there. Config.g is the file that RRF actually reads at startup. Any manual changes would happen to config.g. config.json is not user editable.

@gbartsch said in Idiot's Guide To Upgrading Duet Firmware:

@Phaedrux mentioned rebooting after certain operations:

When uploading the firmware zip file you will be prompted to install and restart automatically.

Do you have a USB cable ready to attach to the Duet in case you need to communicate with the board via terminal software like YAT? Or on the off chance that it must be flashed directly with Bossa?

gbartsch

@Phaedrux said in Idiot's Guide To Upgrading Duet Firmware:

Did you also get your config.g file?

Sorry. Yes one was generated but it's 14.8mb and I wasn't able to attach it here.

Phaedrux

Your config.g file is 14mb?! It shouldn't be more than 14kb!

gbartsch

@Phaedrux said in Idiot's Guide To Upgrading Duet Firmware:

Do you have a USB cable ready to attach to the Duet in case you need to communicate with the board via terminal software like YAT? Or on the off chance that it must be flashed directly with Bossa?

Currently I don't have a USB cable ready to attach. I did have one when I set up the board and I do have YAT installed and ready.

I'll look for the cable.

gbartsch

@Phaedrux said in Idiot's Guide To Upgrading Duet Firmware:

Your config.g file is 14mb?! It shouldn't be more than 14kb!

I'm sorry. The config.zip file was 14.8mb; that's what I could not upload.

Here's the config.g file.

config.g

gbartsch

And this is the current config.g file.

config - current.g

gbartsch

I've loaded the two config.g files in Beyond Compare and am looking at the differences; I can understand some of this.

Phaedrux

config.zip is larger because it probably contains the firmware and DWC update files as well.

I'll take a look at your config.g a little later.

gbartsch

@Phaedrux said in Idiot's Guide To Upgrading Duet Firmware:

I'll take a look at your config.g a little later.

Thank you!

DIY-O-Sphere

@gbartsch
Both config files are generated for the old firmware version.
You have to select "3.3 or later" in the general tab....
That does make a big difference in the result......

gbartsch

@DIY-O-Sphere said in Idiot's Guide To Upgrading Duet Firmware:

You have to select "3.3 or later" in the general tab....

Ah; oops! I'll do as you say and post the results.

gbartsch

Sorry, previously I neglected to choose an upgraded version of the firmware from the Configuration Tool. I've re-run the tool after choosing '3.3 or later'.

Here are the updated files:

config_current.g
config_new.g

homeall.g
homex.g
homey.g
homez.g

Phaedrux

Do you use an endstop or a bltouch for homing the Z axis?

Here's an updated config set that should serve you well. The config tool caught most things from your previous config, but either you had made manual changes along the way, or it didn't catch everything.

Either way, I've updated it a bit to better match. Only thing I am not sure about is the probe or endstop question. The homeall.g you shared uses an endstop, but your updated config doesn't have a z endstop defined.

gbartsch

@Phaedrux said in Idiot's Guide To Upgrading Duet Firmware:

Here's an updated config set that should serve you well. The config tool caught most things from your previous config, but either you had made manual changes along the way, or it didn't catch everything.

Thank you for modifying the file; I'm eager to look through it. I don't seem to see it though?

I had indeed made changes to the original file.

My machine uses an endstop for homing (at the top) so I'm not sure why the Configuration Tool didn't define one. I'm going to assume that is very important and will need to be resolved before trying to do the upgrade.

Phaedrux

So no probe at all? Your old config does appear to have a bltouch defined.

gbartsch

@Phaedrux When my friend set up this extruder and installed the Duet board on my machine he installed the BLTouch. It worked and I ran a few bed mesh probing routines and saw the bed diagram but I never used ABL (I just tram the bed manually and am happy with that). Once a print failed and the BLTouch pin broke off when it dragged over the broken part so it's useless ATM and I don't want to use it going forward regardless. When someone can help me I want to remove it entirely.