Tekfwtool for TDS540C firmware upgrade

[madao]

Yes,  "tekfwtool -e -b 0x1000000 -l 0x10 " is correct.

short lengt, it is a erase-command for flash, flash begin erase their memory.  flash must be  empty.

[Galen]

Yes,  "tekfwtool -e -b 0x1000000 -l 0x10 " is correct.

short lengt, it is a erase-command for flash, flash begin erase their memory.  flash must be  empty.

Thanks Matt.  try this now.

[madao]

and a important notice:  command for writing flash is only  "-p" , use never  "-w". It doesn't work on flash memory.

[Tantratron]

I'd like to compile the C files of tekfwtool on my Macintosh, for the moment I've found this archive https://stackframe.org/tekfwtool/ but dates are 2013.

Does anybody has the complete C files and H files of more recent date, where can we find the most recent files of tekfwtool ?

For the moment, I'm using with success a National Instruments GPIB-USB-HS interface but if I find a HP Agilent 82357B GPIB-USB interface then I'll try to see how it works from my Macintosh... see https://www.eevblog.com/forum/repair/gpib-usb-control-between-macbook-air-(macintosh)-and-tds540c/msg2852474/#msg2852474

[Tantratron]

Yes,  "tekfwtool -e -b 0x1000000 -l 0x10 " is correct.

short lengt, it is a erase-command for flash, flash begin erase their memory.  flash must be  empty.

Hey Matt, what is exactly the ASCII character of " -l"... do you confirm "small L" ?

[madao]

yes !   it means lenght.

[Galen]

THanks Matt. 
tried -e again, then -p, the write-in data still many errors. Machine can't start.
so this tekfwtool didn't do the job as expected.
now, better to find a programmer, desolder the flash and program them.  or wait for tekfwtool revision.

[Tantratron]

THanks Matt. 
tried -e again, then -p, the write-in data still many errors. Machine can't start.
so this tekfwtool didn't do the job as expected.
now, better to find a programmer, desolder the flash and program them.  or wait for tekfwtool revision.

Indeed clarification on different builds of tekfwtool would be advised https://www.eevblog.com/forum/repair/gpib-usb-control-between-macbook-air-(macintosh)-and-tds540c/msg2852488/#msg2852488

[Galen]

THanks Matt. 
tried -e again, then -p, the write-in data still many errors. Machine can't start.
so this tekfwtool didn't do the job as expected.
now, better to find a programmer, desolder the flash and program them.  or wait for tekfwtool revision.

Indeed clarification on different builds of tekfwtool would be advised https://www.eevblog.com/forum/repair/gpib-usb-control-between-macbook-air-(macintosh)-and-tds540c/msg2852488/#msg2852488

Yes.  I'm thinking maybe I will try to compile an. exe using the tekfwtool. c.   But many to learn.

[Tantratron]

What is the chip name (reference Uxyz) on the TDS540C hosting the flash firmware ?

[Tantratron]

One key question would be to know if there are some software correlations or cross-check or cross-integrity between the content of the 4 memories which are saved http://www.ko4bb.com/getsimple/index.php?id=manuals&dir=Tektronix/Tektronix_-_TDS5xx_TDS6xx_TDS7xx_Digital_Phosphore_Oscilloscopes/TDS784C_firmware_v5.2e

The website shows 4 zones, 4 chips each with their own software content but is it confirmed one can for example load on chip with new firmware without loading the 3 other chips content.

For example, say we update the 1486 only, is it OK to leave previous version of 1650Y ?

Same question, say we update the firmware flash memory, is it OK to leave the boot eprom with its previous software version ?

On a side note, would it be safer to rather update firmware from TDS754C which has same GHz speed than TDS540C ?

How about the safety to update firmware from Color CRT version into Monchrome CRT version ?

[madao]

THanks Matt. 
tried -e again, then -p, the write-in data still many errors. Machine can't start.
so this tekfwtool didn't do the job as expected.
now, better to find a programmer, desolder the flash and program them.  or wait for tekfwtool revision.

I can  make flash dump from flash in TDS754C , but not now and Firmware is old 5.0e.
Here a dump by tekfwtool.   It mus be chopped to fit direct in flash (1 &2th byte in frist flash, 3&4th byte in seconds flash, i am not 100% sure) I want help you.


What art of error make  tekfwtool?
erase error ? 

What is the chip name (reference Uxyz) on the TDS540C hosting the flash firmware ?

No glue, but i can say, it is saved in  two E28F016SA

[Galen]

Hi Matt, the erase fail, after erase, I read the firmware using -r, still not all 'FF', original data still there.
erase takes about 2-3 minutes, show message in below picture.

[geostep]

Galen, where did this erase command come from? It would make sense that the erase length should exactly equal the length of the data being written.

Also, if you read back the first 10h bytes are they indeed blank?

- George

[madao]

Same problem by my TDS754C, and i give up with trying of updating.
It is not bricked, if you give up at this point.

I tell you,  TDS700D use also  TDS700C CPU Board.

Pleas wait: i ask  friend  for flasher with support for  TSOP56 flash. (i haven't it).It take about one weeks.

@geostep, no, this command with 0x10 length is correct, i use it at first with success on my  TDS714L (it has wrong firmware, it doesn't matter, if it is dead)
https://web.archive.org/web/20131212025232/https://stackframe.org/tektool.shtml

(Important: it is for tektool, not tekfwtool, but erase command is same)

[Tantratron]

Same problem by my TDS754C, and i give up with trying of updating.
It is not bricked, if you give up at this point.

What happened to your TDS754C, what is the problem or issue after you try to upgrade the firmware and/or NVRAMs content ?

[madao]

Same problem by my TDS754C, and i give up with trying of updating.
It is not bricked, if you give up at this point.

What happened to your TDS754C, what is the problem or issue after you try to upgrade the firmware and/or NVRAMs content ?

nothing happens. = It runs, as nothing happens.

[ragge]

The output from your tekfwtool does not look like any of the versions I have seen, the strings are a little different, what version is that?
The '50 50 00 00' is the response from the 68 k code it has downloaded, and the first 50, or rather 'P', indicates that it has identified the flash types and should be good to go. (The second 50 is a checksum (which is as simple/bad as just the sum of the rest of the bytes).)

Have you tried with:
https://stackframe.org/tekfwtool/
https://github.com/fenugrec/tekfwtool
?

They should say:

Code: [Select]

Downloading firmware to scope
Pinging firmware
50 50 00 00
Firmware downloaded
(I think - I am just reading the code, I am not up to erasing any flashes right now.)

Ragnar

[Galen]

Galen, where did this erase command come from? It would make sense that the erase length should exactly equal the length of the data being written.

Also, if you read back the first 10h bytes are they indeed blank?

- George

Hi George, i read the firmware after the erase, not blank.  Data still inside.  So the erase s not successful.  This will result the wrong write-in, based on the flash chip write-in principle.
Galen

[Galen]

Hi Matt, I will stop here.
I read some information about flash write-in, looks like if the the flash chip is not erased to FF for all byte, the followed write-in will be wrong. because the write-in can change 1 to 0, but can not change 0 to 1. The erase process is to set all the bits to 1 (all byte to FF), right?
Thanks,
Galen

[Galen]

The output from your tekfwtool does not look like any of the versions I have seen, the strings are a little different, what version is that?
The '50 50 00 00' is the response from the 68 k code it has downloaded, and the first 50, or rather 'P', indicates that it has identified the flash types and should be good to go. (The second 50 is a checksum (which is as simple/bad as just the sum of the rest of the bytes).)

Have you tried with:
https://stackframe.org/tekfwtool/
https://github.com/fenugrec/tekfwtool
?

They should say:

Code: [Select]

Downloading firmware to scope
Pinging firmware
50 50 00 00
Firmware downloaded
(I think - I am just reading the code, I am not up to erasing any flashes right now.)

Ragnar

I remember tried the tool from Stackframe.  can try again.
Do you know who is the author of the tekfwtool?
thanks
Galen

[ragge]

I remember tried the tool from Stackframe.  can try again.
Do you know who is the author of the tekfwtool?
thanks
Galen

Sorry, I don't know who is the original author.

Also, there seems to be at least two versions of "tektool", made for different flash ships, I can give you some pointers if the Stackframe tekfwtool does not work.
Also, if it doesn't work, can you please take a "tektool" and use "-i" to see if it manages to identify the flash?

Ragnar

[Galen]

As the flash wrong write-in is very possible caused by the tekfwtool erase function not works for the TDSxxxC, if can may a eraser hardware, erase the flash without desolder it, then can use tekfwtool to write-in the firmware.  This may works?

[ragge]

I believe it is much simpler to first try with the other "tekfwtool", and then the different "tektool":s, and if neither of those help, see if there is some other software fix.

As I suggested, you can also try if one of the "tektool":s manages to identify the chips, and if not, open it up and read on them. If you know what model they are, it should be able to modify "tekfwtool" or "tektool" to erase them.

Also, I find it very likely that you can't erase the flash without desoldering it.

Ragnar

[madao]

Hi Matt, I will stop here.
I read some information about flash write-in, looks like if the the flash chip is not erased to FF for all byte, the followed write-in will be wrong. because the write-in can change 1 to 0, but can not change 0 to 1. The erase process is to set all the bits to 1 (all byte to FF), right?
Thanks,
Galen

Yes, this is a problem, why  erase of flash is important.

As the flash wrong write-in is very possible caused by the tekfwtool erase function not works for the TDSxxxC, if can may a eraser hardware, erase the flash without desolder it, then can use tekfwtool to write-in the firmware.  This may works?

C-serie CPU Board is also used in (early)500/700D-Serie.  (28F016SA) This should not  be a problem. But  Result is other than good, bad!


@ragge, have you  complied tektool  for this flash (should works w NI VISA)?  For galen and me.
tektool.c from wayback support this flash. But, i am dumb to make executable file of him.