almost disaster when downloading MS-extra code
Micael - 30/11/06 at 09:33 AM
last night i started to download the ms-extra code. This failed (why is I not supprised).
After that I had set the Ms in "boot mode" non of the leds worked. After some snooping around the forums i found out that i might could be
the USB to serie converter.
Megatune had worked erlier when i built the MS so it works, at least the thing that megatune uses.
I tested to connect to MS via hyperterm and to my supprise i could communicate with the MS this way (Boot).
After a while i found a description the showed how to manual download the code via hyperterm. This worked! and the leds started to blink again.
However, now i couldn't connect to MS with Meagatune. After som troubleshooting i found out that the USB-socket in my computer was faulty and
when i change to an other socket it all started to work.
This was 2 hours of a near disaster expereince.
tks - 30/11/06 at 09:57 AM
hahahahaha
thats nothing 2Hrs to find suchs a issue..
didnīt windows bling all the time if you where extracting the hardware etc..??
anywah i have spend longer on more stupid/difficult things for example while making electronics to communicate wich each other..
Tks
Werner Van Loock - 30/11/06 at 04:20 PM
never use a usb2serial convertor, they're ****.
At work we have to do alot of serial communications for diagnostics and other stuff. We only use PCMCIA serial adapters for this. Always work and
never changes COM port and stuff like that. They're not cheap but they do always work.
James - 30/11/06 at 04:32 PM
But if it's a desktop he'd then need a PCMCIA reader and drivers etc.
With all the inherent mulitple points of failure that adds. 
Damn am I glad I have an old laptop with serial kicking around! 
Cheers,
James
martyn_16v - 30/11/06 at 08:59 PM
quote:
Originally posted by James
Damn am I glad I have an old laptop with serial kicking around!
My laptop has no battery, wireless reception range of about 3 microns, takes a good 5 minutes to boot up (which is annoying when it resets during
cranking the car because of the lack of battery), and is quite literally held together with gaffer tape, but I persevere with it because it's got
the serial port. It could be worse, at one point I had my PC moved right up against the front window with the monitor pressed up against the glass so
I could plug the car into it
Micael - 1/12/06 at 08:33 AM
Yes, this was on my desktop computer so i don't have any pc-card reader.
But i do have serial port. 
On my laptop i have pc-card but no serial port.
So I tought the simplest way was to buy an USB-Serial adapter. Which ofcourse didn't work.
Now I plan snoop around at the work after an old laptop that has a serial port or buy an pc-card serial adapter.
CairB - 1/12/06 at 12:54 PM
Micael,
If the absolute worst happens, i.e. the code gets damaged to the extent that the bootloader doesn't work then you could always consider aquiring
a programmer.
Then you can reprogram stuffed ones or take blank microcontrollers and program them to work in the MS.
I made one similar to the Willet one but based on data from Motorolas datasheets.
Cheers,
Colin