- This topic has 13 replies, 7 voices, and was last updated 7 years, 6 months ago by .
-
Posts
-
Here is what I did to upgrade but failed.
1-Got an A/A usb cable ( male to male).
2-Followed the instructions: a-plug usb cable, b- Press Menu on rig, c- Turn on radio , d- display shows Update Firmware! bootloader v 1.0, e- select com port ( in my case com 6 or 9), f- click update, g- select file ( in my case trx1_74_0.fw), h- result: device does not respond. ( with any choice of com port that are listed.) i- I checked device manager, when usb cable is plugged in, it shows PROLIFIC TO SERIAL COMM PORT ( com 4) with yellow triangle and question mark. j- So I install PL2303_Prolific_DriverInstaller_v1.10.0.zip, Same negative result, no upgrade. Would someone tell me what I am doing wrong?.Thank youJust an idea . . . Without doing any further analysis, I would highly recommend that you get rid of the Prolific cable and replace it with a cable based on another driver such as FTDI. I have experienced nothing but trouble with Prolific drivers.
I just noticed my cable from LNR is a prolific one. I have another one “somewhere” in my pile that is FTDI. I think I will swap it. I haven’t yet tried the update utility.
I couldn’t find my other USB-USB cable so I tried the Prolific USB cable that came with the LD-5. I got the SAME RESULT as your original post reported. Oops! How frustrating.
Another issue: the exe file wouldn’t run at first. Windows 8.1 stated that it wasn’t a windows program so I deleted the exe file and downloaded it again from the LNR web site. So then my security software rejected it; deemed it a threat. I overrode the threat designation and the updatefirmware1_0_4.exe started working, but then that failure re: the COM port happened again.
It seems I don’t have another USB-USB cable adapter with chipset so I went looking in town. We have a cable store and the “expert” informed me he didn’t have a USB-USB adapter cable. He said you cannot use a straight through USB-A to USB-A cable without potentially damaging the usb female ports on either end. At least that is what has been explained to me. I haven’t yet found on-line a USB-A to USB-A cable adapter with an alternate chipset.
If you have a computer with Windows XP the USB cable with the Prolific chipset might work! Otherwise, ??? I think it is now up to LNR Precision to suggest what to do and to service their customers.
The software utility we provide on our website has been tested fully with Windows 7 and the included cable but not Windows 8. We are unfortunately at Hamcom in Texas without access to a Windows 8 system, but will find a solution as soon as we are back in our shop. Meanwhile, here is a quick little youtube clip of correcting the Windows 8 prolific driver issue. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8cojWp8qY0
We do NOT endorse this yet as we havent tested it but possibly it could work in the meantime.As another person mentioned, if you happen to have access to a intel based device (laptop/notebook) running Windows 7, it will work with the provided cable.
Thanks, LNR
Thanks for the info and the youtube link. I found this youtube link yesterday, tried it, and it didn’t work. I noticed on the youtube link that the Prolific device drivers (there were two of them) were not current drivers. The current Windows 8 driver is version 3.4.67.325 and it apparently doesn’t install the USB-A to USB-A adapter cable successfully. Perhaps those with Window 8/8.1 Professional edition might install the cable successfully. The Professional edition has a full Windows (versions) compatibility mode utility that my Windows 8.1 Premium edition doesn’t.
BTW, I have not been able to find on-line a supplier for a USB-A to USB-A CAT cable with another chipset such as FTDI. I suppose I can chase down one of my friends who might have a Windows 7 PC or better yet, a Windows XP driven PC (even though XP is no longer supported by Microsoft).
I got the USB CAT cable to install successfully in Windows 8.1.
Access the following website and then download the zip folder from the “USB-Serial Driver” link.
http://www.telescriptwest.com/tswservice/onlinecs/hesk/knowledgebase.php?article=36Unzip the folder, extract the files, and then install the PL-2303 exe file. This is a Windows 7 X64 file but it works in Windows 8.1.
Once installed, connect the USB-USB CAT cable to your PC and to your LD-5. Enter the Device Manager and you will (likely) see the offending Yellow warning icon imposed on the Prolific driver/icon. Right click the icon. Access Properties. Choose Driver Tab then Click Update Driver. Choose the Browse option then choose the “Let me pick . . .” option. Be sure to select the version no. 3.3.11.152. It should work and you should now be able to update the LD-5 firmware.
Be aware of a couple of things! First, if you get out of the update program, etc. and then start it all over again, you may have to re-choose 3.3.11.152. I know I had to do this. Second, it is my understanding that when Windows does its periodic updates, it will re-install the latest Windows 8.1 version of the Prolific drivers. Currently this is 3.4.67.325. You will have to roll-back or re-choose the 3.3.11.152 again. Yes, I know. A PITA . . . but what else is there to do?
Note to the LNR folks: I strongly suggest the next time you update the LD-5 that you provide a USB CAT cable with another chipset such as FTDI. Just saying . . . .
Good luck everybody!
I have not been able to update the firmware in my ld-5. My unit will not display the message “Update Firmware! Bootloader v1.0” after turning power on with MENU button held down, as stated in the instructions (step 4) on the website. I purchased my unit in mid-February 2015 so mine may be very early production. I think my firmware might be different than units sold later.
The A-A USB cable is passive, wire only. The Prolific chip must be inside the unit so Prolific driver will be required.
Jerry w4cdoSo where is the firmware upgrade file and how were you made aware that you needed to change the firmware version?
As several have said, the LD-5’s Prolific chip is incompatible with Prolific drivers for Windows 8, 8.1, and 10. Right now you must use Windows XP or 7.
Works fine on Windows 10, just get the right driver. I just upgraded two levels on my LD5 today without issue. In now at 1.77.1.
Joel
KB6QVIHere is the site I used to fix the yellow triangle error on both my Windows 10 machines. http://www.ifamilysoftware.com/news37.html
Joel
KB6QVI
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.