1 (edited by DamoSyzygy 2019-05-07 15:19:49)

Topic: Restore firmware onto Fireface UFX? - Urgent help requested!

Hi all,

I have been experiencing issues today (May 7, 2019) with my UFX not playing sound.
I upgraded the driver (which worked okay but didnt solve my problem) then upgraded the firmware to the latest, using the fut_usb.exe file

After updating, it prompted for a reboot, which I did.
Upon restart, the Fireface screen is blank white, and the 'state' buttons are on solid (not flashing)
Not sure what has happened, but to add insult to injury I can no longer open the fut_usb file, or any earlier version of it.

I suspect the firmware update didn't work, but I have no way to dial it back or do a hard reset.

I've tried everything from uninstalling drivers to holding down buttons and turning on... All Im getting is a blank UI and solidly lit state buttons.

This has never happened in all my prior updates so Im at a loss...

Any help please?

Re: Restore firmware onto Fireface UFX? - Urgent help requested!

Hello,

did you also switch the UFX off an on after the update? "Reboot" sounds like something a PC would do...


Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

3 (edited by DamoSyzygy 2019-05-07 15:45:30)

Re: Restore firmware onto Fireface UFX? - Urgent help requested!

Hi

Yes, have tried powering off the UFX (for 10 secs) and powering back on - numerous times now.
This all happened immediately after the latest firmware update. Is there any way to roll the version back, or do a 'hard reset' on the UFX itself?

Thanks in advance,

4

Re: Restore firmware onto Fireface UFX? - Urgent help requested!

I doubt the firmware update caused that:

> I have been experiencing issues today (May 7, 2019) with my UFX not playing sound.

IMHO you would have gotten the blank screen  even without performing the firmware update. The unit was already broken.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

5 (edited by DamoSyzygy 2019-05-08 00:44:52)

Re: Restore firmware onto Fireface UFX? - Urgent help requested!

Thanks, MC. That's certainly possible, albeit highly coincidental.

Its a pity too, because the unit has worked flawlessly since I purchased it many years ago.

I think the sound issue may have originally come from a recent Windows update, which is what prompted me to search for the latest UFX drivers and firmware. But it was upon installing the new firmware that the screen went blank and Windows no longer recognized the device.

Is there anything you suggest I try before going down the arduous route of chasing up a repair agent?

Regards,

6

Re: Restore firmware onto Fireface UFX? - Urgent help requested!

There is really nothing to do than service at RME, sorry. Contact your local distributor to send the unit in.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

Re: Restore firmware onto Fireface UFX? - Urgent help requested!

Thanks, MC - and will do.
Out of interest, have you seen this kind of behavior with the Fireface UFX before?

8

Re: Restore firmware onto Fireface UFX? - Urgent help requested!

This error can be caused by RAM or DSP aging, which have a limited lifetime. I suspect the unit is nearly 10 years old.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

Re: Restore firmware onto Fireface UFX? - Urgent help requested!

Thanks, MC - Yes its near on ten years I think.
Ill send it in for a service. Thanks for all your help.

Re: Restore firmware onto Fireface UFX? - Urgent help requested!

This also sounds like the symptoms of a power supply going bad.   This happened on my UFX a few years ago.  I managed to get a replacement P/S from our Australian wholesaler. 
It also happened again last year, but I was able to replace a couple of bad capacitors on the P/S board and it's been running fine ever since.

----------------
Matt McKenzie-Smith (UFXII, UFX, Babyface) MacStudioUltra OS13.2.1
----------------

11 (edited by mattrixx 2019-05-20 23:34:38)

Re: Restore firmware onto Fireface UFX? - Urgent help requested!

mattrixx wrote:

This also sounds like the symptoms of a power supply going bad.   This happened on my UFX a few years ago.  I managed to get a replacement P/S from our Australian wholesaler. 
It also happened again last year, but I was able to replace a couple of bad capacitors on the P/S board and it's been running fine ever since.


OMG... I must have jinxed myself... The PSU went in mine today... Luckily I had a spare UFX (only arrived last friday) here to keep me going for todays work!!  Pheewwww


Edit (additional info) - I received my replacement PSU and fitted, having removed the faulty one (a couple of the larger caps are swolen. I should be able to refurb this PSU at a later date).

----------------
Matt McKenzie-Smith (UFXII, UFX, Babyface) MacStudioUltra OS13.2.1
----------------

12 (edited by bobe 2019-05-24 22:56:35)

Re: Restore firmware onto Fireface UFX? - Urgent help requested!

I also have the very same symptom after installing the latest F/W UFX:360 dated 02/20/2019 on my FF UFX.  White LCD display and State LEDs on solid after F/W update and power cycle.

This does sound like a F/W issue Matthias.

I am an electronic engineer and I have done some troubleshooting and need some technical support. Here is what I have done.

My FF800 PSU connected to my FF UFX causes the UFX to behave in the same manor. All white LCD Display with State LED's on solid. The DC voltages on the two molex connectors located on the PCB that has the Spartan FPGA, & TI DRAM are the same when using the FF800 PSU or the FF UFX PSU. 

4 Pin Molex:
Black to Red                5.5 VDC
Black to Yellow             15.7 VDC
Black to Blue               -16.40 VDC

2 Pin Molex:
White to Red                49.24 VDC

I have disconnected the ribbons cables to the Word Clock PCB, the I/O AD-DA PCB as well as the Molex connector between the FPGA DRAM PCB and the I/O AD-DA PCB.  There is no change in any DC Voltages or Display symptoms with the other PCB's disconnected.

There is a Su'SCON super capacitor labeled C660 on the silk screen of the FPGA/DRAM PCB I believe to be  Part #MCM5R5334ZG18()R that is probably used to maintain non-volatile memory for DRAM or FLASH.  When the unit is powered up I read 1.26VDC across C660 and when powered off overnight I read .7VDC. 

So here are my questions.
How do I back-rev the F/W on the UFX? Is there a default NON-VOL Flash image that I can reset the unit to, and then try a different F/W image upgrade? If so, how do I do the F/W back rev?

Do the DC Voltages from both PSUs sound in range and proper?

Does the DC voltage across C660 seem proper when the unit is powered on and powered off to maintain memory?

Is the FPGA/DRAM PCB available as a replacement and if so, how much?

Please Advise
Robert Economaki


UPDATE  2019-05-24
After performing the above procedures, I decided to USB attach the FF UFX back up to the computer. 

After a reboot, I noticed that Device Manager reported a funky icon for the USB FF UFX device but the LCD display was still all white and the State LEDs all lit. 

I reset the FF UFX to factory defaults and the FF UFX LCD display started to work normally but I still had the strange Device Manager Icon.

I power cycled the FF UFX.  The LCD was fine but I still had the funky Device Manager Icon. 

I reloaded the most current driver and Device Manager Icon was now correct and the FF UFX seems to be working fine and stable for 12 hours.

I am curious how long the unit will stay stable. I will post any changes if things go down hill from here.