BITS N BYTES

NS10 FIRMWARE UPGRADE

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Just updated from NS-Designer V5 to V6 and am using and NS10-TV01B-V1. I have converted my project to Ver 6.01[G]. When I attempt to download I get the following promt:- System program version is older than project data. Upgrade system program is required in order to transfer project. Source: 6.00 Destination: 5.01 I assume this means I need to update the firmware. In reviewing the documentation "HowToRecoverUpdateVer6.pdf" Chater 5 "About Memory Cards" it states that the memory cards should not be formatted on a Windows 2000 SP2 or Windows XP platform. I am using XP. Is there a workaround for this problem to allow me to format the card and update the NS Firmware? Better still, is there a method to update the firmware directly through the serial port?

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Unfortunately, you cannot upgrade the system firmware using the serial transfer utility because the OS9 operating system is limited to transferring files less than 1mb. CF card is the only way to do a system upgrade. FYI: I highly suggest that you use Version 6.03 firmware upgrade as 6.01 and 6.02 had minor bugs. You can find it here: NS Firmware V6.03 at MrPLC.com

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Hi Jay, thanks for your reply. I already have a number of Compact flash Cards that are FAT32 formatted. When formatting flash cards with Windows XP I bekeive one can select the desired format. Default is FAT32 but by selecting FAT it changes the formatting method to FAT16. If I reformat the card to FAT in Windows XP will this work on the NS10???? Just don't want to keep buying more cards!! Another CF card issue;- I believe that if the CF card is up to 2GB capacity it can be formatted FAT32 or FAT16. Over 2GB there is usually a selector switch on the card that limits the formatted memory to 2GB for FAT16 applications.

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Trust me! If you have ever formatted the CF Card from Win2K and WinXP, it ain't gonna work for loading system firmware. Buy a 64mb card and don't format it. Just move the files.

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BELIEVE ME, I TRUST YOU!! Since almost completing my project screen development in NS-Designer V5 [Love the TEST feature] I thought it time to try it in the new NS10 screen this week. Tried formatting my existing CF to FAT16 and downloading the V6.3 screen updates. WHAT A MESS!! NS10 is now completely unusable, boots with an Error Code 10. As you suggest, I'll buy a new card today and retry on Monday. Hope it works! Thanks.

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Well it's Monday! Bought virgin 64Meg Compact flash this weekuend. Copied V6.3 files to card. Loaded in NS10 display. All config. dipswitches OFF position. Power up......................... Still NOT working. Red RUN light and following message on display:- Welcome to NS series! Version;3.10 Hardware Devices; OK Now Loading System Programs....... Red warning Message in center of screen **ERROR No. 10; Fail in loading files or executing programs; Please recover the system program Now I am really baffled. Any ideas what's wrong?

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Sounds like you did not include all the files on the card. The root of the CF card should look like below. OS9KBOOT file is the key. It is like an AUTOEXEC.BAT for the operating system

 

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Files look exactly as you show! Still doesn't work with completely new, virgin CF card. Checked with Omron Tech. Support and found that they are aware of some issues with Compact Flash Cards. The NS series units are particularily sensistive to the Compact Flash manufacturer. Of course the Omron units are "guaranteed" to work. To date the SanDisk units are the only "non-Omron" ones that have been confirmed to work. Lexar units are a bit flaky, some work and some do not. I purchased a PNY 64MB CF and to date this DOES NOT WORK AT ALL. Will try to get my hands on a 64MB SanDisk and see if it resolves the problem. It appears that CF Memory in PLC's is far more forgiving. Would be real nice if Omron could publish a Tech Document detailing which CF Memory has been confirmed to work in the NS Operator interfaces as well as their PLC's. Furthermore a list of which CF flash that definitely do not work should be available. I have spent countless hours trying to upgrade the NS firmware. This should be a relatively simple operation, to date it is a real PITA. Not impressed with this issue! BUT, Love the NS-Designer software and the CJ1M-CPU21 is a real screamer... fast... fast....OH so fast!
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SUCCESS AT LAST!! Used a SanDisk card for the firmware upgrade. Worked perfectly.

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Last friday I was struggling to update an NS terminal, didn't have a new unused flash card, nor an Omron card. After reading this thread, stubborn as I am I still tried myself but without succes. Even formatted the card through CX-Programmer memory card in an CJ1G-H CPU, no luck either (probably the format function from CX-Programmer just uses the Windows format !?). As I needed to send the terminal out that friday I went to the -always helpfull- Omron office in Amsterdam, where the helpdesk guy had a smart solution to use my Kingston 128 Mb FAT32 formatted card. He used a digital camera with CF slot from the early days, and formatted the card with the camera. After that, using the card for the upgrade and application upload went perfect Just thought I'd might share this as it's a easy way to use a CF card that you already have, it's cheap and your old camera get's a second life

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Would like to use SD Flash memory in and SD to CF adapter for firmware upgrades and data storage on an NS10 operator interface. Issue with CF cards has been the factory format of the cards. PNY doesn't work SANDISK works great, as discussed in this thread. Anyone tried this or know if it will work?? If it worked, what was the model/manufacturer of SD to CF Adapter and model/manufacturer SD Card. Thanks

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Hello Yes its true a long time ago had the same issue as discussed got round it by using a KODAK DC220 Digital Camera (1 Megapixel) its really old and the CF is a KODAK 8M but it done the trick, so kept the camara for a rainy day.

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WIN2000 and XP can not format FAT16, but there are some format tools. Some years ago I found this one: df200.exe (installer) as I damaged my good old SANDISK 128MB CF. ( It is freeware: http://buffalo.melcoinc.co.jp/download/driver/hd/format.html ) It is a tool in Japanese language that can format FAT16... so using it is pressing some unknown buttons to format your CF, careful not to format your HD Installing is also pressing the unknown left (OK?) buttons. But in the end you can 'repair' our pre-pare your CFs! 1,2,3... - select your CF drive e.g.: RMD: SANDISK SDCFB-128 you notice the size of your CF e.g.:128MB - if you do not see the drive, press the 3rd button from the left: ????® - Select FAT16 - you could 'check': ?????(HDD??) as it is a removable drive - the first button from the left: ????(F) is start format !!!! - the last button (right) ????(Q) is quite. So, full story on CFs and FATs: Model FAT CS/CJ FAT12/16 FAT32 cannot be used FAT16X is supported by V3. NS Screen data FAT16/32 NS Recovery FAT16 FAT32 may be failed to transfer system SPU FAT32 only As far as I am aware, up to some 256MB you can format FAT16, above that point the file system must be FAT32. but in the end ... no guarantee ! Edited by IDS

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Another Note: It is now also possible to update the NS firmware using USB - I have successfully updated several units with no problems. (not sure which versions this functionality was added but it does work with CX-Designer V2.1 and -V2 hardware) Nibroc

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Greart tip! Thanks Nibroc
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[Hi, Note however that the method of Nibroc can NOT be used to update the operating OS system. Regards, MPM

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Can this "OS upgrade" be done by any other method then ? And when would it be required ? I thought the System Version is the only system software than can be loaded by a user. Or do you mean using it with NS-Runtime...
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I am not sure what you mean by 'Operating System' either? -certainly you can download the 'System Program' using the USB, (and ethernet) method. I am not sure if there is an 'Operating System' above the 'System Program'? Nibroc

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Hi Nibroc, Try selecting the OS9 folder. This is the folder that holds the Operating system for the NS terminals. Currently you have the 3 banks which hold the firmware for the terminals. I do not know exactly which bank holds the firmware for which terminal exactly. The OS folder holds the info for the operating system. When you use the compactflash for updating the terminal selects the proper bank ( which hold s the firmware) and the data in the OS9 folder. I would rather see that you could in your method are able to select the terminal and CXD would then load the proper data in the terminal. Regards, MPM

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Hi MPM, I understand - yes you must select the appropriate 'bank' folder using this method. It isn't clear if the OS9 (operating system) files are transferred and perhaps they are not. No time to troll through the manuals at the moment for clues. Perhaps someone at Omron could clarify any differences between memory card transfer and USB/ethernet transfer ...? Nibroc

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Hello, can anyone tell me what these minor bugs are? I have got CX-designer version V1.00 oct21 2005 and can only convert programs to ver 6.2 If I upgrade the firmware with FW version 6.3, I think can't download program with version 6.2 right ? thanx

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Use attached version table for compability. NOTE: It looks like the table contains a fault, the System program column Ver 6.5 of the second table should contain "yes" down until the horizontal colum 6.5. In short words, yes you can download a CX-Designer project created under system version 6.2 to a PT that has system version upgraded to 6.5 Screen data versions are upwardly compatible with PT firmware versions. Pages_from_V088.pdf

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Hi guys, Maybe some tips. www.MYOMRON.com , download section holds firmware to download up to 8.41 for NS. For format issues, I have struggled in the past also with this problem. Now If this happens I always tell the customer to use a CJ1 , place the CF card in there and format the card. This will make it usable for NS also. regards, MPM

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