Always have to Update Firmware on connect | MobiFlight | Page 1

vast bobcat Aug 6, 2024, 10:23 AM

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I am running 10.3.0 of Mobi flight and on both my Mega and Uno (Both being originals), I have to constantly update firmware when I connect them.
Firmware update is always successful, and after this I can use them.

I have been reading here on the discord server and on the forums that these issues have been popping up in the past (from time to time) over the development.

Was just wondering if there is any setting in Mobiflight or in the Avrdude parameters that I should change to try to solve it?

Thanks for all responses and I hope that I was clear enough in my description.

gray sundial Aug 6, 2024, 11:27 AM

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Usually this is an indicator of the boards being bad

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Enable debug logs and upload them here so we can take a look. The bot is about to provide instructions.

livid flameBOT Aug 6, 2024, 11:29 AM

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To help diagnose your problem we need to see your MobiFlight logs. Follow the steps in this wiki to get them: Providing logs from MobiFlight

vast bobcat Aug 6, 2024, 4:40 PM

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Here is the logs when I connect the Mega and update the firmware:

📎 message.txt

gray sundial Aug 6, 2024, 5:00 PM

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Thanks, that all looks as expected. So next time you run mobiflight it tries to upload the firmware again?

vast bobcat Aug 6, 2024, 5:04 PM

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Yes, every time I connect the same Mega it gives me the "New firmware available" and successfully uploads the firmware. Then I can access the configured modules on the board.

gray sundial Aug 6, 2024, 5:06 PM

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Very strange

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I can see in the logs why we don't think it has firmware but I don't know why it would happen

opal rain Aug 6, 2024, 5:07 PM

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when you upload the firmware, are all the devices recognized in the onboard configuration without further action?

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The serial number is intact?

gray sundial Aug 6, 2024, 5:09 PM

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This is what the logs show when we first ask the board to give us its info:

08/06/2024 18:38:20(69): MobiFlightModule.GetInfo(): Retrieved board: Arduino Mega 2560, Arduino Mega 2560, /, .

Notice there's no firmware version or serial number returned. After flashing we get this back:

08/06/2024 18:38:35(395): MobiFlightModule.GetInfo(): Retrieved board: MobiFlight Mega, MobiFlight Mega, 2.5.1/2.5.1, SN-960-4B7.

opal rain Aug 6, 2024, 5:11 PM

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yes, but is that SN the same or a new one?

vast bobcat Aug 6, 2024, 5:11 PM

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opal rain when you upload the firmware, are all the devices recognized in the onboard conf...

If I choose not to update firmware, and go to the MobiFlight Modules it does state the following. As you say, there is no serial unless I update the firmware.

gray sundial Aug 6, 2024, 5:11 PM

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when you do upload the firmware again, you don't have any orphaned serials dialog correct? It's the same serial number every time

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it's just missing at the start

vast bobcat Aug 6, 2024, 5:12 PM

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let me double check quickly to make sure.

opal rain Aug 6, 2024, 5:12 PM

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If it is the same SN, then it is not a bad EEPROM as all the data is retrieved correctly after reuploading the firmware.

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I have similar behavior on a couple of my boards, but generally I get them to connect after I shutdown MF. power cycling them and restarting Mobiflight.

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I don't know why this happens

vast bobcat Aug 6, 2024, 5:14 PM

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Click the manage orphaned serials does not do anything.

I can verify that the serial SN-960-4B7 is returned evertime I update the firmware.

gray sundial Aug 6, 2024, 5:14 PM

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ok, so it's not bad eeprom

vast bobcat Aug 6, 2024, 5:15 PM

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To be honest, I get the same with my Uno - And I am starting to wonder if it is something with my computer? I have no idea what would be causing that though.

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I have used both the Uno and Micro Pros in the past successfully.

gray sundial Aug 6, 2024, 5:16 PM

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Not convinced it's something to do with your computer. @opal rain you say you see the same thing sometimes, with the serial number staying the same?

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@vast bobcat can you try something for me? Close mobiflight, run it, and when you are prompted to update the firmware don't upload it

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then after mobiflight runs, disconnect the usb from the mega, and plug it back in. Just leave mobiflight running while you do this

vast bobcat Aug 6, 2024, 5:18 PM

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Will do right away.

gray sundial Aug 6, 2024, 5:18 PM

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then check in the modules dialog to see if it detected the board properly when you plugged it in

vast bobcat Aug 6, 2024, 5:22 PM

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Interesting! So I did what you said. I started MF, plugged in the Mega, cancelled update, kept the Mega connected, restarted MF and MF found it and the orphaned serial box appeared, I pressed OK. MF did then not ask me to update the firmware.

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gray sundial Aug 6, 2024, 5:22 PM

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ok but that's quite what I was hoping for 😅

vast bobcat Aug 6, 2024, 5:23 PM

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Haha. ok. 😄

gray sundial Aug 6, 2024, 5:23 PM

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do this:

Run Mobiflight
When it asks to update firmware say no
Leave Mobiflight running
Disconnect the USB from the Mega
Reconnect the USB to the Mega
Open the modules dialog and see if the mega shows up properly

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don't close mobiflight between steps 4 and 5

vast bobcat Aug 6, 2024, 5:26 PM

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So I did this. Remember that always when I connect the Mega I get the "Update firmwaree". But when I cancel out of it this is what see:

opal rain Aug 6, 2024, 5:26 PM

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gray sundial Not convinced it's something to do with your computer. <@793885079034265640> you...

yes, the serial number stays the same. But I don't normally reupload the firmware. A power cycle of the boards and restart of MF usually gets them to connect.

gray sundial Aug 6, 2024, 5:27 PM

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vast bobcat So I did this. Remember that always when I connect the Mega I get the "Update fi...

Sure, but did you disconnect the mega and plug it back in then check the dialog?

opal rain Aug 6, 2024, 5:27 PM

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when this happens, the boards appear as compatible in MF Modules, just as reported by the OP.

gray sundial Aug 6, 2024, 5:27 PM

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opal rain yes, the serial number stays the same. But I don't normally reupload the firmwa...

I'm pretty sure I see this too with some of my Pico boards. I always just assumed I did something bad in my board design. If I unplug them and plug them back in they show up.

vast bobcat Aug 6, 2024, 5:28 PM

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Everytime I connect the Mega, cancelling the update, even with MF running (or restarting) it I get the same screenshot as above without serial.

opal rain Aug 6, 2024, 5:28 PM

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they won't come back if MF is running.

opal rain Aug 6, 2024, 5:29 PM

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vast bobcat Everytime I connect the Mega, cancelling the update, even with MF running (or re...

please try shutting down Mobiflight... then power cycle the board, then restart Mobiflight.

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just to test if your issue behaves like mine.

gray sundial Aug 6, 2024, 5:30 PM

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opal rain they won't come back if MF is running.

I think you're right, that's what I experience too

opal rain Aug 6, 2024, 5:31 PM

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I believe it is a bug in the recognition protocol, but I know zero about it.

vast bobcat Aug 6, 2024, 5:32 PM

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Hmmmm...Now I did what Jamie said and MF now recognized the board at start without any firmware forcing....

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Let me try this again, just to be sure.

gray sundial Aug 6, 2024, 5:32 PM

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yeah, ok. sounds like we all have the same issue sometimes

opal rain Aug 6, 2024, 5:32 PM

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I just note this happens way more often in the latest official release

vast bobcat Aug 6, 2024, 5:33 PM

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yeah, not the Mega is regonized at start. Let me do the same with the Uno here to see if I can make it work.

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Hmmm...And now the Uno is recognized at startup.

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Let me see if I can get me Micro Pro going as well. (I have had problem with them in the past, and was thinking about starting a thread to get some help with them).

opal rain Aug 6, 2024, 5:37 PM

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Pro Micros have a particular behavior when updating firmware in that they create a temporary serial port to do the upload. So they may require a reset after uploading.

vast bobcat Aug 6, 2024, 5:40 PM

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I assume that might be a different thread all together but I get an "access denied" on port during the flashing process on my Micro Pros. (But they are identified in MF, I just can't update the firmware).

opal rain Aug 6, 2024, 5:50 PM

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vast bobcat I assume that might be a different thread all together but I get an "access deni...

hmm try disconnecting all boards and leaving only the pro micro for firmware upload. As I said, a new temporary serial is created and Mobiflight needs to switch to this new port for the upload.

gray sundial Aug 6, 2024, 5:52 PM

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opal rain hmm try disconnecting all boards and leaving only the pro micro for firmware upl...

Temporary port, not serial 😉

opal rain Aug 6, 2024, 5:52 PM

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tomato tomahto

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lol

gray sundial Aug 6, 2024, 5:52 PM

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😅

vast bobcat Aug 6, 2024, 5:54 PM

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I read somewhere that there also is a timing issue. When I use the avrdude manually (outside of MF) but with the exact same parameters, I tried to change the attempts to more that "1", but that is skipped.

So I am not sure if it actually times out before it swaps. But If you guys have any insight to how to do it I would be so happy.

No other boards are connected except for the PM.

gray sundial Aug 6, 2024, 5:54 PM

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it's not a flashing problem, it flashes fine. the problem is when we ask the board for its version and serial number. mobiflight seems to get nothing back.

vast bobcat Aug 6, 2024, 5:55 PM

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📎 message.txt

opal rain Aug 6, 2024, 5:55 PM

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I don't usually encounter this problem with my two Pro Micros.

vast bobcat Aug 6, 2024, 5:55 PM

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That is what happens to my Pro Micro

opal rain Aug 6, 2024, 5:55 PM

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The pro micro when reset, gives you a window of just a few seconds in which to initiate upload of a new firmware

gray sundial Aug 6, 2024, 5:56 PM

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For your pro micro, it looks like it's not reconnecting with a different com port for flashing like it should. what kind of pro micro is it? genuine or some clone?

vast bobcat Aug 6, 2024, 5:56 PM

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This is actyally a clone. Works with the Arduino IDE though.

gray sundial Aug 6, 2024, 5:57 PM

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it's not behaving correctly as far as I can tell from the logs. One thing to try: look for it in device manager and uninstall it, then plug it in again

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and then try mobiflight again

vast bobcat Aug 6, 2024, 5:57 PM

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Pops up as a Arduino Leonardo in the Device Manager...

gray sundial Aug 6, 2024, 5:58 PM

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yeah uninstall it

vast bobcat Aug 6, 2024, 6:39 PM

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yeah, still getting nothing from it. Would you recommend that I use Ardunio Nanos instead if I need a small board, since the Pro Micros seems to be so finickyy? @gray sundial

opal rain Aug 6, 2024, 6:50 PM

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I haven't had much trouble with Pro Micros

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although not used by Mobiflight, I kind of like their flexibility in being used in HID type projects like joysticks and keyboards.

vast bobcat Aug 6, 2024, 6:56 PM

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I agree, I have used them for that specific things. I just ordered some nanos to see how they work work MF. I am not making huge cockpits, but smaller panels, so the small factor is of interest.

opal rain Aug 6, 2024, 7:02 PM

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I have used Nanos and they carry their own set of issues too. It depends on whether you get CH340 chips or not, whether these chips are counterfeit or not and whether the bootloader is new or old.

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All nano clones from China will most likely have the CH340 chip.

#Always have to Update Firmware on connect