Unrecoverable RoboRIO error?

[DAQjr]

Have you tried holding down reset until the status LED lights (to force it into safe-mode) and reimage from there?

Were you updating the roboRIO firmware when this happened?

[mgurgol]

I pressed the reset (the RSL light went out), but I was still unable to connect to the roboRio via the USB.  The status was still on a steady flash.

I will try the ethernet connection tonight and see if I can re-image the roboRio that way.

[dnchen]

Mark,

If you are unable to communicate with it over ethernet, and you are unable to put the roboRIO into safe mode, please give us a call (866-511-6285 from 1-7pm CST)

[Kelly_B]

To check is safe mode is working, you will need to hold down the reset button for 5-10 seconds.  Once it is in safe mode, the Status light will be flashing in sets of 3.

[mgurgol]

I will try it tonight and see what happens.

Thank you for the suggestions.

Mark

[DAQjr]

From your description it doesn't sound like Ethernet will work either.  Hopefully you'll be able to call in tonight.  ...and you might bring along a small FAT thumb drive while you're at it.

Were you updating the roboRIO firmware when this started happening?

[mgurgol]

I will try to call in tonight, I will get to the shop early.

I was not updating the roboRio when this happened, we had already updated the firmware and applied the image.  We then updated firmware on the PCM and PCP before this happened.  When this happened, we were trying to connect the Driver Station to the roboRio via Ethernet.

[mgurgol]

I talked to the Application Engineer last night.  I received the recovery configuration file (2218095.zip) and ran the recovery process.

After the recovery process I was able to connect to the roboRio and update the firmware.  When I attempted to load the image file, I received the same error that Walter reported in post number 7 of this thread (unable to download image to target).

I tried imaging from my PC and also the Classmate and received the same error.  I also tried over Ethernet with the same results.

From the thread, I do not see a solution to this problem.  Has there been a solution found yet?

Thank you,

Mark

[Walter.Everett]

Hi Mark,

An NI engineer was able to replicate the issue.  It's been a few days, but if memory is correct she was able to recover the device using NI MAX to format it followed by a re-image(without using the recovery boot).  This did not work for us though.

A replacement has been shipped (Saturday delivery) and we ordered a second device from AndyMark.

At our meeting last night we interrupted our programmers' gaming session and had them give it a shot using an I7 system --> same results.  Students have much better equipment than mentors.

Here is the sequence we see during imaging:

1.  start the reformat in safe mode

2.  after a few minutes the status light goes solid

3.  if using USB, we hear the device drop and then start

4.  the status light immediately goes into continuous flash mode

5.  2-3 minutes later the error message shows on the PC (assume there is a timeout period in the SW)

Hate to give up, but we can't get past this point.  Hopefully, NI forensics will determine what happened.

Walter

[mgurgol]

Thanks Walter,

I will contact NI this afternoon and see if they have any updates. 

Luckily this is our backup roboRio so it is not interrupting the build process, but we want to run it on an old robot to work out any kinks in the code for the current season.

Mark