PVP700 Firmware Upgrade

Hi,

I'm trying to upgrade the firmware on a PVP700 (Model number, Unsure as im not on site atm). The current firmware is V3.09. I had 20 other panels that were V3.10 which i have successfully updated to V5.10. However when i try to create a firmware card using V3.09 as the exsisting panel type i have nothing in the drop down list for new firmware type. I have V5.10 and V3.10 firmwares on my laptop.

PanelView Plus firmware 3.x ran on Windows CE 3.0
PanelView Plus firmware 3.1, 4.x, and 5.x ran on Windows CE 4.1
PanelView Plus firmware 6.x and 7.x run on Windows CE 6.0

Upgrading from 3.0 to 3.1 was a major upgrade because the Windows CE operating system also had to be upgraded. Because of the licensing charge from Microsoft for the OS, RA made a chargeable upgrade part number for the 3.0 to 3.1 upgrade.

Because of widespread demand for the 3.1 upgrade in 2003-2004, RA sold a large number of upgrade kits at no charge, but there was a firm cutoff date after which the upgrade kits became chargeable.

This is long-ago recollection, of course, but it explains why the 3.0 terminal isn't a first-step selection in your firmware upgrade wizard.

You might try using the 3.20 firmware upgrade wizard from the RA Support website (that's the oldest available firmware now). I would take the question directly to RA Support to get a firm answer.

Ken Roach said:

...but it explains why the 3.0 terminal isn't a first-step selection in your firmware upgrade wizard...

Click to expand...

Oceansoul said:

...However when i try to create a firmware card using V3.09 as the exsisting panel type i have nothing in the drop down list for new firmware type...

Click to expand...

Ken,

I could be wrong, and this may all be academic in the end, but I don't think Oceansoul is saying that v3.09 is not available as a "first-step selection", but more that after selecting v3.00 - v3.09 at the first step, that there is no v3.10 or v5.10 FUP available in the 'Upgrade firmware version:' drop-down list in the next step. It probably says '<None Found>'?

Oceansoul,

If I'm reading the underlined above correctly, when you select your 'Existing terminal type:' you are selecting...

PanelView Plus 700 - 1500 (ME v3.00 - v3.09)

While this is correct for the existing v3.09 terminal you wish to upgrade, the FUW Utility will display '<None Found>' in the drop-down list on the next step, even though you have v3.10 and v5.10 available in the FUP folder. The reason is, that by selecting a range of v3.00 - v3.09, you are telling the FUW Utility to go look in the FUP folder for any ME firmware upgrade files (*.FUP) from v3.00 - v3.09 only. Because your terminal's version is at the end of the range, and you're looking to go above this range, you need to point it at a version in the next range up. This a bit of a glitch in the FUW Utility, as you would always assume to select the range that includes the 'Existing' terminals firmware that you want to upgrade. You actually always have to match the range for the version you are upgrading to. I read that somewhere on the Knowledgebase before, but I can't seem to find it?

So you actually need to select...

PanelView Plus 700 - 1500 (ME v3.10 - v5.10)

That's why the v3.10 terminals were able to see the v5.10 upgrade file in the drop-down list, as they are in the same version range. This should display the v3.10 and v5.10 options in the drop-down list at the next step. If that works, you may be able to upgrade from v3.09 - v5.10.

I say may, as I too have a recollection of the v3.00 - v3.10 upgrade needing to change the OS as well as ME? So if what myself and Ken are remembering is correct, the above may still not work, but check it out anyway, it can't hurt.

I've found a couple of references on the Knowledgebase to needing that upgrade...

RA Knowledgebase said:

Ref 1: said:

If you are upgrading from 3.00.XX to anything higher, you must order 2711P-RU310. This is the upgrade CD that will install the newer version of the PanelView Plus operating system along with ME Station onto the PanelView Plus.

Click to expand...

Ref 2: said:

Special Note:
For PanelView Plus & PanelView PlusCE(VersaView CE) 700-1500 upgrades from ME3.0 to ME3.1 or newer, contact your local AB distributor
as one of the following is required for Microsoft Windows Licensing requirements.

Upgrade Media catalog numbers:

• PanelView Plus/PanelView Plus CE (was VersaView CE) (700-1500) 2711P - RU310
• PanelView Plus/PanelView Plus CE (was VersaView CE) (700-1500) 2711P - RUA310 and a 128 MB compactflash card.

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Another thought...with that many PanelViews on site, would they possibly have a spare PanelView Plus 700 that's at v3.10, or later, that you could flash to v5.10 and install?

Might be a quicker solution in the short-term.

George

Geospark said:

Ken,


So you actually need to select...

PanelView Plus 700 - 1500 (ME v3.10 - v5.10)

That's why the v3.10 terminals were able to see the v5.10 upgrade file in the drop-down list, as they are in the same version range. This should display the v3.10 and v5.10 options in the drop-down list at the next step. If that works, you may be able to upgrade from v3.09 - v5.10.

I say may, as I too have a recollection of the v3.00 - v3.10 upgrade needing to change the OS as well as ME? So if what myself and Ken are remembering is correct, the above may still not work, but check it out anyway, it can't hurt.


George

Click to expand...

I did try this already. Albeit it by mistake. I made a CF card to go from firmware 3.1x to 5.1x and tried to run it in the 3.09 PVP. At this stage i didnt realise it was a 3.09 and not 3.1 like the rest of them. It came up with an error message, something along the lines of "Operating system is not comparable with this FW revision" (that is completly from memory so my not be 100% the error message, but something to do with the OS).


We do indeed have spare PVP700 onsite, and a P1 support contract with Rockwell, so i may see if they can swap out the 3.09 with a more modern one, or atleast do the firmware update.

I had to upgrade some older panelviews earlier in the year. To flash them up to 5.10, you had to first flash them to 3.10 via part# 2711P-RU310 then you can use the standard 5.10 firmware off the AB site.

2711P-RU310 is just a software disk for the upgrade along with the sticker for the microsoft license.

That's it ! I wrote dozens of $0.00 invoices for those ten years ago but didn't remember the part number.

Ken Roach said:

That's it ! I wrote dozens of $0.00 invoices for those ten years ago but didn't remember the part number.

Click to expand...

RA raised the price to like $50 or $75 now. When i called RA support, they transferred me to one of the old-timers. He had to think back, but finally remembered the part number and said "the upgrade was free at one time, but we sold more free upgrade kits in 3 months we did panelview+ since launch, so we had to start charging people a small fee for it."