Okay, I've gathered the latest firmware to upgrade my CX16 to R48. I have downloaded ROM 48, VERA 47.0.2, SMC 48.0.0. At present, my CX16 development board has ROM 47, VERA V47.0.2, and SMC 47.0.0. All I need to update are the ROM and SMC. I'm looking for the X16 Upgrade software but it's not mentioned in either the forum or Github.
Where do I find this software? I know it's in beta, but I've only heard how well it works and is much simpler than doing each individually.
Thank you for the help,
Gerry
X16 Upgrade
Re: X16 Upgrade
All I've seen about the mythical X16Upgrade.prg is in this YouTube video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DQ_TA3vezo
Like you, I have to update my PR board. Having an all-in-one updater would make my life easier and remove one more barrier to getting my system up. It currently sits in the box it shipped in, because of personal time constraints.
While It may seem like I'm complaining, I do realize that I did buy a system that is under development and that I'd have to invest some time in keeping it up to date. I just would love to find the time to do so....
Like you, I have to update my PR board. Having an all-in-one updater would make my life easier and remove one more barrier to getting my system up. It currently sits in the box it shipped in, because of personal time constraints.
While It may seem like I'm complaining, I do realize that I did buy a system that is under development and that I'd have to invest some time in keeping it up to date. I just would love to find the time to do so....
Re: X16 Upgrade
The X16 Upgrade program lives here to explore and download for anyone interested:
https://github.com/stefan-b-jakobsson/x16-upgrade
As already pointed out, it’s still in development. That said, I’ve run it a lot without problems.
Also, I currently do not distribute upgrade packages due to unresolved copyright issues. There’s a python gui in the script folder that helps making upgrade packages, start with python gui_pkg.py. The gui has a ”Download latest” button that fetches the latest versions of ROM, VERA and SMC from Github, and makes a package of them.
https://github.com/stefan-b-jakobsson/x16-upgrade
As already pointed out, it’s still in development. That said, I’ve run it a lot without problems.
Also, I currently do not distribute upgrade packages due to unresolved copyright issues. There’s a python gui in the script folder that helps making upgrade packages, start with python gui_pkg.py. The gui has a ”Download latest” button that fetches the latest versions of ROM, VERA and SMC from Github, and makes a package of them.
Re: X16 Upgrade
Thanks for the link and writing this, Stefan. I read the posted procedure and I 'm a little confused. When you mention the 'make latest' command in the project root folder, it goes out and downloads the latest releases. Unless you have an ESP32 network card installed and set up, how does a CX16 find the latest files?
Thank you for your help,
Gerry
Thank you for your help,
Gerry
Re: X16 Upgrade
The package is built on a modern computer, not the X16.
”make latest” requires that you have the Makefile utility installed. It was designed for Unix-like systems, but I think it’s available on Windows as well.
If you use the gui program I mentioned in my previous post, you can ignore ”make latest”.
”make latest” requires that you have the Makefile utility installed. It was designed for Unix-like systems, but I think it’s available on Windows as well.
If you use the gui program I mentioned in my previous post, you can ignore ”make latest”.
Re: X16 Upgrade
I'm trying to make a package file. I ran X16UPGRADE.PRG and, of course, the program asked to choose a package file. So I closed the program and did DOS"CD:SYSTEM and DOS"CD:CX16FW.UG to get to my project working directory. In that directory, I have 4 files; ROM.BIN, SMC.BIN, VERA.BIN and X16UPGRADE.PRG. I shortened the ROM, SMC and VERA file names as this was done in other upgrade procedures. Is this correct?
According to my understanding, I now type in 'make latest' at the working subdirectory to make the package file but I got 'SYNTAX ERROR.' I also tried 'MAKE PACKAGE' but still got 'SYNTAX ERROR.'
Obviously I don't understand how to issue package commands from the working directory so if you could break it down more, I would appreciate it. I'm running version 0.0.2.
Thank you,
Gerry
According to my understanding, I now type in 'make latest' at the working subdirectory to make the package file but I got 'SYNTAX ERROR.' I also tried 'MAKE PACKAGE' but still got 'SYNTAX ERROR.'
Obviously I don't understand how to issue package commands from the working directory so if you could break it down more, I would appreciate it. I'm running version 0.0.2.
Thank you,
Gerry
Re: X16 Upgrade
You build the package file on a modern PC running Linux, MacOS or Windows.
You must have python installed.
You must also have the python intelhex and certifi libraries installed. Install them with:
- pip install intelhex
- pip install certifi
You can ignore the ”make latest” command.
I recommend that you use the gui program in the script folder. Still on your Linux/MacOS/Windows machine, type the following command in the terminal:
- python gui_pkg.py
Press the ”Download latest” button. This fetches all resources from Github. You are prompted for a folder where to store the downloaded files.
Press the ”Create package” button. You will be prompted for a package file name.
The resulting package file contains all firmware: ROM, VERA and SMC. Copy the package file to the SD card where you also have stored the X16UPGRADE program.
Insert the SD card in your X16 and run the upgrade program.
Once again: This program is still being tested and not recommended unless you have skill and equipment to recover the system using an external programmer.
You must have python installed.
You must also have the python intelhex and certifi libraries installed. Install them with:
- pip install intelhex
- pip install certifi
You can ignore the ”make latest” command.
I recommend that you use the gui program in the script folder. Still on your Linux/MacOS/Windows machine, type the following command in the terminal:
- python gui_pkg.py
Press the ”Download latest” button. This fetches all resources from Github. You are prompted for a folder where to store the downloaded files.
Press the ”Create package” button. You will be prompted for a package file name.
The resulting package file contains all firmware: ROM, VERA and SMC. Copy the package file to the SD card where you also have stored the X16UPGRADE program.
Insert the SD card in your X16 and run the upgrade program.
Once again: This program is still being tested and not recommended unless you have skill and equipment to recover the system using an external programmer.
Re: X16 Upgrade
Sorry, but most of what you wrote goes over my head. I thought this program was already compiled but it's still in the development stage and not ready for someone at my skill level.
Thank you for working on it and I hope it's easier to use when you release it.
Gerry
Thank you for working on it and I hope it's easier to use when you release it.
Gerry
Re: X16 Upgrade
Okay, first of all, my CX16 is still functioning because the upgrade went as expected. I found the package file on Discord posted by Xiphod. Thank you for doing that, Xiphod. Now my CX16 was originally delivered to me with ROM: r47, VERA: v47.0.2 and SMC: 47.0.0.0. The firmware in the package is ROM: r48, Vera: 48.0.1 and SMC: 48.0.0.0. Performed the upgrade and I've included some pictures of the process.
Thank you for the help and guidance.
Thank you for the help and guidance.
Re: X16 Upgrade
Excellent to hear!
I hope at the next R49 update, we can do a broader kick-off of this utility and more formal archive of the package used.
There are a number of fixes and improvements queued up for R49, so I'd expect that update to roll out around mid-year. The confusing issue about "bad SMC bootloaders" was unfortunate (and the time-sink in figuring out the mystery of why it only impacted some systems), but now it's been identified and a workaround determined.
I hope at the next R49 update, we can do a broader kick-off of this utility and more formal archive of the package used.
There are a number of fixes and improvements queued up for R49, so I'd expect that update to roll out around mid-year. The confusing issue about "bad SMC bootloaders" was unfortunate (and the time-sink in figuring out the mystery of why it only impacted some systems), but now it's been identified and a workaround determined.