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Digi 003 Rack Firmware Update Clarification
Hi! I'm trying to get some clarification on an issue a friend of mine is have with his 003 Rack firmware update. I apologize for not having a full system report with this inquiry. Any help or advice anyone can provide with the little info that I do have is much appreciated.
The issue is that ProTools prompts us to update the firmware from v7.4x... to v8.0... We've clicked Update and have let it sit at times up to 20 minutes with no change. What happens specifically is the entire system freezes most times. No mouse movement, no task manager. Other times, the system seems okay, until we click on something like say the title bar for ProTools. Then it freezes everything... We've tried launching ProTools and clicking Later, but the same issue eventually occurs. We try to load a session and it either freezes while trying to open the session, or we get in the session and it freezes there. Each time, the 1394 light on the front panel of the 003 turns off. This makes me think it's the Firewire card that is the issue. What we are not sure of is if the needed firmware update is on the ProTools install disk or if it's something that PT connects to the net to download. I've searched the DUC, but did not find anything regarding this specifically for the rack version, or I simply missed it. My apologies if it's the latter. I, personally, am more worried it's the FireWire card, a Dynex 3-Port IEEE 1394 PCI Host Card from Best Buy. It was the only brand they had and he did not want to wait to go to a proper computer store. No offense to folks who like Best Buy, but I don't think reliable computer component anything when I think of Best Buy. Anyway, we've tried each of it's 3 ports when launching PT, as well as both ports on the 003 to no avail. We've even tried different PCI slots. Windows recognizes the card just fine. No issues listed when we check it out in the Device Manager either. My friend believes it's probably his internet connection which has been down for the last two days. I initially did not believe the internet connection was the issue, but if the firmware is on the install disk, why doesn't it just automatically install it on it own? Should prompting the user ever be necessary in this situation? If it is on the disk and an internet connection is not the culprit, then the next troubleshooting step is the firewire card I'd imagine. Just answering this question would help us (Me) a lot. My friend is hell bent on getting his internet connection back up and I say we should just get another 1394 card. The former costs nothing of course so he wants to try that first. Understandable, but I think it's a waste of time. I know Digi has it's qualified 1394 cards for PCI and PCIe, but is there a list anywhere of cards known not to work with Digi hardware? Thanks for any help you guys or DigiTechSupport can provide. I know this issue is listed a lot on the site, but I just didn't come across anything that satisfied my internet question specifically. I've never had this issue myself that I can remember. I bought the 002R several years ago and have just done software updates since. Also, I got my 1394 card from the "proper" computer store here. I told them I was using it for the 002R and they said it would work fine. I mention this, because I don't think it was one of the qualified cards Digi recommends. Anyway, I'm getting the BLA Signature mod next month which got him to thinking about doing an upgrade (He had my old Mbox 1 previously). I suggested skipping the new Mboxes and going straight to the 003R, so he did, and now that he's run into these issues I feel guilty as hell cause he spent a lot of coin for the unit and some other upgrades I suggested. Thanks again. |
Re: Digi 003 Rack Firmware Update Clarification
The firmware is included in the PT install... no internet connection is required.
I've seen mention of the process taking upwards of 30 minutes, but obviously system freezing is not a good thing. Would it be possible to get a Sandra report from your friend? |
Re: Digi 003 Rack Firmware Update Clarification
I thought so, but he happened across a page of the Digi site talking about a firmware download for the console version which pretty much cemented the idea it was an internet update in his mind, even though it specifically said that update was not for the rack.
I'll email him now about the Sandra report. Thanks very much for your response. |
Re: Digi 003 Rack Firmware Update Clarification
this does not sound good but my system freezes if i let pt idle for 10 minutes
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Re: Digi 003 Rack Firmware Update Clarification
As JMS40 said, the firmware update is indeed part of the software install and you don't need to connect to the internet. If you have the controller version of the 003, you should be able to watch the display count up as it loads the firmware. If you see the numbers racking up, then it is working and I think mine took a good 20 minutes to finish. There is also a hard command to force the update but can't remember it off hand. Maybe someone else does? Its a combination of buttons to hold while turning the unit on(connected to the computer). BTW, I seem to remember the Dynex card using the VIA chip which is a "no go' for Protools. I just bought a SIIG card off eBay for $10 shipped.
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Re: Digi 003 Rack Firmware Update Clarification
I contacted him to let him know about the Sandra report, but he was already out on his way to get another Firewire card (He had gotten his internet back up and tried it again with no luck). He said the new card was from a brand called Ultra. I just Googled it and I think it's the Ultra Ultra 7-Port FireWire/USB 2.0 Combo PCI Card.
Anyway, he said he put this one in and it seemed to update the firmware. Initially, he said it didn't even ask with the new card. So, another re-install, this time removing all of his 3rd party plugins, preferences, and Digi Database files. When it got to the firmware prompt it seemed to update with no issues. However, once he got into a session it froze again; the 1394 light turning off just like before. He tried all the ports on the card and when PT loads it either freezes at the "setting/loading peripherals" part of the load, freezes when he gets into a session, or gives him a blue screen of death that reads "Hardware malfunction. Contact hardware vendor or manufacturer" or something like that. 003R Malfunction, or the new card? I told him to still get me the Sandra report, so hopefully he'll have it sent up to me before the end of the day today so you guys or DigiTechSupport will have more to go on. Oh, and sometimes when it gets to the last stage of the PT load, the peripherals part I guess, the 003 will power cycle itself. I'm thinking it's the 003R now, but until the Sandra report, who knows. But yeah, whatever this is, it doesn't look good. Hopefully, I'll have the Sandra report next time I post. Hey, thanks a lot you guys. I appreciate it. |
Re: Digi 003 Rack Firmware Update Clarification
Just wanted to say thanks again for the responses. My buddy took advantage of his period of free tech support from Digi and called them up with the Sandra. Turns out there were some issues with his previous chipset. The Digi guy said he was shocked ProTools had worked at all the time prior to him getting the 003. Again, he had my old Mbox 1 prior to the 003, so... I dunno.
I never did see the report or find out what the issue was exactly, but he ended up buying a whole new motherboard/CPU and Vista. He also returned the Firewire cards he bought, went to Guitar Center and got one of the Digi approved SIIG cards I think it's called. Anyway, all is well so far. Installation went smooth. Pulled up old sessions and created a couple new ones. No issues at all. I've stuck with XP because, well because things are solid, and I'm afraid to change anything, especially the OS. I was cringing, expecting issues with Vista, but none materialized during our 1 and half hour testing the system. |
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