issues upgrading firmware

[artbot]

continuation from this old thread:

http://www.signs101.com/forums/showthread.php?t=96324&highlight=blank

_______________________________________________________________

after new encoder sensor, taking out the MB and slider board getting them back from macmedia as "fine", the printer is still broken.

i'm going to update my firmware to 7.7.

______________________________________________________________
using the F/W update tool from the yahoo jv3 board. but having issues.

(jv3 160sp, v. 7.1, updating to 7.7 in hopes of curing several issues)


press remote/local during boot
printer reads "ram check"
then reads "transmit data"

i go to the F/W tool. choose JV3_FROM V600 then "upload" i here *beep*.
pc reads "can not receive data. check the status of the printer"
printer reads "F/W updating, E74 TRANS DATA"
serv' manual says E74= "Data received are not the program file/Check the version updating file"

 

[SightLine]

Are you using firmware update tool 3? In either version the translation can be confusing. For example on the machine Parameters - Upload is getting the parameters FROM the printer and saving them to the computer, Download is sending the parameters TO the printer. Although on the newer V3 tool the actual firmware upload itself does have its own FW Version Upgrade tab which should be what you are on.

All else fails I'd double check that the firewire board is seated fully in it's socket on the mainboard, maybe try a different firewire cable, or worst case maybe try connecting it via the parallel port and using IEEE1284 for the firmware instead of IEEE1394. That would be slow going but it should work.

My docs show when you power the JV3 up, when it shows the current firmware hit Remote/Local and it should display F/W Updating - Transmit Start. Then in the firmware update tool III v2.3 you would click browse and select the file "jv3SP V7.70.rom" and click the versionupgrade button. Should just go.

 

[ironchef]

May i ask what the problem to these issues are? Like the symptoms? I recently had that done on my mimaki.

 

[artbot]

@ironchef (the link pretty much sums it up and earlier i had my lever up/down IR sensor quite working. in the firmware i set to permanently closed).

___________

the firmware tool is FWUpdate Tool2. it provides upload/download/FWupgrade tabs.

the firewire board should be seated in that i've printed from the rip (although the printer isn't acting right).

i'm concerned about not backing up parameters so that is my first move or else i could really have a lot of work to do. that said, i can't move on from here. the printer is either dead or will get back to work with a click of a button. and i just got a very concerned email from my buyer/future partner about what is going on. my printer has been down for two weeks now. it's getting scary.

UPDATE:

i finally found the FW Update tool3, dragged the ver_600up (paraphrased) .prm to the upload and still got "beep beep beep" (data transfer issue).

UPDATE:

bypassed saving parameters, upgrade F/W does work regardless. printer still misbehaving, reinstalled rasterlink, no change.

i'm left with power supply which was mentioned in the first breakdown thread. does anyone know how i can diagnose with a meter if the
power supply is good?

 

[Redz Signs Inc.]

Ok.... my guess as per our conversation on the phone a while ago. remember when i told you that when i did a data swap my printheads went threw the motion but did not print anything? and when i changed them back to the correct way it worked fine.. what if the slider board shorted some how and is bouncing back and forth between the right way and the wrong way. and is giving you the effect of a data swap thats not correct. it might be a long shot but if i do a data swap right now i will have the same problem you are having. it could be a loose soder joint in the board that sends the info and when you boot up it causes a arc that will weld it together untill movement causes them to seperate.

 

[artbot]

it's a good thing to look into, but it would have to be before the slider in my case.

i've got two slider boards here. my original that was sent back to my by macmedia (checked out fine). and a new slider board from macmedia. the printer acts the same with both boards.

also, in the earlier thread there was a mention of power supply. when my old encads would develop power supply issues, they'd act terrible. then the rebuilt P/S would correct.

 

[Redz Signs Inc.]

what about a issue with the data cables that run from the slider to the main board?

 

[artbot]

that's where i go next. right now, with 7.7rom in the printer, i'm checking on the over spray issue. so far the overspray has disappeared. but the jury's still out on that one.

did you read where the carriage swings waaaay wide to the left when in uni-directional? any ideas how all this fits together?

UPDATE: can't get it to overspray at the highest 1140 variable settings. also hasn't started ghost printing (yet?)

still swings way left in uni-.

 

[inkmed]

that's where i go next. right now, with 7.7rom in the printer, i'm checking on the over spray issue. so far the overspray has disappeared. but the jury's still out on that one.

did you read where the carriage swings waaaay wide to the left when in uni-directional? any ideas how all this fits together?

UPDATE: can't get it to overspray at the highest 1140 variable settings. also hasn't started ghost printing (yet?)

still swings way left in uni-.

Hi,

Thanks for your kindly PM.
Did you just test the slider board and neglect the mainboard?
sometimes, careless printer head clear can damage the mainboard.
All printer head blank is one of the mainboard damage symptom.
Another side, as printer can print, it means the power supply is OK.

Adam Yang from Inkmed

 

[artbot]

both the slider and mainboard were sent to kent at macmedia for diagnosis. they came back "fine" but kent felt that the slider was suspicious because of a number of random symptoms. so he sent back the main board, my old slider, and a spare slider to compare. today i put in the "spare" slider on and i haven't had the "ghost" print effect yet. but that is not conclusive. i haven't printed any large prints. but compared to past behavior, the printer "ghost prints" within five to ten minutes of being turned on.

i feel my issues are from several things compounding and complicating the diagnosis.

for instance:

installing the spare slider board

-printer still oversprays in variable (720 and 1440)
-printer still swings wide in uni-
-printer seems to quit ghost printing

upgrade firmware to 7.7rom

-printer finally quits overspraying in variable dot mode
-printer still swings wide in uni-

(i still have overspray in cyan very old head)

replace both cyan and yellow so that all heads are practically new
black and magenta were replaced 4/2012

-currently installing so not sure of the next results

so

i still haven't tracked the reason for the printer swinging wide to the left during uni-
and i'm waiting for it to ghost print at some point because the uni- issue appeared
at the same time of the ghost print issue.

sorry for long response. this has become a very complex repair. any help you can provide would be very much appreciated. i know that you are an expert in these matters.

 

[SightLine]

One thing you could try..... reloading a backup of some earlier un-modified parameters. You do have a backup of your machines parameters right? Do make a backup of the current parameters first regardless if you do try this just in case you want to go back to your modified settings. Another option, I'd have to look (no promises) but I think I do still have a backup of the parameters from our old JV3-160SP that I can email you if you want to see what might happen.

 

[ironchef]

Oh i see. The problem im having is that after every print job i have to reset the media so it re detects it. Instead at staying at 52.5 in. Media width. It jumps down to 48 sometimes 42, then 50. Almost different number every time. So im left with lifting media lever and resetting media after every print job.

 

[artbot]

i would have saved the parameters but the tool/data transfer just wouldn't work. now that i'm in 7.7rom, maybe it will work(?)

@ironchef that is odd. so it's won't hold that measurement? but the print isn't distorted or staggered to the left or right? have you reinstalled your firmware? i don't know much about "this side of the printer". i'm more of an ink supply/mechanical guy.

in the firmware you can set the printer to "lever down". then just maybe lock in a measurement somehow (some rips have "user defined" width that overrides the firmware). i routed my lever up/down IR sensor outside my machine so i can load metal sheets easily. but a few months back the lever up/down portion of the printer went haywire and i coudn't fix it. so i had to hack it.

 

[ironchef]

Had a tech do the parameters. Still nothing. after every print and cut job it gives me a diff. Media width.

 

[artbot]

this is starting to be goblin-worthy.

is there some equation in which the "new" width of the media on the display has some relationship to the print just printed? for example:

media width 60", print width 40", post print media width 44"
media width 60", print width 30", post print media width 34"

? if so there may be a conflict with the rip and the printer where in the rip is interjecting a margin into the mix.

 

[artbot]

I am completely pissed/freaking out

sorry for the title but after you read this you will understand.

got the two new heads in last night. this afternoon will turn the printer on and calibrate.

1. the new yellow head prints a long band. fearing a blown head i do a data swap.
2. data swap shows the head is fine, and the fourth slider ports are bad (keep in mind this is macmedias loaner slider).
3. put in my old slider (may be bad we're not sure). now the magenta (older head) prints a long band.
4. before doing a data swap i recheck all my ribbons. take them out, look for little smoked spots, or damage. nothing.
5. turn on again. BEEEEEEEEEEEEP error 07 (blown heads)
-right side of the brand new cyan
-both sides of the brand new yellow.
6. my old slider shows two or three tiny burned spots.

so somewhere in the mix, i may have just, somehow???, blown $2200ish in parts and have no idea how i did it. i'm freaking out.

can a main board destroy heads and a slider? two sliders and two heads in ten minutes? i'm afraid to turn it on at all.

 

[artbot]

damaged slider photos

View attachment 78902 photos of the two slider boards with explanation at the top.

 

[ironchef]

Thanks artbot. Ill go in tomorrow and check. I haven't paid attention to that. The media width numbers do jump around alot.

 

[Jane]

Artbot, why not buy a new one for printing first, and avoid delaying production for your customer. And I'm not professional of Mimaki solvent printer, but I think it's broken. Is there a after-sale guy to repair it for you. Or why don't you buy a new one, as you have spent money on so many spare parts?

 

[ironchef]

Here are some pics i get after a print and cut job.