Updating firmware 1.09.10 - Online fails due to "connectivity"; Firmware on USB not detected

Hi All,

I have recently thought to upgrade the original firmware which my device came with, and it won’t work wired, or on wireless as it seems to “timeout”.

I have downloaded the firmware and tried placing the firmware update in the root directory on several different manufacturer USB sticks all of which are detected fine by the unit, but I don’t know how to tell the device to look at the USB stick for firmware update, and it doesn’t seem to detect it is there.

Originally I tried placing the latest firmware on the USB stick, but have recently tried a next firmware release upgrade, and neither are detected.

When I go through the menu for it to search for an update (Settings | System) it finds the online update, and when turning Auto update on it also finds the online update, but nothing on the USB stick.

Can someone please assist with how I can get my unit to update?

Geoff

Which model# is your WDTV, and what version of firmware is it currently running?

Tony , i think Geoff is running firmware revision 1.09.10 (as per the Subject title) on the WDTV Live Streaming …

Which is a bit old … and may require a “sequential update” ie. update to 1.16.13   first… then update to 2.02.32 ?

Geoff , i’m not gonna discourage you from attempting to update to 2.02.32, but have you read the forum posts lately ?

you may want to hold off until the next release  (if everthing is working fine on your device now, then after searching

the forum consider / re-consider  your options and decision to update)

If you do decide you want the latest firmware … then try updating to this version 1st (via usb)

http://download.wdc.com/wdtv/wdtvlivegen3_rollback_1.16.13.zip

Once you’ve updated to that Firmware, you should recieve another notification about “New Firmware” available

If you successfully update to 2.02.32 and decide you would like to Rollback Firmware to the last recent version 2.01.86

then … here is my easy to follow guide

http://community.wd.com/t5/WD-TV-Live-Streaming/2-02-32-Firmware-no-longer-allows-content/m-p/781937#M32423

 

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Hi Joey,

I’ve grabbed about 4 different firmware versions on your list in the image and was trying 1.15.10 as my step up attempt.

I am grabbing 1.16.13 right now and will try to update on USB over the weekend.

My concern really is that I am not doing anything incorrectly with the attempted USB update, because the unit doesn’t appear to see the firmware update files on any of the USB drives I attempt with, even though other media are seen fine. Comments so far don’t suggest I am doing anything wrong.

What’s the difference with the rollback firmware to the normal firmware? If you take the download link for the current version ( http://download.wdc.com/wdtv/wdtvlivegen3_2.02.32.zip)) and replace version numbers you can download any of the older versions, against the links with the rollback name in them?

Geoff

The *.ver file has a VERSION= number higher than any released version to fool the box into thinking it is newer than the version installed.  The number is not the real number of the version that you are installing.

Yes, Braumeister is correct about the *ver files

@ Syncr0s Qutoe: because the unit doesn’t appear to see the firmware update files on any of the USB drives I attempt with, even though other media are seen fine

Kinda sounds like you’ve got other media on the same flashdrive with the firmware ?

As per my guide …

1. small flashdrive (2,4,8 GB) formatted FAT32 … completely empty

3. extract all 4 files onto the root of the flashdrive ie. No Folders

so you should only have these on the flashdrive

wdtvlivegen3.bi2

wdtvlivegen3.bin

wdtvlivegen3.fff

wdtvlivegen3.ver

Hi Joey,

No, I did try that, but have to admit I have not powered off  and unplugged the unit, only restarted it.

I also didn’t disconnect it from the network either.

I’ll try those things from your other thread over the weekend.

Thanks for highlighting it though.

Sure, no probs

There may be some people that say some of the things in my guide aren’t necessary to do …

But, believe me, i have updated and rolled back firmware on several of my WDTV’s over the years…

I would say as a rough guess a total of about 60-70 times … all successfully 

Doing exactly what i described in my guide.

P.S.  I have a lucky 2GB Kingston Flashdrive … that i only use for firmware updating because it’s proven itself to be reliable.

It’s absolutely necessary to RESET the device when updating. I do it before and after updating and NEVER experienced any of the weirder things people reported here (that suddenly disappeared after they reset the device).

Techflaws wrote:

It’s absolutely necessary to RESET the device when updating. I do it before and after updating and NEVER experienced any of the weirder things people reported here (that suddenly disappeared after they reset the device).

I get the idea that people like yourself and Joey should be writing the tech documents for WD as they seem more real world applicable than what WD produce, especially for the USB updating process.

OK, I’ve tried removing the host from the network and turning on Auto update and it won’t find the USB.

System Reset from within the operating system does not work (as in it remembers the configuration on next boot), and the same with a ‘hard’ reset using the button (hold down for 4 seconds and release).

Am I stuck with a corrupt unit, or are there other options?

Geoff

sorry , nearly out of ideas …  never ever had any problems with firmware updates ( 5+ years )

What Brand and Capacity Flashdrives are you using ?

A Factory Reset should return all settings/configurations back to default … ?

Setup > System > Device Reset > Reset All Settings Back to Factory Default

http://help.unotelly.com/support/articles/63474-how-to-reset-wdtv-to-factory

JoeySmyth wrote:

sorry , nearly out of ideas …  never ever had any problems with firmware updates ( 5+ years )

 

What Brand and Capacity Flashdrives are you using ?

 

A Factory Reset should return all settings/configurations back to default … ?

 

Setup > System > Device Reset > Reset All Settings Back to Factory Default

 

http://help.unotelly.com/support/articles/63474-how-to-reset-wdtv-to-factory

I have used various drive sizes from 256MB (unbranded), 2GB (unbranded) and 8GB (Sony), but I think my issue is the “corruption” preventing the resets which is probably the cause.

I performed that factory reset, as well as the hard reset ( https://wdc.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/3646/)) and it didn’t actually “reset” the device.

Geoff

OK, I finally got somewhere.

I still was unable to perform a reset of all values, or have a hard reset actually reset values on the unit (even though it restarted when releasing the button).

I borrowed another 2GB unbranded USB from a colleague and loaded 2.01.86 on it.

I performed 3 hard resets in a row, followed by a soft reset, and put in the new USB to the back USB port.

It picked up the firmware on the USB and proceeded to very slowly go through the process of upgrading firmware on the unit.

Either way, I am on 2.01.86.

Many thanks for all assistance in the matter as I was about to give up.

Geoff

I’m happy to hear you made some progress.

I wonder if your colleague would swap his 2GB usb with your 2GB ? 

in case you need to do a firmware upgrade or rollback in the future, at least then, you will have a flashdrive you know has worked.

JoeySmyth wrote:

I’m happy to hear you made some progress.

 

I wonder if your colleague would swap his 2GB usb with your 2GB ? 

 

in case you need to do a firmware upgrade or rollback in the future, at least then, you will have a flashdrive you know has worked.

He has given it to me, as he has plenty of larger capacity drives.

I REALLY find it hard to believe that manufacture and/or size of the drives plays a large part in the firmware upgrade side of things when playing media has no isses with size or capacity, but there you go.

Let me endeavours be a lesson for others.

Geoff

flashdrive speed can be another factor as well …

benchmark: http://crystalmark.info/software/CrystalDiskMark/index-e.html

playing media from a large external usb hdd (i have a 3TB) … i have noticed media takes a little longer to start playing (compared the internal hdd on my Live Hub)