Daft Question?

chas2706

Why isn't there a "Downloads" section on the main web site that gives you the option to download the latest "stable" or "unstable" versions of the firmware for the individual Duet boards and configurations rather than all of them exposed in one location for you to work out the ones that you need?.
Currently, you have to spend loads of time researching to identify the files that you require for your particular board or configuration.
Also, the newer releases require that the firmware files be placed in a folder called " firmware" , but if you use the RRF Configurator it does not create that folder? It didn't for me anyway!
So if I upgrade to RRF 3.3x, it will fail!

Phaedrux MODERATOR 21 Aug 2021, 07:14
@gbusy24 said in Updating from 3.0 to 3.3 gone wrong:

Error: M997: File 0:/firmware/DuetWiFiServer.bin not found

Place it in the firmware folder on the SD card as that is where it's going to be looking in 3.3.

To me it just looks a mess and I am posting this because I am having difficulties changing from SBC mode to Standalone Mode.
Also, why isn't the sd card structure updated in the "Documentation" section to reflect this change?
Sorry to sound so negative but see my previous posts concerning RRF+SBC.

droftarts

@chas2706 Unfortunately, progress requires change, and while we try to mitigate difficulties and smooth the firmware upgrade process, some quirks are inevitable.

Why isn't there a "Downloads" section on the main web site that gives you the option to download the latest "stable" or "unstable" versions of the firmware ...

You can download the current stable release using the link https://github.com/Duet3D/RepRapFirmware/releases/latest (I'll add this to the documentation).
Currently this goes to RRF 3.3. As far as I know there's no similar way of creating a similar link to the latest beta releases. It's always advisable to get up and running with the stable release first, before testing beta releases.

... for the individual Duet boards and configurations rather than all of them exposed in one location for you to work out the ones that you need?
Currently, you have to spend loads of time researching to identify the files that you require for your particular board or configuration.

Using the large 'Duet2and3Firmware-3.x.zip' file uploads firmware for all boards, so you don't need to look for individual board versions. RRF will install the correct version for your board.

Also, the newer releases require that the firmware files be placed in a folder called " firmware" , but if you use the RRF Configurator it does not create that folder? It didn't for me anyway!

No, RRF Configuration Tool does not create the /firmware folder, nor does it need to.

So if I upgrade to RRF 3.3x, it will fail!

What fails?

If you're updating from earlier versions of RRF, there are extra steps. You need to update in the order 2.x > 3.0 > 3.3, again using the large 'Duet2and3Firmware-3.0.zip' zip file. These steps are required because of the memory limitations of the boards, and are described in the firmware update instructions here: https://duet3d.dozuki.com/Wiki/Installing_and_Updating_Firmware#Section_Updating_from_older_firmware_versions

Creation of the /firmware folder is done by RRF 3.3 and later, when you upload a firmware file via DWC 3.3. So when you update from 3.0 to 3.3, the firmware running when you upload is 3.0, firmware files are uploaded to /sys, and no /firmware folder is created, because it's still running 3.0. Once the 3.3 firmware update is installed, you can upload the 'Duet2and3Firmware-3.3.zip' again (or any other future release) and the /firmware folder will be created and firmware files will be placed in it. You don't need the current firmware files in the /firmware or /sys folder for the firmware to work.

There are two occasions where the process fails:

If the WiFi firmware update fails during update from 3.0 to 3.3. Connecting via USB and rerunning the WiFi firmware update causes an error, because the Duet is now on RRF 3.3 and looking for the DuetWiFiServer.bin in the /firmware folder. In this case, as per @Phaedrux post you quoted, the user needs to create the /firmware folder on the SD card and copy the DuetWiFiServer.bin to that folder to be able to update the onboard WiFi.
If you update from 3.0 to 3.3, then upload a beta firmware binary, without re-uploading the 3.3 firmware zip. Trying to update will cause a missing IAP file, because the /firmware folder has been created and the firmware binary has been put in there, but the IAP file (In-App Programmer, see https://duet3d.dozuki.com/Wiki/Installing_and_Updating_Firmware#Section_Required_files) hasn't been created in the firmware folder. Fix this by re-uploading the IAP file.

because I am having difficulties changing from SBC mode to Standalone Mode.

If there's firmware on the Duet and you can access DWC, then there's no real need to have any firmware files in /sys or /firmware. You just need a /sys/config.g file on the SD card that starts the network, and the DWC files in /www, so you can access DWC. From there you can upload the configuration bundle from the RRF Configuration Tool, and firmware updates (ideally the bundle zip).

Also, why isn't the sd card structure updated in the "Documentation" section to reflect this change?

Thanks for pointing this out, I'll update it. The SD card structure shown is for RRF 2.x, and is listed under 'old method'. https://duet3d.dozuki.com/Wiki/SD_Card#Section_Creating_the_file_structure
I'll also update this page https://duet3d.dozuki.com/Wiki/Firmware_Overview#Section_SD_card_structure

Ian

droftarts

@chas2706 I've updated https://duet3d.dozuki.com/Wiki/SD_Card#Section_Creating_the_file_structure and https://duet3d.dozuki.com/Wiki/Firmware_Overview#Section_SD_card_structure.

Also, the Configuration Tool has been updated and does now create a /firmware folder if you select '3.3 or later' as your firmware version on the 'General' page. Otherwise firmware files are put in /sys. But note that you don't need the firmware files on the SD card to run (the firmware is already flashed to the Duet processor), only to update.

Ian

chas2706

@droftarts said in Daft Question?:

@chas2706 I've updated https://duet3d.dozuki.com/Wiki/SD_Card#Section_Creating_the_file_structure and https://duet3d.dozuki.com/Wiki/Firmware_Overview#Section_SD_card_structure.
Also, the Configuration Tool has been updated and does now create a /firmware folder if you select '3.3 or later' as your firmware version on the 'General' page. Otherwise firmware files are put in /sys. But note that you don't need the firmware files on the SD card to run (the firmware is already flashed to the Duet processor), only to update.
Ian

Thanks for looking into this and updating.
I was changing form SBC mode to Standalone and came across these.