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PM5D v 2.06 RESOLVED
Friends, Colleagues, Customers, and others...
Please read the explanation and cure below regarding the rare, but serious problems a few have experienced when trying to update a PM5DRH to version 2.05/2.06. It is the result of my personal experience in conjunction with help from the outstanding service and support network of Yamaha Commercial Audio in Buena Park, CA. It should not be construed as an official notice from Yamaha Corporation of Japan nor from Yamaha Commercial Audio in the US.
Whether this is exactly technically accurate or not, it helps to think of the update process as follows (see page 3 of the attached pdf for a view of the "Upload Menu"):
In the first step, a set of files is copied from the "update card" into the console where it resides until it is replaced by some future set of update files.
The next time you restart the console, it compares the version numbers of these files to those in each of the 11-12 sections of the console. It does this in two parts. The first are the four main sections (main boards and panels). If it finds a version conflict, the "Upload Menu" screen appears recommending that you upload (transfer from the file storage into that hardware section) into one or more sections of the hardware. When finished, it will ask you to restart and the comparison process happens again.
Assuming no conflicts in the main sections, it compares the seven input blocks (AD IN 1-8, AD IN 9-16, etc) to copied files and if there are conflicts, again shows the "Upload Menu" screen and recommends that you update those sections. When it is done, it asks you to restart.
Upon restart, it displays a memory checksum warning saying you should re-initialize the current memories (I re-initialize all memories). In a normal v.1.xx to v.2.0x update, you are finished and everything is fine. You can verify the firmware versions of all the sections by looking at the "Preferences 2" screen and should see the list that includes the main sections and the seven AD sections. Those AD sections should be at v.1.02. Test all 56 mic pre's, and you will be confident and happy :)
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The problem that I and a very few other people experienced was that during the second upload process (when the AD sections were being updated), something got corrupted such that the AD sections were not loaded properly yet the console didn't recognize a version conflict either. The result is that it simply did not see the existence of the mic pre's. Bad. Especially right before a gig...
Initially we thought the memory chips were ruined, but that appears not to be the case. If this happens to you, you can simply force the console to upload to those sections again. Do this by pressing SHIFT and RECALL while restarting the console. This will bring up the "Upload Menu" screen. You will probably not have anything showing as current firmware for the seven AD IN sections (the left hand list), but you will still be able to select those sections in the right hand list and press upload. All seven of my blocks were recovered in this manner although some took 2-3 tries.
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If the above fails you, Japan has created an executable file that you can run on a PC that is connected via a MODIFIED NULL MODEM CABLE to the HA control connector. I don't know exactly what it does, but is definitely easier to try the above process first.
EVERYONE SHOULD BE REMINDED THAT IS RISKY TO DO FIRMWARE UPDATES RIGHT BEFORE SHOWS WITHOUT A BACKUP CONSOLE. I suggest leaving a few workdays as padding to get parts and/or support from our friends at Yamaha.
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Previous firmware updates up through 1.21 never made any changes to those AD IN blocks. They have always been on v.1.01. V.2.05 is the first update to change them - now v.1.02. If you updated to 2.05 and are waiting to do 2.06, you should not worry. Your console already has v1.02 in those blocks and won't take you though the second upload process. (v 2.06 fixes a bug in 2.05 where under certain circumstances your patch from AD4 goes away even though the patch grid still shows it. It is easy to diagnose - "Hello, I'm at the gig and my snare bottom channel just disappeared...") No need to do v2.05 before 2.06 if you are still on v1.21. Go straight to v 2.06.
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You will most likely not experience any problems with your update. Because I did, and it appeared to be a devastating problem at a time when we are all busy as hell with low supply of backup consoles and parts both in the market and at Yamaha US, I sent my previous warning. I apologize if I raised anyone's blood pressure unnecessarily. I have updated at least three more consoles in the last few days without any problems.
Click here to download this article in PDF form
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