S20X black screen and dead after using ethos for1.5.2 update

[Acefly]

Completed 1.5.2 update and s20x tx is dead, black screen and no response. Bootloader version 1.4.3 is active. Ethos shows latest update with the exception of boot loader. Any suggestions?

 

[Wayne]

Try reloading the firmware. Worse comes to worse, we will need to get the radio into the shop and should be able to get it going. Since you still have the bootloader you should be good.

Think you have the X20S.

I'll flag @Chris onto this as he should have some suggestions for you to try.

 

[Acefly]

Try reloading the firmware. Worse comes to worse, we will need to get the radio into the shop and should be able to get it going. Since you still have the bootloader you should be good.

Think you have the X20S.

I'll flag @Chris onto this as he should have some suggestions for you to try.

Thanks!

 

[HENNY]

Completed 1.5.2 update and s20x tx is dead, black screen and no response. Bootloader version 1.4.3 is active. Ethos shows latest update with the exception of boot loader. Any suggestions?

Did you use Ethos Suite to update your radio, sounds like you used the manual method and you possibly used the wrong radio version firmware. If you use Ethos Suite from your PC it will flash your radio with the correct version including the latest version of Boot loader.

 

[Acefly]

Try reloading the firmware. Worse comes to worse, we will need to get the radio into the shop and should be able to get it going. Since you still have the bootloader you should be good.

Think you have the X20S.

I'll flag @Chris onto this as he should have some suggestions for you to try.

Thanks, Wayne,
I reloaded the firmware, same problem...

 

[Angels High]

Hi, I believe I have the same X20S issue as above - an X20S which I tried to update via Ethos. My Ethos version also needed updating as it was below 1.5 (1.4 or close to that I believe). I connected the radio using the bootloader USB connection. The radio indicated (and still does) bootloader version 1.4.3. The only thing needing updating according to Ethos at the time was the bootloader, so I clicked on update all components which needed updating. I saw my transmitter begin writing the radio with the associated progress bar. But then it froze with an error message indicating my bootloader may not support auto switching.

I tried to follow the troubleshooting steps displayed, however I was unable to turn off the radio. I had to disconnect the battery to do so. I also found that the radio would not turn on, but I was still able to enter bootloader mode. I decided to update Ethos which I did with no issues. Currently it is running at 1.5.5. However, the radio still fails to update with the same exact error message forcing me to disconnect the battery to turn it off. Also, after the Ethos 1.5.5 update it strangely stopped seeing my radio immediately after connection, but takes about 30 seconds or so for it to be recognized.

It seems there's clearly a problem with the bootloader on the radio. I looked on Github and found the most recent bootloader listed for the x20s was 1.4.15. I downloaded bootloader.frsk (1.4.15) and attempted to update the radio’s bootloader using the DFU Flasher. I tried connecting the radio while it was turned off but each time the DFU Flasher tool fails with the message “Radio connection not detected!”.

Yes, I've tried this on multiple computers using multiple USB cables. Same result each time.

I believe I have a corrupted bootloader version 1.4.3 because the radio will not turn on. The most recent bootloader I can find is 1.4.15 and even then I’m unable to flash the radio with it.

Update: there is a new Ethos version 1.5.6. I downloaded that and tried to update all components but now it cautions me that the bootloader must be the updated bootloader. So ok, thanks ...

I am dead in the water.

 

[Chris]

So, I just fixed a radio that was doing almost the same thing. Once connected to Ethos Suite in bootloader mode I had the radio write the firmware version 1.4.17. Then, once that was finished, I started the radio, then connected to ethos suite and updated the bootloader to the current version. Then I went back into bootloader mode and reconnected to the suite and had the outdated components updated. After this everything seems normal.

 

[Angels High]

Thanks for the response. I can write firmware which appears to succeed (how do I know the version? Is there a spreadsheet somewhere?) I just see time stamps which might be helpful but versioning between ethos and firmware and bootloaders is not consistent. So yes, I can write firmware but then Ethos will not update the bootloader with the same error saying my bootloader does not support auto switching. So I switch off the radio to try and use the DFU utility and it says DFU device not connected. Not sure what to do at this point. This shouldn't be this hard. The radio is only a few months old.

 

[HENNY]

Thanks for the response. I can write firmware which appears to succeed (how do I know the version? Is there a spreadsheet somewhere?) I just see time stamps which might be helpful but versioning between ethos and firmware and bootloaders is not consistent. So yes, I can write firmware but then Ethos will not update the bootloader with the same error saying my bootloader does not support auto switching. So I switch off the radio to try and use the DFU utility and it says DFU device not connected. Not sure what to do at this point. This shouldn't be this hard. The radio is only a few months old.

To update the radio using Ethos Suite the up can only be completed if the radio is switched on and you have selected Ethos suite on the radio screen, this option appears when you connect to the PC using the USB cable.

 

[Chris]

You will need to unplug the radio, start it up and then plug it into the Ethos suite.

 

[Angels High]

The radio will not turn on.
The radio will enter bootloader mode. It says FW version 1.4.3.
In bootloader mode I can see the SD card and the flash (NAND) drive. I can start Ethos but it will not update, it fails updating with the "Your bootloader may not support auto switching error." After attempting to update, the radio will not turn off and I must pull the battery.
In bootloader mode, I am able to flash new firmware but the radio still will not turn on.
With the radio turned off (required for the DFU Utility) Ethos DFU Flasher does not see the radio.

The radio will not turn on. It will enter bootloader mode. Writing firmware appears to have no effect.

 

[HENNY]

The radio will not turn on.
The radio will enter bootloader mode. It says FW version 1.4.3.
In bootloader mode I can see the SD card and the flash (NAND) drive. I can start Ethos but it will not update, it fails updating with the "Your bootloader may not support auto switching error." After attempting to update, the radio will not turn off and I must pull the battery.
In bootloader mode, I am able to flash new firmware but the radio still will not turn on.
With the radio turned off (required for the DFU Utility) Ethos DFU Flasher does not see the radio.

The radio will not turn on. It will enter bootloader mode. Writing firmware appears to have no effect.

You have corrupted something on the radio.

So the next step is download radio firmware from the Github. https://github.com/FrSkyRC/ETHOS-Feedback-Community/releases
Go to Ethos 1.5.7 click on assets and download X20S-FCC, unzip it. Remove the SD card from your radio pop it into your PC and copy the un zipped X20S-FCC file into the root directory of your SD card. Re install the SD card and turn your radio on it should automatically install this file onto your radio. You are then able to complete the update using Ethos suite.

 

[Chris]

What I did was go into bootloader mode and plug it into Ethos suite.
Then i chose an earlier version of the firmware. I think it was 1.4.17.
I had ethos suite update the firmware only to that version, and shut down and unplugged the radio from the computer.
I started the radio and got the calibrations done and all to get the firmware to the home screen.
Plugged the radio into ethos suite (while on this time) and chose to connect to ethos suite.
Then I had ethos update the bootloader only.
Once that finished I unplugged and shut down. I also closed ethos suite, just to be sure i had a fresh start.
Then I started ethos suite again and started the radio in bootloader mode and plugged them in.
I told the suite to update all components, and it all worked normally.

 

[Angels High]

I appreciate you guys trying to help. I followed your suggestions as detailed above. And I've tried different SD cards as well. While I can write new firmware by placing the .bin directly onto the root of the SD card, the same issue persists. The radio will not boot and the bootloader can not be flashed using the DFU flasher tool. Is there some other way I can get the bootloader updated? I'm quite sure the radio is ok hardware wise. The SD card I can format all day and transfer files. But the bootloader stays stuck at 1.4.3. Ethos says my bootloader may not support auto switching and the recovery steps (DFU Flasher) do not work.

 

[Chris]

The only way I have ever fixed this is to write an older version of the Ethos firmware and then start the radio and update the Bootloader. The radio has to be On to update the bootloader, sp if it will not run you are kinda hosed... Is there any way that you could try a different computer? Maybe...?

 

[Angels High]

Well, I finally have this resolved. The issue was that my DFU drivers were broken (probably Windows update). There is a tool to fix the DFU drivers after which the DFU Flasher will work correctly in order to update the bootloader. For anyone interested, Steve from Frsky gave me the following link to download. The tool is:

https://impulserc.blob.core.windows.net/utilities/ImpulseRC_Driver_Fixer.exe

I really appreciate everyone's help and time.

 

[Wayne]

Thanks for the follow up!