Need Agilent 33250A firmware - Edit - Firmware found, unit REPAIRED!   - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / repair

author: TheSteve
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 15, 2016, 05:07:42 am
content: I received an Agilent 33250A 80 MHz AWG to try repairing. It doesn't boot up, the front panel LED's and fan turn on/off but that is it. One of the 5 volt lines was a little low and I found a bad opamp that was sucking up 1 amp but even with that taken care of it doesn't boot. I removed the 4 firmware roms and found two of them have a checksum which matches the label but the other two do not. So before trying much else I'd like to try reprogramming the AM29F040 roms. A search has not found anyone who has posted the firmware so I am hoping someone here has it or can dump the roms for me. If it matters this unit has a US4000xxxx serial number.I can't help but wonder if someone tried a firmware update with the 5 volt line being low and that it failed while writing. If the firmware had been correctly updated at some point I'd expect the checksums to be wrong on all 4 flash parts, not just two of them.

author: TheSteve
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 13, 2016, 10:19:22 pm
content: Still need this firmware if anyone has access to it!

author: HighVoltage
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 14, 2016, 08:01:57 am
content: Sorry, I only have the 33220A and 33210AThe FW of the 33220A changed totally from Serial Numbers MY43xxxx to MY44xxxx because lots of HW changes happened in this transition.May be you need to watch out for the same on the 33250A?What always surprises me, is how much more expensive the 33250A is in comparison to the little brothers.There is one 33250A offered in sales section.May be you can ask the owner to read the FW out for you.Good luck.

author: jgorsk
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 30, 2016, 09:49:10 am
content: Do you still need the firmware? I have it as well as the FPGA configuration memory contents.

author: Jwalling
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 30, 2016, 11:46:05 am
content: Quote from: jgorsk on August 30, 2016, 09:49:10 amI'd like a copy, please. Do you know what the firmware revision is?

author: jgorsk
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 30, 2016, 03:05:16 pm
content: Here you go, main firmware version is 2.0.1

author: TheSteve
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 30, 2016, 04:46:56 pm
content: I did still need the firmware - thank you. Hopefully yours is compatible. I will be trying it tonight.

author: jgorsk
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 30, 2016, 09:13:35 pm
content: I'm familiar with two types of the main board for 33250A, this firmware works on both of them.Good luck and let us know if you fixed your generator.

author: TheSteve
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 31, 2016, 03:59:57 am
content: Sadly no joy with the firmware. I was only able to program U207-U210, but I doubt that is an issue. The 33250A remains in the same state. The power switch will turn it on/off. When I turn it on all front panel LED's come on and stay on. The display is totally dead, the fan runs. If I look for activity on U207-U210 I see activity on the data and address lines. All voltages are good. When I received the unit U1108 was cooking hot and nearly shorted internally, it was sucking up nearly 1 amp. The main board has a bunch of clock test points, they all look good expect for 50 and 100 MHz clocks from U1111, those test points have nothing. I replaced U1108 with U1007 as a quick test, no change in operation. I am thinking the unit should boot without either of those parts present.I also verified there is no communication via GPIB.

author: jgorsk
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 31, 2016, 08:32:26 am
content: I suggest replacing the CPU RAM chips U203 .. U206. If the RAM is faulty the CPU won't boot. It can be verified if you have a logic analyserand a lot of time, it's easier just to replace them.Another thing I would check is all the external interrupt lines, if one of them is always active, the program execution may be veeery slow soit looks like the CPU isn't booting at all. The CPU may be faulty too.You will have a lot of fun fixing the the thing. If you can't fix it and decide to get rid of it, please let me know, I may be interested in it.Good luck.

author: TheSteve
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 01, 2016, 03:45:21 am
content: Swapping the ram isn't a bad idea - mine only has 2 of the 4 memories installed. They are 512K x 8 but - not very expensive. I found a replacement at Digikey. I'll add a pair to the next Digikey order and report back.

author: jgorsk
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 01, 2016, 08:00:37 am
content: I just checked my 33250A and only 2 RAM chips are populated as well.

author: TheSteve
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 10, 2016, 10:27:13 pm
content: And.... we have a winner!The 33250A is alive and working once again. In the end it had several faults, how they all occurred in the same unit I'll never know.-Two of the four flash chips were corrupted(replaced with firmware from jgorsk - thank you sir!)-U1108 a MC10EL31DG opamp was nearly shorted and was brown from pumping out 5 watts of heat.-The front panel flat flex cable connector was damaged from a previous owners repair attempt.-The ground shielding fingers and plastics on the front panel were bent every which way from the front being pried off(not by me!).-At least one of the two main ram chips were bad. I replaced both with part # AS6C4008-55SINThe 33250A alive once again:And a matching waveform on the scope:

author: HighVoltage
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 10, 2016, 10:41:51 pm
content: Nice repair, CongratulationsYou have some pictures of the main board?Is it much different from the 33220A?

author: TheSteve
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 10, 2016, 10:45:09 pm
content: Quote from: HighVoltage on September 10, 2016, 10:41:51 pmI've never seen a 33220A. I didn't take any pictures but can open it up again in the near future. I can say it is pretty darn full of components.Edit - Looked over the service manual for the 33220A - it is completely different.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 10, 2016, 10:52:35 pm
content: I'm wondering why your unit had so much damaged chips inside. No power supply issue lurking?

author: TheSteve
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 10, 2016, 10:54:52 pm
content: Quote from: nctnico on September 10, 2016, 10:52:35 pmGood question indeed - Being whoever had a repair attempt was far from delicate taking the front panel off I wonder if they were just as careful probing around on the PCB.

author: jgorsk
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 12, 2016, 09:24:13 pm
content: Good job on the repair. You should check the power supply, that's probably the culprit.The 33250A board is totally different than the 33220A, there is nothing common between them.Here are some pictureshttp://www.ebay.com/itm/HP-Agilent-33250-66511-Main-Motherboard-/271152851659http://www.ebay.com/itm/HP-Agilent-33220-66501-Main-PC-ASSY-/281062311475?hash=item41709e8633:m:mmTOAjHkz3K1cds8uz-DqvQ

author: khudson
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: December 23, 2016, 09:53:01 am
content: Mine seems to be malfunctioning with many of the same symptoms as yours. It turns on and displays, "Agilent Technologies 33250a" on the display and gets no further. Nothing on the FPGA 50/100MHz test points but the DSP and other points seem to be clocked properly.I think I'm going to replace the RAM straight off because it's easy and cheap and will see if that fixes it. If that doesn't I'll look into the firmware corruption and see what I can do to reprogram those but I've never worked with a flash chip like that so it'll be an amusing experience, I'm sure. I guess I'll have to figure out what to use to program it - but only after the DRAM is replaced...Looks like the voltages (+16V reads at +17.1) aren't quite in spec from the service manual, but they're pretty clean otherwise - I'll have to check those trim pots to see if I can align it properly.Anything else I should check?

author: rickells
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 25, 2017, 08:11:15 pm
content: hi Steve, VE7FM,I have an Agilent 33250a 80 MHz Func / Waveform Gen. that has No RF outputs on any function.Wondering if you can help guide me.I just posted my initial test results in Repairs on the EEVBlog today.My unit powers On and all self-tests pass, the CPU & display all seem to function, but no Output !I need this unit for my ham shack bench, so will attempt to repair it.Can you provide further details of .pdf scans of you lab/log book during your testing/repair ??was trying to email you privately via the EEVBlog, but you have private email turned off.thanks & 73,rickVE3

author: TheSteve
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 26, 2017, 12:45:49 am
content: Anyone can PM me.You should start with the service manual for troubleshooting. The problem you're having is completely different then mine was.Your callsign is missing the suffix.

author: rickells
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 26, 2017, 05:12:57 pm
content: hi Steve,I think the problems I am having with my 33250a are similar to the next 33250a unit that you will be getting this Friday !Hope we can collaborate.rick ve3rxg

author: TheSteve
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 26, 2017, 07:43:10 pm
content: I'm happy to help in anyway I can. My purpose for acquiring the newest broken 33250A was for the front panel as I don't think I'll be fixing the hybrid. I will certainly have a go at it though and might be sending it off to a friend who has much more advanced equipment and experience with such things.