Rigol DS1104B - bricked?! - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: harfaspaul
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: May 12, 2011, 02:31:51 pm
content: Hi everyone!Just yesterday, I received my new Rigol DS1104B. Everything went just fine, until it occured to me to search for a firmware upgrade. And unfortunately I found one athttp://www.rigolna.com/products/digital-oscilloscopes/ds1000b/ds1104b/(Documents > DS1000B Firmware Update). The update procedure went fine, according to the instructions provided by Rigol. After updating (I cannot remember if there was a prompt to reset/power cycle de scope), I power cycled the scope and performed a self-calibration. The new firmware version, under Utility > System, is now 011.05.00.03.03 (I do not know the what the original version was...).Symtoms now:- auto-set key issues "Autoscale is disabled" message- measure key issues "Automatic measurements disabled" message- there is no signal on any of the 4 channels, even when trying to measure the built-in reference square wave generator. All channels are always at 0.- inserting the USB drive into the USB Host port of the oscilloscope has no effect- connecting the oscilloscope to a PC via the USB Device port has no effectNow for the big question: is my scope irrevocably bricked? Is there no chance to fix it without sending it back to the distributor?I still keep my fingers crossed that this problem is reversible ...Thanks for your help!

author: saturation
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 12, 2011, 06:00:25 pm
content: Sorry to hear. Over the past 15 years I've been burned by a few firmware updates that actually made various units worse than had I left it alone [not just Rigol], so I no longer update firmware unless I can definitely fall back onto the old firmware without a problem. Its a hard lesson, but Rigol does have a stern warning on their website that firmware updates can be a problem:"Firmware**Consult an Applications Engineer before altering your instrument’s firmware. Failing to do so could damage the instrument and void the warranty. Not all instruments can be automatically upgraded to the latest firmware."As its new maybe you can get Rigol for warranty repair since it was a legitimate firmware update on their own device.

author: harfaspaul
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: May 12, 2011, 06:06:22 pm
content: Thanks for the prompt reply!I am aware of the warning on the Rigol website but ... heh ... you know, the "new toy" feeling and when you MUST fiddle with all it's features. Who would have thought that a firmware update provided by the instrument's manufacturer themselves would mess up things in such a degree...My hope now is that I can reason with the Rigol distributer from which I bought the instrument to fix this under warranty ... after all, it is THEIR firmware I installed, not a hacked/modified version. :|

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 12, 2011, 07:13:38 pm
content: Regardless of warranty, if you don't get co-operation you may have recourse under consumer protection legislation - good not fit for purpose. Details will depend on your country's laws.

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 12, 2011, 09:44:40 pm
content: A polite email to RigolNA explaining what has occurred may illicit a helpful response. They certainly seemed friendly and keen to help when I contacted them from the UK. It may just be a case of them emailing you a lower firmware version if the unit will accept reversion. At least your units OS is still running and it is not truly bricked so there is hopeIf the firmware upgrade went bad I would expect a non responsive OS so it sounds like you have a firmware that installed OK but isn't for your EXACT hardware version.Provide RigolNA with your serial number and if obtainable from an information screen, the hardware version, boot loader version etc.Hope this gets sorted for you.

author: harfaspaul
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: May 13, 2011, 06:18:49 am
content: I did email service@rigol.com with a complete description, I am waiting for an answer. The OS is running, but there seems to be no "external aceess": USB host & device ports seem to be dead - the USB drive isn't recognized anymore, no reaction to it. I can only hope that Rigol support can send a lowe firmware version and instructions on how to install it under my given circumstances.

author: saturation
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 13, 2011, 11:03:59 am
content: Keep us posted please, would be good to read how Rigol tech support responds and how you eventually fix the issue, it gives us Rigol owners some clue to their customer service.

author: harfaspaul
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: May 13, 2011, 02:24:20 pm
content: Latest developments:Following my email to Rigol service, I was contacted by a service engineer, who was very helpful and prompt with replies. We also discussed on Skype, so up to this point I'd say Rigol pays good attention to customer support. The service engineer sent me an older version of the firmware, but as my scope doesn't react to anything USB anymore, I couldn`t do anything.I contacted the Rigol distributor and they asked me to ship the scope back to them. So the scope is in transit now to the distributor. I have no ideea wether they will charge me or not for the repair, but at this point, really, what other options do I haveI`ll be back with updates. Have a great weekend!

author: saturation
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 13, 2011, 03:02:04 pm
content: Great! lessons learned, but light at the end of the darkness. Great feedback, looking forward to reading its back up and running.Quote from: harfaspaul on May 13, 2011, 02:24:20 pm

author: marius
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: May 21, 2011, 05:33:15 pm
content: I have the same problem, USB works properly, but useless!!Now the link with firmware was removed!!

author: harfaspaul
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: May 21, 2011, 06:27:34 pm
content: Hello Marius,Try to contact Ronexprim, the official distributor for Romania. They seemed friendly and are currently fixing my scope...PS: I`m also from Romania, Timisoara. If you're nearby, give a shout maybe we can have a beer together sometime

author: harfaspaul
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: May 23, 2011, 05:09:48 pm
content: UPDATE: The distributor agreed to replace my scope with a brand new one, the only disadvantage being that I have to wait for approx. 2 weeks. All for the best it seems ...

author: drieg
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 23, 2011, 06:11:39 pm
content: Lucky you!If there is anybody with the same problem who hasn't been lucky enough to follow this way, I might be of any help too...