USB controller FAILED TEKTRONICS TDS2014C  - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: Till_Ulenhpigel
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 09, 2021, 07:24:46 pm
content: Greetings friends! I have a problem with the TEKTRONICS TDS2014C oscilloscope. When turned on, self-diagnosis is carried out and an error occurs when testing the USB controller. I was able to update the firmware from 24.09 to 24.17. But newer firmwares cannot be installed (24.18, 24.26). I am following the instructions for the firmware and use a USB flash dongle 2gb. How can I fix this problem? I was unable to find later firmware versions. Probably the problem is with the hardware controller CY7C67300?

author: kcbrown
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 09, 2021, 10:37:13 pm
content: Despite the USB self-test failing, does the USB port work anyway?If not, then it's something you will have to address.The service manual (https://download.tek.com/manual/TDS2000C-TDS1000C-EDU-Service-077044602_RevA.pdf) isn't of any help here, save for that it notes that the USB interfaces are powered by a separate regulator ("A second three-terminal regulator provides USB power to preclude USB faults from seriously disrupting operation of the oscilloscope.", page 25 of the service manual). So the first thing you should do is make sure that regulator is supplying power.After that, then yeah, you're probably going to have to replace the USB controller. It's unlikely in the extreme that the issue here is with the firmware, particularly since you successfully flashed it (presumably in response to this problem). However, just in case, I have to ask: was it passing the USB self-test immediately prior to when you flashed the firmware?

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 09, 2021, 11:27:46 pm
content: USB self-test fail was the first symptom something was wrong with my TDS2012B.Turned out one pin on the 100 pin USB controller IC was corroded through yet all you could see was a black spot in the pin until prodding it with a fine screwdriver and the corrosion fell off leaving the pin and it's pad unconnected. If you are lucky there's enough of the pin left to solder to with a tiny bodge wire however on mine there wasn't. It might be possible to Dremel back the plastic IC package to permit soldering to more of the remaining pin however it's very delicate work that as yet I haven't tried.As these DSO's are convection cooled and have topside venting contaminants can fall through the vents onto the PCB and if humidity is sufficient any contaminants can start a process of corrosion.This happened to mine and some years back the price of the 100 pin SMD USB controller was some $30 and then you still had to flash it ..... if you have a replacement data dump and the gear to do so.So it sits in the box where it has for some years ....maybe to never work again.

author: Till_Ulenhpigel
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 10, 2021, 05:02:22 am
content: Quote from: kcbrown on January 09, 2021, 10:37:13 pmThank you. I had the same problem with the USB before updating the firmware. Before flashing, the oscilloscope detected the USB flash drive, but it did it from the twentieth time. I was able to upgrade, but during the update process an error occurred, only the boot menu became available. I made many attempts to recover using 8 sticks ... in the end I installed version 24.17. And now the oscilloscope does not see the USB flash drive at all.

author: Till_Ulenhpigel
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 10, 2021, 05:06:23 am
content: Thanks for the advice! I will definitely check all the contact pads with a microscope. Are you sure that the controller needs to dump?

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 10, 2021, 06:42:39 am
content: Quote from: Till_Ulenhpigel on January 10, 2021, 05:06:23 amNo I'm not sure however after downloading the datasheet for CY7C67300 it seems it needs programming although the system OS may do this at boot, IDK.Attached for your enjoyment.

author: Till_Ulenhpigel
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 10, 2021, 11:20:41 am
content: Probably, the configuration dump is contained in EEPROM. ATMLH016 2GB = at24s1024b. I will try to read the EEPROM.

author: kcbrown
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 10, 2021, 10:12:15 pm
content: If the USB controller firmware is stored externally then just replacing the USB controller would presumably be sufficient (presuming, that is, that the USB controller is faulty in the first place. It's not at all clear that this is the case).That said, the symptoms you had don't sound like a problem with the internals of the controller, which I would expect would always yield a hard and consistent failure irrespective of the firmware, but rather like a faulty connection somewhere. So the first order of business is probably to test the connections from the USB connector all the way to the controller. And again, note that the service manual claims that the USB subsystem runs off of a separate voltage regulator, so you certainly should test that as well. If you've got a microscope, it probably wouldn't be a bad idea to pull the board with the USB controller out of the scope and examine it thoroughly under the microscope to see if there's any damage. It would also be a good opportunity to get some DeOxit and clean the connectors to the board, most especially the one through which the USB signals pass.If you detect any dodgy-looking solder connections, then you'd obviously want to re-flow them.

author: tom66
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 14, 2021, 10:55:23 am
content: It's probably using a ULPI or similar interface to that controller. If one of the pins was sufficiently corroded as to cause the odd bit flip when copying firmware off, then you could have an interesting set of failures. But I would expect the checksum test to fail.

author: Till_Ulenhpigel
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: February 09, 2021, 06:33:16 pm
content: Victory!I replaced the USB chip and it works. Just in case, I saved a dump with EEPROM. I have attached a dump file in the archive.

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 10, 2021, 03:19:03 am
content: Quote from: Till_Ulenhpigel on February 09, 2021, 06:33:16 pmGood work.To be clear, did you need to flash the USB chip or just replace it ?Exactly the IC chip used please ?

author: lern01
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 18, 2023, 01:37:18 pm
content: Can you provide a complete circuit diagram? thank you! My Eail:lern01@oulook.com

author: lern01
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 10, 2023, 11:17:18 am
content: Quote from: Till_Ulenhpigel on February 09, 2021, 06:33:16 pms it a new chip or a chip removed from another oscilloscope? There's a BIOS program on the chip, right? I really hope to get your reply, thank you!