How to update firmware on Howtek D4000 (Silverfast)

[mcfactor]

Hi,

I am attempting to resurrect a Howtek D4000 that has been sitting in storage for a very long time. It turns on fine all the diagnostics are fine. I got silverfast to recognize it and open, but when I try to do a prescan I get "cannot set window" or "cannot auto focus" if the auto focus is on (but it focuses fine manually). I saw on a different forum (http://forum.silverfast.com/howtek-d4000-cannot-send-t4156.html) that someone else had the same problem, that was fixed after updating the firmware. I found and downloaded the r535 firmware from Aztek, but I cannot figure out how to install it. I opened the program, a box came up then closed, leaving a .hex file and another program that does not seem to do anything. I am using a windows 7 machine with an Adaptec 2930CU card. I really just need to know how to update the firmware on the D4000.

Any help or ideas would be great.

[Tyler Boley]

I can't remember..
ask here-
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/ScanHi-End/info

[fishbulb]

You can probably do it with the demo version of Trident, which you can download from Aztek's website. See my post for updating firmware on my 4500, a very similar model, here: http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?112737-DPL-users-owners-of-Howtek-Aztek-scanners&p=1206460&viewfull=1#post1206460

HOWEVER, I am not sure if Trident supports the 4000 model. You may need to contact Aztek about how to update the firmware. They are very helpful.

[onnect17]

Boot any old PC in DOS (via floppy or HD and load the ASPI drivers for that card. Then extract the files in the R535.EXE zip and run the batch.

You can PM me for more details if you need it.

[nonuniform]

Aztek sells DPL, which will do this. $$$.

[onnect17]

No need for DPL for the task. The firmware uploader is licensed by Howtek, not Aztek. Aztek allows downloading the code from their site as a courtesy.

[sanking]

Armando,

I have firmware version 12.0 on my Howtek 7500, believe there is a newer version, perhaps 14.0 available. Is there any good practical reason for me to upgrade? As you know, I run the 7500 with a MAC G4, operating with Mac OS 10.3.9, using Silverfast as the driver.

Regards,

Sandy



No need for DPL for the task. The firmware uploader is licensed by Howtek, not Aztek. Aztek allows downloading the code from their site as a courtesy.

[onnect17]

Armando,

I have firmware version 12.0 on my Howtek 7500, believe there is a newer version, perhaps 14.0 available. Is there any good practical reason for me to upgrade? As you know, I run the 7500 with a MAC G4, operating with Mac OS 10.3.9, using Silverfast as the driver.

Regards,

Sandy

Sandy,
I am not familiar with the process of updating the firmware from a Mac. Any old PC with Windows and a SCSI card should do the job. Here's the readme.txt for the R014 describing the features. Email me directly for more details.
Regards,
Armando


DPLL DPL6500 / GRAND / and Howtek SM7500/SM6500 Firmware Release R014


# H014 from S14.4 on Mar. 10, 1999

Adjusted the HV goal values and Added the functionaty of manually setting
white points from the control panel.


#--------------------------------------------------------------------------#
# S14.4 from S14.3 on November 13, 1997
#
# x Internal Module Firmware Revisions
# x Main Control Processor: 5.009
# x Image Enhancement Controller: 4.019
# x Input Output Controller 10.026
# x Subsystem Controller/Driver 4.007
# x Startup Diagnostics 2.002
#
# x Internal Scanner Firmware Component Revisions
# x Calibration: 2.10
# x Autofocus: 1.03
# x Interprocessor Communications: 2.03
# x Formatted Serial Output: 2.04
#--------------------------------------------------------------------------#

REQUIREMENTS

This release of firmware requires that the scanner EPROMs be at least

to HDC release 2 (EPROM Firmware Version E003).

Requires that the SCD board have had MDN 293 applied

#--------------------------------------------------------------------------#

Supported Features:

* SCSI interface supports FAST SCSI-II mode (10 MBytes/Sec burst)
* 8, 12 and 16 bit scanning modes in Mac and PC formats
* Line packed and pixel packed data presentation
* Interpolation (Bilinear and Pixel deletion/replication) to
all resolutions below 32 x native DPI (Maximum of 64K pixels per line).
* Native resolutions to 2500 DPI (8 inch drum) and 5000 DPI (4 inch drum).
* Full autofocus support.
* Full interactive focus support.
* Control panel diagnostic menu support
* Host can now determine drum size and door state.
* System startup diagnostics/Power on self test.

#--------------------------------------------------------------------------#

Known Bugs:

o If an SM6500 loses its flash memory image it will report that it
is an SM7500 Pro. Reload the firmware if this happens. The download software
has been updated to accomodate this for downloads.

#--------------------------------------------------------------------------#

[sanking]

Hi Armando,

Thanks for the information about the R014 upgrade of firmware. Will try to figure out if I can do this running Windows on a MAC.

Sandy

[onnect17]

Sandy,
I read in several posts in some forums about updating the firmware in the Howteks when users are familiar with the Macs. I am PC guy but I have an old Powerbook with Trident for some "on the road" tests and after reading Trident is capable of updating the firmware in the scanners, including the 7500, I decided to give it a try. As a test, I reloaded the R014 in the scanner. Here are the notes. All of the code can be downloaded from Aztek's site.

- Get and uncompress the latest firmware for the 7500. (R014, I think)
- Get and install the scanner driver v2.2
- Get and install Trident v4

Boot the scanner and bring it to the online status. Boot the Mac and open Trident. (demo mode is OK). Look for the "Edit" option in the top bar and then for "Scanner Info". It will open a window which includes a "Firmware" button. Click it and find the R014.bin.

Now ignore the Mac screen and look at the scanner console. You should see three stages update: clearing, erasing and programming (something like that), each counting to 100% and sort of slow, like 5 minutes or so. Once it finished, it will reboot and the console will show the typical sequence of initial tests.

Now the console show show the new version of firmware. Gook luck and let me know how it goes.

[sanking]

Armando,

That procedure worked perfectly for me on a MAC G4 running with OS 9.2.

I did have some trouble opening the Howtek Scan Driver 2.02 .sea file, but changed .sea to .app and it opened right up.

Also, I would emphasize that once you click on Firmare Dowload in Trident, forgot about the screen and watch the window on the Howtek, because nothing happens on the screen.

Finally, true to my long experience in working with the pre OSX classic versions of Macintosh, the system locked up after the firmware dowload finished!! Thank goodness, I operate the scanner with OSX.

Sandy

[onnect17]

Glad to know you got it updated! And thanks for the notes.