Failed firmware update 2018 02 12 - Recovery Mode v17 - partial screen, fuzzy - CFO

[fkral]

Hello HP Prime Folks,

I am a teacher who is evaluating the HP Prime. I have a new calculator that is not usable after an attempted firmware update. The contents on the screen are not right; the screen is showing large fuzzy letters and images, and only a small part of the expected content fits on the screen.

   

A few days ago, I bought a g8x92aa#aba with bold color keys. I believe the original firmware was from 2016. I installed the PC connectivity kit (2018), HP_Prime_Connectivity_Kit_20180212.exe. I plugged in the included USB cable into a Windows machine, at a neighbor's home. The calculator was on. The version_20180212 firmware was downloaded automatically. I got a pop up window that the update was complete (OK). I dismissed (X) the window before the reset described below.

But:
HP Prime screen said: Recovery Mode v17. It stayed there. I could not figure out if the recovery mode actually does something, so I did a pin reset.

But:
My screen turned into faint fuzzy colors and the letters and images got large, so only a portion of what should be shown actually shows up on the screen.

So:
I did a factory reset: CFO Reset pin 3 4 Enter. (After a few other attempts with Symb button, On button, other buttons, and the reset pin.)

But:
HP Prime is still stuck in with large letters and partial contents. I attached the screen shot that should show up earlier in my post. I cannot figure out how to get past the sliding pattern to get into the calculator. I was in there before after the factory reset, so I doubt it would help. Meanwhile, I have not tried everything: I have not changed the USB port, not changed the cable, not charged the calculator to 100%. I don't know that these would apply to my situation, and I don't have a PC right now.

Please help me be able to use the calculator by troubleshooting the screen contents issue. Thank you.

Yours,

Fred

P.S. I am a math and physics teacher testing the HP Prime to see if we shall require it at my high school. I am enthusiastic about what I have learned in the past three days. Today, I wanted to do a firmware update for two reasons: one is to be able to use Macs. The other is that Animation in the Geometry App works in the Emulator but not on my HP Prime, so I thought maybe updating would help (when I push on a point, there is no slider popping up).

[Tim Wessman]

That older update method that uses the "Recovery" screen will run 3 times. (there are 3 files that need sending). Your system only sent the first of the 3 files.

Go ahead and power down the calculator. With it off, press and hold the SYMB key down. Then press and release ON while maintaining down the SYMB key. You should end up in that "recovery" screen again.

Now connect it to the connkit once more. It will detect the unit and launch that "updater" again. This time, let it finish the first file. If after 5-10 seconds you don't see the connkit window start another file, unplug the usb on the calculator and then reconnect it immediately. It will then send the second, and after one more plug/unplug do the same for the 3rd file. Once all 3 are sent, you are good and can pin reset again. The calculator will now be fully updated and working properly and you won't need a Windows computer again (unless for other older units).

*Normally*, the calculator will automatically switch between files. However, some computer systems with certain Widows updates started causing problems with this. For example, my primary development machine I use to make Prime does it, but none of our test lab units do. I've never been able to figure out why....

From now on though, you are will be good for future updates. The calculator now uses a method that makes it essentially impossible for Windows updates, or changes to drivers to cause problems with the updates. It also lets a Mac update the calculator as well.

As to why the screen "got fuzzy", this is because we increased the color depth of the screen so that things like the background image gradients in the plotting apps looks nicer and cleaner. That required a tweak in the "OS" file as well as the calculator application. Since the app is now not matching the OS - it looks funny.

Let me know if anything doesn't work for you. Happy Priming!

[fkral]

Hello Tim,

Thank you for your quick reply that explained everything. I followed your instructions (and I borrowed a different PC with Windows 10) and my HP Prime is up and running.

As soon as I got the update, I could now access sliders in the Geometry app and have written a simple animation:
GA = element(0.,10.,7.8)
GB = plotfunc(GA*sin(x))

In other words, all is well.

Fred