My Printrboard disapears when pressing the reset button

[hmpzify]

I have a PrintrBoard Simple Metal with CDC Bootloader, and it doesn't connect with my computer. I have tried to reflash my firmware but with no success..
It shows up in Arduino like /dev/tty.usbmodem12341 as it should, but when connecting my jumper and pressing the reset button it disappears. I know it should disappear and reappear with another name, but it does not reappear.. Does anyone know what the problem is? hardware? software?
Thanks in advance

[Mooselake]

Have you tried following RJ's directions in the Wiki?

If it's an official Printrboard it will have a DFU, not CDC bootloader and you'll need to use FLIP to flash it - it's not hard. Where did you get the printer from, and is it the Printrbot version? What version Printrboard? If it's from Printrbot how old is it? You most likely can open a ticket and get the board replaced. If it's a copy then you'll need to go through whoever you got it from.

If it's a copy and really has a CDC bootloader then you should reflash the loader. Unless the CDC loader has changed recently it's limited to 64K and will not load the full Printrbot Marlin image. There's directions online and in this forum; it's also not difficult but takes an additional inexpensive programmer.

Kirk

[hmpzify]

Burnt out my last printrboard so i bought a new one, but couldn't afford the official one, so bought one from makemandel . com
It got the CDC bootloader
What do you mean with reflash the loader and how do you do it?

Got it working perfectly when i got it, but changed the code back and forth and last time it didn't go in to bootmode.

[Mooselake]

Found the directions here with the forum search.

If you're following RJ's firmware flashing directions in the Wiki, and they worked before, it's likely the clone board's toast. I imagine you've tried reset, power off and waiting a bit, and checking the jumper already. Since the programmer is pretty cheap it's worth a try to see if you can reflash the loader. How are you burning out boards? Was the last one just one of the FETs? They're easy to replace if you can solder or want to learn.

Kirk

[hmpzify]

I can't find anyone with the same problem. Everywhere i look you need to but the board in bootmode in order to fix whatever problem there is.
But i can't get it in bootmode, it is like i disconnect the usb when i´m pressing the resetbutton..
Any idea?

My last board got got burnt all the way, not just the mosfet :/

[RetireeJay]

To bypass the bootloader, you connect to the board with a parallel programmer. I have not done this myself, so I'm somewhat guessing here, but I think it's called an AVR - ISP programmer. They are not terribly expensive, e.g. here: http://smile.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_0_7?url=search-alias%3Delectronics&field-keywords=avr+isp&sprefix=avr+isp%2Caps%2C206

[Mooselake]

After rereading this, perhaps the problem is as simple as the board really has the DFU, and not the CDC bootloader. How do you know which bootloader it has, other than the vendor's statement?

Are you using Linux and not Windows (the /dev/tty.usbmodem12341 suggest this). It's actually pretty important to mention which OS and hardware you're using, Windows, MacOS, Linux (which release too), Plan9, BeOS, PC, MAC, IBM 360/44, whatever.

Could this board have shipped without any printer firmware? Has it ever worked? Have you at least gotten whatever you're using to drive it to get the usual Marlin startup messages, or anything other than recognition of the port?

makemendel.com is based in Mumbai, India (my daughters have been there ). I haven't dealt with makemendel before and am not familiar with their reputation. They do produce PCBs in India, but it's likely the board is a chinese sourced copy, and possibly whichever clone was cheapest on the day they ordered them. These range from utter crap to pretty good. The $80 they list isn't a whole lot cheaper then the official board, and that has seriously good support behind it.

From your IP address it looks like you might be in Sweden (their reverse lookup is seriously munged; it took a bit of doing to figure out what provider owned the address). That does make it a bit harder to order from Printrbot with the shipping and import taxes, don't know how that applies to online orders from India.

Kirk

[frankv]

If you're running Linux, run lsusb, once after resetting with the boot jumper on, once without the jumper, and post the output here. That will help us diagnose what's happening.

[hmpzify]

After rereading this, perhaps the problem is as simple as the board really has the DFU, and not the CDC bootloader. How do you know which bootloader it has, other than the vendor's statement?

I think I have CDC, got a light when the USB connects without the powersupply, and I didn't get that with my first board from printrboard, how do i check witch one i'm using?

Are you using Linux and not Windows. It's actually pretty important to mention which OS and hardware you're using, Windows, MacOS, Linux (which release too), Plan9, BeOS, PC, MAC, IBM 360/44, whatever.

I'm using Windows 8.1 and a Macbook Pro. Same problem with both.

Could this board have shipped without any printer firmware? Has it ever worked? Have you at least gotten whatever you're using to drive it to get the usual Marlin startup messages, or anything other than recognition of the port?

It worked when i got it! But it wasn't with printrbot firmware, so I changed it to printrbot firmware and got it to work perfectly. I also orderd a LCD (Panelolu2). Got that to work too, did some small changes back and forth and last time i connected it too my PC it didnt go in to bootmode.

makemendel is based in Mumbai, India (my daughters have been there ). I haven't dealt with makemendel before and am not familiar with their reputation. They do produce PCBs in India, but it's likely the board is a chinese sourced copy, and possibly whichever clone was cheapest on the day they ordered them. These range from utter crap to pretty good. The $80 they list isn't a whole lot cheaper then the official board, and that has seriously good support behind it.

From your IP address it looks like you might be in Sweden (their reverse lookup is seriously munged; it took a bit of doing to figure out what provider owned the address). That does make it a bit harder to order from Printrbot with the shipping and import taxes, don't know how that applies to online orders from India.

I kinda regret the cheap option i choose..
And yes i'm from Sweden(so I apologize for my grammar and spelling ) As i said i orderd the LCD but also the extrudrboard. And with all that it was alot cheaper.

[hmpzify]

To bypass the bootloader, you connect to the board with a parallel programmer. I have not done this myself, so I'm somewhat guessing here, but I think it's called an AVR - ISP programmer. They are not terribly expensive, e.g. here: http://smile.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_0_7?url=search-alias%3Delectronics&field-keywords=avr+isp&sprefix=avr+isp%2Caps%2C206

Maby i'll try this! do you know where to find more info, witch to use and how to do it?

[RetireeJay]

This is not a recommendation, because I have no experience, but I found one source that seems to be in a reasonably reliable and often-mentioned site.
https://learn.adafruit.com/usbtinyisp
There's a link to a manual from that page.

By the way, I got there through the RepRap.org web site, and looking at the Printrboard - so here's hoping it's fully compatible. Note that it can't program the entire memory space, but it can at least install a bootloader that CAN access the entire memory space.

[hmpzify]

Okey thanks, i'll look in to it!!

[Mooselake]

The light on the printrboard only indicates it has power, nothing else. IIRC it's across the 5V regulator.

If you've programmed your printrboard before with the Arduino software then you have the CDC loader; that's the only way I know of to tell. There might be other ways that I don't know.

Did you mean the board works when it's not in boot mode, and you can print with it? You only have a problem when trying to load new firmware? Is that firmware image greater then 65,536 (64K) bytes (the size of the firmware after it's loaded, not the hex file)? Was the last firmware bigger than 64K? I've never tried to flash something that large with the Arduino IDE, but I seem to remember reading that it will load the first part of the file and ignore the rest. If it wrapped around to low memory (went from 64K back to zero) it may have overwritten the boot loader, but that's just guessing. All I can find is that you'll have issues, but not what the issues are. I think your best option is to install the DFU bootloader.

The usbtinyisp programmers are pretty common. You should be able to find a European source for it. I've ordered from adafruit and can recommend them, but it would be more expensive than a local source.

I found directions for flashing a printrboard bootloader in Lincomatic's blog. Lincomatic worked on the firmware for the first printrboard so they're good directions.

Once you've flashed the new bootloader then use RJ's very good directions to flash your new firmware. You will no longer be able to flash with the arduino software, but you can still compile, etc., with the arduino IDE you used before.

Kirk

[hmpzify]

The board isn't working, but the computer recognizes it when it's not in bootmode.

The firmware is about 115kb.

Installing the DFU bootloader, where can i get instructions for that? is it hard?

[Mooselake]

Click on the Lincomatic link above.

Kirk

[hmpzify]

Okay thanks!
I'm gonna order a parallel programmer and try it out.

Yesterday i got a revF4 from a friend with the mosfet burnt. So now i'm up and running again!! still gonna try to get the revD to work thou, maby for a new homemade printer!

But got a problem with the LCD i mentioned. Do you guys know anything that might help?
Posted a new post for it here:
viewtopic.php?f=19&t=9724

Btw thanks for all the help, new to the opensource and even forum thing! love it!
Got all excited,(i'm a student living with my parents) so ran up to my dad and shouted:
"There are people across the world helping me with my printer!!, they don't even know me but still are helping out!"

[Mooselake]

Is the burnt mosfet the one that got replaced with a different chip (caffeine level's not high enough to remember the part number)? Use that one if you're repairing it. There's chip numbers and info in recent posts.

Glad to hear you're up and printing. Now you have a spare you can experiment and not worry as much about bricking your printer!

Kirk