• Registered: 2017-11-22
  • Posts: 5

Topic: Tried to update driver and firmware, now it won´t work...help!

Hi

I have a Fireface 400 and a Macbook pro running 10.6.8

One day(after 10 years of recording joy) the FF started to jitter and crack and I decided to update drivers and so on.

First i installed the latest driver 3.33
Then i tried to update the firmware but it failed, some error code 20000 ?

On restart the unit was lost, no contact
I then installed the old driver 2.72, but in vain!

Still no contact with the Fireface,  total disaster, so I cant try to update the firmware again! 

Any suggestions on what to do?

  • Jeff
  • Jeff
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  • From: USA
  • Registered: 2007-05-21
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Re: Tried to update driver and firmware, now it won´t work...help!

Maybe this was a hardware issue at the start. What does "jitter and crack" mean? Can you check the FF400 on a different system?

Regards,
Jeff Petersen
Synthax Inc.

Jeff's Website

  • Registered: 2017-11-22
  • Posts: 5

Re: Tried to update driver and firmware, now it won´t work...help!

Yesterday it suddenly had periods of distant digital insect noises

An hour later it was wild bursts of cracks and very interesting jumpy low bit playback and recording

Today it worked fine for an hour, then the distant digital noise came back and I turned on the limit bandwidth option in the FF app witch stopped the problem. Encouraged by that I decided to update the unit as I saw the problem as bad communication with the bus/mac.

But in short, no I did not try it on another system. But it worked problem free for about 30 minutes. And seemed fine during the time i tried to update it.

  • Registered: 2017-11-22
  • Posts: 5

Re: Tried to update driver and firmware, now it won´t work...help!

I managed to connect with it and update the firmware to 1.71

The unit ran stable for about 10 minutes, then jumps in sound and random noise.

I tried the FF on an even older macbook running os 10.4

No luck, connection, but new wild noise. More in the digital white noise realm.

Maybe its broken?

Can some current on the ground from a connection to an rec out on an guitar amp have fried something?

  • Registered: 2017-11-22
  • Posts: 5

Re: Tried to update driver and firmware, now it won´t work...help!

Now it works with an external psu. If powered by the firewire cable it goes crazy after 5-10 minnutes

Can it be repaired ?

  • vinark
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  • Registered: 2009-06-05
  • Posts: 2,741

Re: Tried to update driver and firmware, now it won´t work...help!

This is more likely an issue with the FW cable or the macbook then the fireface IMHO. Any reason you don't want to run it with a psu?

Vincent, Amsterdam
https://soundcloud.com/thesecretworld
BFpro fs, 2X HDSP9652 ADI-8AE, 2X HDSP9632
  • Registered: 2017-11-22
  • Posts: 5

Re: Tried to update driver and firmware, now it won´t work...help!

No its OK with the psu its just another thing to carry around as I´m recording in a lot of different locations.

And a little worrying, Its a matter of trust :-) Will it fail again while recording something that might change history!

Did buy a new cable, did´t change a thing. Don´t have more fw computers to try it with, only thundebolt macs that cant power the unit anyway.

Has been running fine with the psu all day today so I´m gonna run it as it is and might pick up a used one if i stumble upon a cheap one.

  • vinark
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Re: Tried to update driver and firmware, now it won´t work...help!

Good idea! And maybe MC or RME can give some insight if failing to work on bus power is the beginning of the end?

Vincent, Amsterdam
https://soundcloud.com/thesecretworld
BFpro fs, 2X HDSP9652 ADI-8AE, 2X HDSP9632
  • cyrano
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  • From: Belgium
  • Registered: 2015-04-28
  • Posts: 701

Re: Tried to update driver and firmware, now it won´t work...help!

Open the FF400, check for bulging caps.

I'll bet some caps in the PSU part are near to the end of their life.

If you already have a FF400, I'd rather send it to RME and have a "new" one than buying a 2nd hand unit. These are getting older and prices haven't gone down much.

FWIW, I have one FF400 that only works on firewire bus power.

MB Pro - 2 X FireFace 400, FF800 & DigiFace USB
ADAT gear: Korg, Behri, Fostex, Alesis...

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