Help...Error Message

[semcodist]

When starting Mach4, I am getting the following error popup...

Error: PMDX-SmartBOB-USB Boot Loader is running, firmware is possibly corrupt.
Please see the device's User's Manual for more info.

Also, the red LED is flashing on the board itself.

Mach4: version 3390
Windows 8 64 bit
Firmware version: 0.58.205

[semcodist]

Sorry...Windows 7.

[12strings]

What model SmartBOB?

You list a firmware version.  When you go to either the Configure menu, Plugins, PMDX SmartBOB, or the diagnostics menu and then SmartBOB, does it show you BOTH a bootloader version AND this firmware version?

If so, it sounds like the push button on the SmartBOB is either faulty, or the button is being pressed and held pressed (by something, maybe the panel is skewed if you have a PMDX-412/414/416 with the panel), or maybe something is shorting a pin on the circuit board to make it LOOK like the button is pressed.

Does your SmartBOB have both a red and green led, stacked one on top of the other?  If so, is it the really the red LED that flashes?  With my boards here (PMDX-414 and 424), the red LED is on solid and the green led flashes when the boot loader is running.

[semcodist]

What model SmartBOB?   PMDX-424

You list a firmware version.  When you go to either the Configure menu, does it show you BOTH a bootloader version AND this firmware version?
YES...Bootloader Version: 1.13.73 \ Firmware Version: 0.58.205

If so, it sounds like the push button on the SmartBOB is either faulty, or the button is being pressed and held pressed (by something, maybe the panel is skewed if you have a PMDX-412/414/416 with the panel), or maybe something is shorting a pin on the circuit board to make it LOOK like the button is pressed.

Does your SmartBOB have both a red and green led, stacked one on top of the other?  YES

With my boards here (PMDX-414 and 424), the red LED is on solid and the green led flashes when the boot loader is running. THAT IS THE CASE WITH THIS ONE AS WELL. SOLID RED AND FLASHING GREEN.

[12strings]

With my boards here (PMDX-414 and 424), the red LED is on solid and the green led flashes when the boot loader is running. THAT IS THE CASE WITH THIS ONE AS WELL. SOLID RED AND FLASHING GREEN.

Those LED indications along with the error/warning message you got mean that the boot loader is running even though there is valid firmware loaded (or I'm *guessing* the firmware is valid... the version is good, at least).  So 2 things to try:

(1) Power off the PMDX-424.  Push, jiggle and tap the push button that is next to the red & green LEDs.  See if it was stuck.  Then power on the PMDX-424 and see what happens.  Note that the "boot loader running" state flashes the green LED a few times per second, while the "firmware is running and Mach4 is not running" state is one short flash about every 2 seconds.

If (1) doesn't fix things, then

(2) With the PMDX-424 powered on and connected to the PC's USB port, run Mach4.  Click on "OK" to get rid of the error/warning message.  Go to the "Configure" menu, select "Plugins" and then the "PMDX SmartBOB-USB".  In the SmarBOB configiration dialog, click on the "Update Device Firmware" button.  If that succeeds, try exiting Mach4, powering the PMDX-424 off and back on and see if it now runs normally.

If the firmware update did NOT work, see if you can copy the contents of the update log window and paste them here.

[semcodist]

Step 1: Did not work.

Step 2: Here is what the dialog box said...

Done
Restarting device with new firmware (may take a few seconds)
Delaying for device disconnect/reconnect
Attempting to reconnect
Unable to start new firmware (reboot went back into boot loader)
Aborting download
** Download failed **
Please contact PMDX for assistance.

[12strings]

Step 2: Here is what the dialog box said...
...
Please contact PMDX for assistance.

Well there's your answer.  Looks to me to be a hardware issue.  Contact PMDX to arrange to send it back for them to look at.

Curiosity - is this a brand new board and has always exhibited this issue?  Or have you have this board for a while and this just started?