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How risky to update the firmware?


maddav

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I have an M8 originally supplied with 1.09. I purchased it 2 weeks ago because I would like to use it for a trip in 2 weeks, mainly with a voigtländer 28/3.5 lens. Given the troubles that some people experienced after the firmware update, I'm hesitating. Would you take the chance of doing it?

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Considering that it's one of the "features" of the new technology built into the M8, it would be silly not to take advantage of it.

 

One theory goes that one should not be an early adopter of new technology or upgrades, but 1.102 has been out for a while, so I would think it safe to upgrade.

 

I did in on the last M8 I got without any problems.

 

AdiM

 

Happy emming

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The trouble reports here, at least as I recollect them, are mostly the result of not following the required protocol exactly, including not putting the firmware update file in the correct location on the sd card.

 

I don't recall reports that Leica has been careless with what it releases, unlike some computer software vendors particularly in years past, which resulted in end users being involuntary beta (or earlier) testers.

 

Still waiting a bit after each release to let pioneers try it out is a good idea if one is not desperate for some change in the new version. How long to wait is up to you, of course, but firmware 1.012 has, I would think, been out now long enough for most everyone.

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I have updated the firmware and the camera is still alive.

 

Maddav,

 

Like many others, I carry around a copy of 1.102 on a locked 16 MB SD card - you know the otherwise useless cards that come free with most digital cameras. It has certainly got me out of trouble once, when my M8 locked up on an overseas trip. New battery plus firmware reloaded and all has been fine since.

 

Wilson

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Considering that it's one of the "features" of the new technology built into the M8, it would be silly not to take advantage of it.

 

Perhaps. Personally, I haven't bothered upgrading the firmware on my older M8 (November vintage) - I like it the way it is.

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The only trouble people have had with the update was getting it on there at all. Once it goes on, there is nothing much that can go wrong, and I don't recall anyone having a camera in an inconsistent state after an attempted transfer. Just make sure you have a full battery, put the file in the root directory of the card, and follow the instructions in the menus.

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Sorry, from the answers I guess my post was not clear. Perhaps I should have written "IMMEDIATELY after the firmware update" because what I had in mind was these horror stories about cameras plunged in coma or at least unable to write pictures, etc.

 

Anyway it seems it worked normally on mine.

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The only trouble people have had with the update was getting it on there at all. Once it goes on, there is nothing much that can go wrong, and I don't recall anyone having a camera in an inconsistent state after an attempted transfer. Just make sure you have a full battery, put the file in the root directory of the card, and follow the instructions in the menus.

 

My problem is I can't get it to stay in the root directory. It seems to always default to just another file below the root directory.

 

What am I doing wrong? :confused:

 

Rex

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My problem is I can't get it to stay in the root directory. It seems to always default to just another file below the root directory.

 

What am I doing wrong? :confused:

 

Rex

 

Rex,

 

1) Have you unpacked the zipped file properly?

 

2) Are you using a card reader to write the file to your SD card - I don't think you can use the camera to do it?

 

3) Format the card you are going to use in your M8. Copy the file from where you have unzipped it to to the root directory of the card using an SD card reader. Once you have checked the file is in the root directory of the card using either Windows Explorer or Mac Finder, then lock the SD card. It is best to keep a card just for firmware. I use one of those freebee 16 MB cards you get with various devices.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Wilson

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Maddav, the people cameras which died did not do so from upgrading the firmware in any cases that I have heard of. This is not meant to be a risky change.

 

Rex, do you mount the card in a card reader on your computer? When you copy the file, is it not sitting *next to* the DCIM directory?

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Maddav, the people cameras which died did not do so from upgrading the firmware in any cases that I have heard of. This is not meant to be a risky change.

 

Rex, do you mount the card in a card reader on your computer? When you copy the file, is it not sitting *next to* the DCIM directory?

 

Carstenw

 

Thanks for your response. I don't have my camera or card reader with me but as I remember the copied file is sitting *under* the DCIM directory with some other readme files, etc. As I recall I figured that would be a problem because it didn't look like it was in the *root* directory to me. But then, what do I know? However, it didn't work .

 

I tried to put the relevant file in what I thought was the root but it keep resisting. I will try again later today and refresh my memory.

 

Rex

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Other files? That might be the problem. Reformat the card in the camera, then copy the update file to the same directory as the DCIM directory, but not *in* the DCIM directory. When you say "under", I presume you don't mean that you put the file inside the DCIM directory, but rather that you are looking at a file list where the DCIM directory is simply listed before the update file?

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Maddav,

 

Like many others, I carry around a copy of 1.102 on a locked 16 MB SD card - you know the otherwise useless cards that come free with most digital cameras. It has certainly got me out of trouble once, when my M8 locked up on an overseas trip. New battery plus firmware reloaded and all has been fine since.

 

Wilson

 

That's an excellent idea! Thanks for the tip!

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