Help me collect downgrade chipset for Vista HCx

[+NOV8TR]

Regarding Garmin Etrex Vista HCx series upgrades:

After a recent upgrade (from 2.40/2.40 to 2.80/2.80), I found it necessary to “downgrade”. It was only after I read thru all the posts and threads I could find here on the forum, that one thing became clear,,, If you are going to “upgrade”, have a plan in place to “downgrade”! The “drifting” issue some of us have encountered with the firmware versions above 2.5 are troubling. In my opinion the odometer inaccuracies associated with 2.30 thru 2.60, are less troubling than the position errors (associated with 2.60 thru 2.80)! I called Garmin (who at least did not argue the drifting issue, though the tech was careful not to admit it either), and I was told that “they” did not have old revisions of software or firmware. The Garmin tech then referred me to a web site called http://gpsinformation.net/. I’m sure most us who have attempted (or considered) downgrading have already been there, and discovered all (most?) of the software downgrades are available, but the firmware versions (chipset software) are not. The Garmin tech was polite and tried to help, but it was plain his hands were tied. His willingness to direct me to a web site with old software was more than I would have expected from an OEM rep, so I cannot complain about his efforts in any way. Thank goodness for forums like this one, where the “average Joe” refuses to take a bad situation and just live with it! On this forum I did find a post where someone had directed a link to 2.30 firmware, but I could not track the original path to see if there were any other revisions available (still looking for 2.40). I placed a “plea” in a much traveled thread (2.80 upgrade available), and thanks to SiliconFiend , I got my hands on firmware revision 2.50 and now hope my “drifting” issues have gone away. I doubt the drifting issue will go away for the Etrex Vista series (or any of the other models with the MTK chipset) any time soon. Many of us will upgrade for some reason or another, and travel the path I just took. So, what I am trying to do is collect all the firmware revisions I can find, and pass them on to http://gpsinformation.net/ for posting. I made a preliminary contact with A guy who runs part of that site, and he seemed willing to participate with this endeavor.

Please send me (E-Mails are fine) any firmware revision you may have (for the Garmin Etrex Visa HCx), and I’ll be happy to pass it on to them (I’m sure they will be happy to hear from you directly if that is the way you want to go). However, I’m more than willing to be a repository here on this forum for the grunt work of collecting, verifying, and organizing those files associated with the Etrex Visa HCx firmware. Your help will make the path easier for the next guy to fix what Garmin seems unable (unwilling?) to do with their upgrades (like, provide a way to downgrade!) I already have sent versions 2.30 and 2.50 to http://gpsinformation.net/ , so I’m still looking for 2.40, 2.60, 2.70, & 2.80.

Thanks

[+Hrethgir]

Dang, the only one I have is 2.30, but you already have that one, so I can't help you.

[+Idahogreggory]

Setup a FTP site and I will will be glad to upload versions 2.3, 2.4,2.5 and 2.6 to it for you. Personally, I don't see a need for downgrading. I have been running 2.80 since it came out and it has been flawless. The worst drift I have seen in two solid days of hiking with it on all the time in and out of the pack was 27' over the same path. If you're have huge drift issue I would suspect that there might be an issue with your GPSR.

[+NOV8TR]

Setup a FTP site and I will will be glad to upload versions 2.3, 2.4,2.5 and 2.6 to it for you. Personally, I don't see a need for downgrading. I have been running 2.80 since it came out and it has been flawless. The worst drift I have seen in two solid days of hiking with it on all the time in and out of the pack was 27' over the same path. If you're have huge drift issue I would suspect that there might be an issue with your GPSR.

 

Idahogreggory,

I don't have an FTP site (that is why i was using the GPSinformation.net site as the repository). Please, E-mail me your files, or send them to the guys at GPSinformation.net. I told the guy there that I would load each file I received on my own vista HCx and verify the version and integrety of the files to assure him that he would be posting good stuff, but at this point collecting the files superceeds the organization and validation steps! THANK YOU !!!!

 

As far as the "need to downgrade" goes, it seems to be hit and miss. There are many reports that both 2.6 and or 2.7 both solved the odometer inacuracies, and there are those who never saw the drifting issue with any of the upgrades offered. I held off until I saw that the thread regarding the upgrade to 2.8 had pretty much died off (indicating that no one was having problems?) before I switched to that version. It actually looked pretty good up untill I saw a 170 foot drift in good conditions 2 weeks ago (no tree cover, low multipath conditions, and full bars on at least 7 satellites, WAAS on, receiver on for 5 hours straight, walking speed). All corrected perfectly to spot on accurate with a power cycle. Maybe there is something wrong with my receiver, but whatever it is, it never happened before the upgrade (I had been running 2.4/2.4 for the last 9 months with no issues other than the odometer inacuracy). Again, different people have reported that different combinations of software/firmware work on their units with varing degrees of sucess. So, all I'm trying to do is set up a repository for people to go to get any combination they want and try to find a combination that works best for their particular unit.

Thanks again, and I really looking forward to seeing your files!

Edited December 11, 2008 by 1XL-on-XR650L

[ubern000b]

I applaud your efforts to get the older firmware deposited somewhere we can all get to it.

 

I have 2.4/2.4 and while I have the odometer problem there is no drift issue. I won't consider upgrading my chipset unless I can roll it back. I won't upgrade the software either because I'm not sure what that does without a matching chipset upgrade.

 

Anyhow, I look forward to having the various chipset/software versions available to try.

[+NOV8TR]

I applaud your efforts to get the older firmware deposited somewhere we can all get to it.

 

I have 2.4/2.4 and while I have the odometer problem there is no drift issue. I won't consider upgrading my chipset unless I can roll it back. I won't upgrade the software either because I'm not sure what that does without a matching chipset upgrade.

 

Anyhow, I look forward to having the various chipset/software versions available to try.

 

Smart move!

Don't upgrade till we have a good way to downgrade in place! Hang in there, it is starting to happen

Edited December 11, 2008 by 1XL-on-XR650L

[+Idahogreggory]

Please, E-mail me your files, or send them to the guys at GPSinformation.net.

 

That ain't going to happen, the files are MB each. If you want the files then locate a ftp site that I can dump them on.

[+NOV8TR]

Please, E-mail me your files, or send them to the guys at GPSinformation.net.

 

That ain't going to happen, the files are MB each. If you want the files then locate a ftp site that I can dump them on.

 

Ummmm, the chipset files I'm looking for are less than 400kilobytes in size (290KB is typical). The front end software files are 1+ megebytes in size, but those are already available on GPSinformation.net. , and I don't need those. Are we sure we are talking about the same thing?

[+NOV8TR]

I'm thinking that it may be helpful to clarify what I'm looking for.

There are two sets of software that make the Vista HCx work. There is "software" and then there is "firmware". Yes, technically they are both just code and are both "software". However they have different functions. You can see from this picture of the software report screen (go to "setup", "system", "menu", and select "Software version")

 

Notice that the Vista will report Software Version, and it will also report GPS SW Version. In the example I have given you can see that I have "software" version 2.8 loaded, but the GPS SW Version is 2.50. The GPS SW Version is the "firmware" ,or "Chipset Software" if you prefer. I am looking for the Firmware. These files are not available from Garmin! I have tried twice now (phone and E-mail), but they say they do not have them. So, it is up to us users to collect and post them for each other. I will make a follow up post on how to find them after you "upgrade", but you have to prepare to collect them before you upgrade. So, if you already have figured this out, please send me your old firmware revisions. For every one else, keep watching this thread, and I'll post instructions on how this can be done. Don't upgrade before you have made provisions to downgrade!

Edited December 12, 2008 by 1XL-on-XR650L

[+Idahogreggory]

1XL-on-XR650L,

 

You are correct what I have is the different versions of the software not the firmware. I apologize for misleading you and getting your hopes up. The software versions I have are 2MB each and I know the actual firmware is only in the KB range which would have been no issue to mail. I will keep an ey out and if I find any I will send them to you.

[+NOV8TR]

Idahogreggory,

No worries, someone here will have what we need. It is just a matter of waiting for the right person(s) to find, and act on this thread.

Anybody????

Edited December 12, 2008 by 1XL-on-XR650L

[+NOV8TR]

Anybody have an old firmware revision to send me?

[alazovic]

http://www.gpsinformation.org/perry/chipset_firmware/Type_M/

[+NOV8TR]

http://www.gpsinformation.org/perry/chipset_firmware/Type_M/

 

Nice! Thanks to the guys at the Perry site for setting up that resource! Now, how about 2.40, 2,60, & 2,70? Come on guys, somebody out there must have them! I'll keep "pinging" Garmin, but I really think it is going to be up to us in the forums to make this happen!

Edited December 21, 2008 by 1XL-on-XR650L

[SiliconFiend]

http://www.gpsinformation.org/perry/chipset_firmware/Type_M/

 

Nice! Thanks to the guys at the Perry site for setting up that resource! Now, how about 2.40, 2,60, & 2,70? Come on guys, somebody out there must have them! I'll keep "pinging" Garmin, but I really think it is going to be up to us in the forums to make this happen!

Are you absolutely sure there exists 2.40, 2.60 and 2.70 chipset versions "in the wild"? I seem to recall there were occasions where the next logical version number was skipped.

[+NOV8TR]

http://www.gpsinformation.org/perry/chipset_firmware/Type_M/

 

Nice! Thanks to the guys at the Perry site for setting up that resource! Now, how about 2.40, 2,60, & 2,70? Come on guys, somebody out there must have them! I'll keep "pinging" Garmin, but I really think it is going to be up to us in the forums to make this happen!

Are you absolutely sure there exists 2.40, 2.60 and 2.70 chipset versions "in the wild"? I seem to recall there were occasions where the next logical version number was skipped.

 

Well, all I know for sure is it is what came on my unit when I bought it last march (2.40/2.40). There were the same old odometer issues (as noted in 2.30), but the position accuracy was pretty close to "spot on".

[DarkMinds]

Here should be what your looking for

http://gpsinformation.net/

 

More specifically

 

http://www.gpsinformation.org/perry/chipset_firmware/

 

And, as previously asked, are you sure there is a steady version progression??

 

Chris Tulloch

Edited December 22, 2008 by DarkMinds

[cliff_hanger]

 

And, as previously asked, are you sure there is a steady version progression??

Chris Tulloch

 

Dunno.

This thread http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=186593

mentions 2.40/2.30, 2.40/2.40, 2.50/2.30, 2.50/2.50, 2.60/2.60 & 2.70/2.60

 

I have not seen mention of 2.xx/2.70, but may have simply missed it

[cliff_hanger]

 

And, as previously asked, are you sure there is a steady version progression??

Chris Tulloch

 

Dup

Edited December 22, 2008 by cliff_hanger

[+allory]

Here should be what your looking for

http://gpsinformation.net/

 

More specifically

 

http://www.gpsinformation.org/perry/chipset_firmware/

 

And, as previously asked, are you sure there is a steady version progression??

 

Chris Tulloch

It should be noted that the /perry/chipset_firmware directory was put there at 1XL-on-XR650L's encouragement and some of the files were provided by him. I had previously collected several of the update files, but not any for the Vista HCx chipset.

 

Allory (perry archive curator)

[+NOV8TR]

Here should be what your looking for

http://gpsinformation.net/

 

More specifically

 

http://www.gpsinformation.org/perry/chipset_firmware/

 

And, as previously asked, are you sure there is a steady version progression??

 

Chris Tulloch

It should be noted that the /perry/chipset_firmware directory was put there at 1XL-on-XR650L's encouragement and some of the files were provided by him. I had previously collected several of the update files, but not any for the Vista HCx chipset.

 

Allory (perry archive curator)

 

Thanks Allory! You did a great job on setting up those files. We are grateful to now have access to those files for downgrades. Now, if just a few more people could send in those missing files,,,,, still looking for 2.40, 2.60, and 2.70,,, ??

Edited December 22, 2008 by 1XL-on-XR650L

[ubern000b]

Ok, I have 2.40 GPS sw on my Vista.

 

Where's a code guru who can write a program to dump the code into a file for us?

 

In my hacking pda days a code guru would surface with a nice little homebrew program to dump a rom/flash chip to a file. Sometimes it was a really ugly affair requiring soldering wires onto a jtag chip on the pda mainboard to dump the code.

 

If we can easily update the Garmin code via USB a code guru should be able to access and dump that code to a file via USB.

 

Let's hope this post flushes someone capable out of the woodwork.

[+NOV8TR]

Ok, I have 2.40 GPS sw on my Vista.

 

Where's a code guru who can write a program to dump the code into a file for us?

 

In my hacking pda days a code guru would surface with a nice little homebrew program to dump a rom/flash chip to a file. Sometimes it was a really ugly affair requiring soldering wires onto a jtag chip on the pda mainboard to dump the code.

 

If we can easily update the Garmin code via USB a code guru should be able to access and dump that code to a file via USB.

 

Let's hope this post flushes someone capable out of the woodwork.

 

I've been looking for a way to "capture" the file before upgrading, but it does not appear to be an easy task. I did find a post in another thread that made it look possible, but when I tried this on my machine using local files (not downloading from garmin's internet site) it did not work. It appears that this capture technique only works if the update file comes from the internet, thereby invoking the "temp" capture of the incoming file (which will be the file you are updating to, not the one you are updating from). So don't try this method thinking that it provides a "way back". It does not!

Ubern000b, you have the firmware I'm trying hard to capture. If you do not need to update,,,, DON'T !! You are wise to wait for the "Code Guru" to surface somewhere on this thread and redeem all of us who were not as cautious as you are.

I have already gone up, and down the upgrade path, so I know I can get back to where I am right now (2.40/2.50) which is not where I want to be. I really, really, really, want to get back to 2.40/2.40, so I will volunteer to be a ginney pig for anyone who comes up with a method

Edited December 23, 2008 by 1XL-on-XR650L

[ubern000b]

And I'll happily volunteer to test the program to pull the software from the unit and dump it into a file.

 

2.40/2.40 has given me the best of all worlds for MY needs.

 

I'm guessing some Vistas respond very differently with the newer versions, mine might be perfect with one, I don't know.

 

I wouldn't mind playing with newer versions but not at the risk of being stuck with them.

 

I plan to keep an eye on this thread and jump in if we find a program to download the code from the unit.

 

Oh, by the way. Has anyone tried the wayback machine? The internet archives. I can't really figure it out but it's worth a shot to someone with more savvy and patience than me.