The Yellow Screen of Death ...

[N8RV]

"Houston, we have a problem ..."

Once I downloaded the required software so that my new laptop (with Windows 7) would recognize my serial-USB converter cable, I decided to save the parameters that I've so painstakingly setup during my Phase I test period.

I ran the Dynon program, plugged in the D100 EFIS and the computer searched for the unit.  After a couple of minutes, I got the following error message:
    "Error connecting to EFIS D-100.  Cant find instrument on any serial
     port.  Please close any programs which may be using a comm or
     serial port."

There weren't any other programs running, and I tried using each USB port with the same resulting error message.

However, now the Yellow Screen of Death was up on the EFIS (Warning, if download fails, call Dynon -- DO NOT POWER OFF UNIT").  Great.  It's Sunday and it doesn't do any good to call Dynon because nobody's there.  I wasn't about to just leave the master switch on, so I turned it off.  The Yellow Screen of Death remained alive.  Must be the internal battery, which I'm sure will not keep it going for very long.

What am I to expect when I next go to the hangar?  Will be EFIS return to normal when I turn on the master switch?  Will I have to box it up and ship it back to Dynon?  Will I have to use my old computer instead of my new one for any and all downloads/uploads?  Is it a really bad idea to perform any software maintenance on weekends?

HELP!

 

[Etienne]

Not to give you false hope, but I have had a similar problem, and it was solved with a reboot of the D100.

The yellow screen seems to get displayed as soon as comms begin with the update program. Normally a command is sent from the program to reboot the D100 at the end of an update or when the program quits (if memory serves me correctly), and if the comms gets disrupted before this, the yellow screen simply remains until power is cycled.

Since you've already turned the power off, if it was going to fail, it's already happened. However, I don't think you can do anything but turn power on and see what happens. My guess is that unless you were in the middle of a firmware upgrade, there shouldn't be any damage!

But I'm not DynonSupport

 

[N8RV]

Thanks, Etienne. I'm hoping to hear from Dyon on this as well, naturally. I'll probably pop out to the hangar tonight and flip the master switch to see if everything boots up OK. Since I'm sure I'm not the only one who's had this happen, I'll be sure to post what happens.

 

[dynonsupport]

Chances are goo it will be OK. This sounds like what happens when the PC can talk to the EFIS but it can't talk to the PC. So no update happens and no damage done.

It's almost always a wiring issue, so check that if all is OK.

 

[JR]

recently I had similar problem, I restarted program then requested the program to find version and it enquired, answered correctly and returned to normal operation
JR

 

[N8RV]

As a follow-up, I went to the hangar tonight and flipped on the master switch and ... the EFIS powered-up just fine.

Before I suspect wiring issues (it's been just fine with my other laptop), I'll try hooking up the old laptop and see if they can talk to each other. If so, then the issue is with the new computer and Windows 7. If not ... well ...

 

[N8RV]

Took the old laptop (WinXP) out to the hangar today and plugged in the EFIS. The program found the instrument and the program worked as usual to download settings and upload lists.

So, the problem appears to be with the new computer running Windows 7, not with the wiring. Wiring is OK.

Now what? Any suggestions, Dynon? I really can't keep the old laptop -- it has a different future ahead of it.

 

[dynonsupport]

We've used Windows 7 just fine here so we're not really sure what to say.

 

[rvator51]

Check if there is some kind of firewall setting that is blocking the outgoing port on the laptop. I had to disable the firewall setting for that port on mine.

 

[airguy]

Bill Gates is Evil Incarnate, we know that - but I would first suspect some software switch on the laptop that is preventing the use of the comm port.

 

[MauiLvrs]

SO.... Is there a way that we can get the Dynon tools for Linux?

 

[dynonsupport]

It's only available for Windows, sorry.

 

[richmond]

N8RV I am having the exact same problem as you except my new lap top runs on Visa not windows 7 so I would say Dynon need a fix for this on the factory side. In the meantime I have split my hard drive so one half runs Vista and the other Windows XP. Will run the Windows XP on my plane on Monday. Hold thumbs.

 

[dynonsupport]

Windows 7 should work, provided that you use the drivers on our site. If you've already installed other drivers (even Windows' auto-installed ones), try going to device manager (with the converter plugged in), uninstall them. Then unplug the converter, reboot (not strictly neccesary, but never hurts), then download and install the driver from our site, then plug in the converter once again. To uninstall the old drivers, by the way, go to the device manager, then right click the device, then properties, then the driver tab, then uninstall, then remove the files too when it asks.

 

[PhantomPholly]

Just for fun, someone should TRY to run the upgrade software on Linux under WINE. Seeing as how it isn't a DirectX 11 program, it out to work just fine.

My laptop doesn't have the disk space to dual-boot, and I need it for work or I'd offer to try it...

 

[Roger_Lee]

Mine doesn't work with Windows 7 either. I downloaded the drivers from the website right from the start. My old Windows XP fires right up.

 

[Etienne]

Just for fun, someone should TRY to run the upgrade software on Linux under WINE.  Seeing as how it isn't a DirectX 11 program, it out to work just fine.

My laptop doesn't have the disk space to dual-boot, and I need it for work or I'd offer to try it...

I've given this a go on Mac OS X with DarWine running, but without much luck. There is some serial port config call that the program uses that isn't supported in DarWine which prevents the serial port from being opened correctly, and it throws an error both in the Wine log, and on the Dynon program.

Not as easy as hoped, although I'm sure there is some way to fix it. I'm not familiar enough with serial comms on Windows to figure it out though! :

It's such a pity, because getting access to a Windows laptop for me is a real PITA!

 

[PhantomPholly]

Just for fun, someone should TRY to run the upgrade software on Linux under WINE.  Seeing as how it isn't a DirectX 11 program, it out to work just fine.

My laptop doesn't have the disk space to dual-boot, and I need it for work or I'd offer to try it...

I've given this a go on Mac OS X with DarWine running, but without much luck. There is some serial port config call that the program uses that isn't supported in DarWine which prevents the serial port from being opened correctly, and it throws an error both in the Wine log, and on the Dynon program.

Not as easy as hoped, although I'm sure there is some way to fix it. I'm not familiar enough with serial comms on Windows to figure it out though!  :

It's such a pity, because getting access to a Windows laptop for me is a real PITA!

Ah, too bad - my understanding is that Mac "WINE" is not as advanced as Linux, but who knows?

You could always set up your machine as dual-boot. I know that Linux would be no problem, but am not sure about Windoze with Mac. I just bought a new hard disk 50% bigger than the original for my 2 year old top of the line (then) laptop for $70, so you could probably get the disk space fairly cheaply.