Why does firmware fail?

[Dave2002]

Does firmware fail due to changes in memory, or is it more often due to external changes rendering it incompatible, such as a change in server software or changes/updates to service standards?

I have a particular problem with a Squeezebox Boom device, which appears to have corrupted firmware. The message "DAC FAIL-CANT TALK" appears, and apparently there may be fixes - see http://forums.logitech.com/t5/Squeez...LK/td-p/498986 Unfortunately I've so far tried the easy fixes to no avaiil, so now it seems I have to try loading an older Squeezebox server version in the hope that the device will pick up "new" - actually old firmware, and then keep itself in order again. Possible server software is at http://downloads.slimdevices.com/ - there's a lot of choice!

The question posed is still of interest though. I've had a few devices fail, seemingly because of firmware, but I've never been sure if the code really had become corrupted, or if in fact externals had changed. One device was a Freeview box which seemed to die after several updates to the Freeview service.

If corruption is a more likely reason for failure, are there any obvious environmental conditions likely to exacerbate this, such as damp, cold, heat? It'd be useful to know, in order to minimise firmware problems recurring.

[johnb]

Dave,

Presumably you have tried doing a Factory Reset and a Xilinx Reset.

The idea behind installing an earlier version of LMS (the server software running on your computer) will be to force a firmware install on your Boom. Whenever a new version of LMS is installed on one's computer any Squeezebox device that is connected will update its firmware to match that version of LMS. So, all you need to do is pick the previous version - i.e. if you are on 7.7.3 (the current version on general release) just install, say, 7.7.2.

Once the Boom has updated to match 7.7.2 (say) you can re-install 7.7.3.

(The slimdevices forum is always a font of knowledge about these things.)

[Dave2002]

johnb

Does it work the other way too - if I'm running an older version and install a new version of the LMS?

I have indeed tried the Factory Reset and the Xilinx Reset.

I have multiple machines - does it matter which one I use to run the server software for this exercise?

I still wonder why this might have happened. Environmental issues - heat/cold/damp. Would a change of ISP and router make a difference?

I'm a bit suspicious now, as I think my SB3 has also disconnected from the server and needs a kick, following a change of router and ISP just before Christmas. Maybe if I reinstall everything I can get them all working again.

Is 7.7.3 good? I thought some of the versions were a bit problematic, so haven't updated rigorously after each new release.

Thanks for your suggestions anyway.

[johnb]

Does it work the other way too - if I'm running an older version and install a new version of the LMS?

The Squeezebox devices (Touch, Boom, SB3, etc) will always "update" (whether forwards or backwards) their firmware to be in line with whatever LMS they are connected to.

I have multiple machines - does it matter which one I use to run the server software for this exercise?

If you have multiple LMS running on different computers/NAS the Squeezebox devices will try to synch their firmware with whichever "Library" (i.e. LMS/computer) they are currently "connected" to. (As you know, you can switch between libraries.)

If you have multiple computers/NAS boxes you ideally want them all running the same version of LMS or the Squeezebox devices will be continually "updating" their firmware when you change switch between one "Library" (LMS) and another. Of course installing a different version of LMS on one computer for the purposes of this exercise is fine but afterwards you will then need to decide on which version of LMS to install on all your computers/NAS boxes.

Is 7.7.3 good? I thought some of the versions were a bit problematic, so haven't updated rigorously after each new release.

I've been using 7.7.3 for a month or so with absolutely no problems. Before that I was using 7.7.2 for the best part of a year and it was similarly very stable.

I am always slow to update LMS in case of problems occurring with the new releases - but as the current release version 7.7.3 is very stable I see no reason not to use it. (There are also the beta versions 7.7.4 and 7.8.0 which many enthusiasts use, but I prefer to stick to the official releases, and then only use them after they have been proved to be stable and bug-free.)

Good luck with your problem.

[Dave2002]

johnb

Thanks for that. I just upgraded to 7.7.3 on the machine which normally acts as a server. Turning on the Boom gave a few unpromising glitches but carried on anyway,
forced the Xilinx refresh, and then connected to the new network, then to the server, and the error messages disappeared. Had to turn on and off a few times to make sure, but it seems to be streaming satisfactorily again now from my hard drive. There was no sign at all that anything was going on during this process, so it must have happened very quickly once connected to the server.

Now I need to check that the other units are keeping in sync too.

Does this also mean that if I use multiple servers there can be (will be ...!!!) problems if they are not all using the same version of the LMS software - particularly where the Boom is concerned? Your previous post suggests that this isn't really a problem, and the devices will cope.

[johnb]

Dave,

If Squeezebox devices are switched between various "Libraries" (i.e. different Logitech Media Servers on different PCs/NAS boxes) running different versions of LMS the Squeezebox devices will be reloading different firmware every time you switch. They will cope but it isn't ideal and the delays are likely to be irritating.

Anyway, as LMS 7.7.3 is very stable there is no reason not to update all your other installations of LMS to 7.7.3.

[Dave2002]

johnb

Almost a disaster with the Classic, but hopefully now fixed. For years now I've not really bothered with the remote supplied - indeed the original has been buried somewhere around the house, but of course I have other similar devices with remotes too. Like the Boom, once I looked into it, there were problems there too. I couldn't connect to the server.

Eventually I looked at how to do the resets and found that a remote was necessary.

Factory reset: Power up and hold down + on the remote. Xilinx reset: Power up and hold down 1 on the remote.

Details here - http://wiki.slimdevices.com/index.ph...et_and_Last_FW

It occurs to me that these issues could have been stimulated by our change of ISP and installation of a new router (BT Home Hub 5).
The router works fine, but maybe it's allocating dynamic addresses to some machines.

Is the Squeezebox system clever enough to find servers on a LAN, or do the servers have to be assigned static addresses? I'm fairly sure I locked the IP addresses of the servers down with the previous routers.

One thing to note though - it seems to be very important to keep a compatible remote to work with the Classic SB so as to be able to reset it if necessary even if one uses an iPad or other device normally to control the players. Perhaps it's possible to clone the IR remotes in the case that one is lost. In this respect the Boom is easier, with buttons on the box.

PS: I'm not sure whether this app - https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/logi...431302899?mt=8 will permit a reset on the players.

[johnb]

Based on my Touch and the fact that I have two LMS servers (my PC and a HP Microserver) my understanding is that when you power up a Squeezebox device it will initially look for the server (LMS) it was last connected to (probably using the IP of the box the server was running on). If it doesn't find it the Squeezebox device will report the fact and give an option to "Switch Library" i.e. switch to another LMS server. If you select that option it will list the LMS servers it has discovered on the network for you to choose from.

I think it would be a good idea to fix the IP addresses of the boxes that run LMS but I hear that the BT Home Hubs sometimes "forgets" reserved IP addresses so it is more reliable to assign a static IP address on the actual computer or NAS box.

[Dave2002]

BT Home Hubs seem to lose the Wi-Fi connections quite frequently too. Overall not terrible, but listening to streaming services from on line sources is nothing like as reliable as listening to the radio, watching TV or listening to a disc - CD/SACD etc. Further, not sure about the inclusion of these Home Hubs for local streaming - does that also compromise continuous reliable service from an LMS server?

I could probably patch round that by using a different link to a fixed LMS server using Powerline adapters and thus avoid the use of the Home Hub altogether. It might only be the broadband connection and the WiFi which fail through the Home Hub - in which case running it as an ethernet router with wired connections would reduce the level of service interruptions.