Read
me first! August 27, 2014
Contains latest information on the Agilent N4877A
Content:
- Installation
- Preparing a USB flash
drive for use with the N4877A
- On-Line
Information
- Known Problems
Installation
Package Contents
The software package should
contain the following
files:
- N4877A.bin
- nk.bin
- fb\update.txt
- update.xml
- ReadMe.html
- Tools\N4877A_Software_Update.exe
- Documentation
- Data Sheet
- Getting Started Guide
- User Guide
- Declaration of Conformity
- Open Source
License details for open source components that is used in the N4877A hardware and software implementation.
Supported Models
This software update package
supports the Agilent N4877A only.
Software Revision
The software revision that is
contained in this
package is 1.0.0.10.
List of changes:
- 1.0.0.4 : Datasheet update to version 1.0
- 1.0.0.3 : Update Software End User License Agreement.
- 1.0.0.2 : Bugfix in the Remote GUI that fixes a startup crash on Win7 x64 systems that do not have .Net 2.0 installed but instead a higher version of the .Net framework.
- 1.0.0.1 : Internal enhancement of USB identification for code re-use.
- 1.0.0.0 : Initial release
Software Update Requirements
To install this software
update on the Agilent N4877A, a working VISA interface with a
configured I/O path to the N4877A is required. Refer to the
documentation of the Agilent I/O Libraries Suite for a detailed
instruction on how to ensure this.
Furthermore a USB memory
key with at least 100MB of free space is required for system recovery
in case of a failed update (e.g. caused by a power loss during the
update procedure).
The USB memory key must be formatted using the FAT32 file system on a
primary partition. Do not use a USB key that contains an extended
partition, since this will not be recognized by the BIOS of the N4877A
and the
recovery mechanism that will continue a broken update will not work.
USB keys that are formatted as super floppy are not supported.
Refer
to your computer's documentation on how to check the type of
partitioning and how to change the partition type of the USB memory
key.
Software Update Procedure
- Run the N4877A_Software_Update.exe software update
tool. This tool is self contained an can be started directly out of the
zip file. It is not required to unzip the software update package at
all.
- In the running N4877A_Software_Update.exe,
click on the Connect...
button. In the connection dialog, select the VISA Resource of the
N4877A that shall be updated. The selection dialog will only list
connected N4877A instruments!
- After successfully
connecting to the N4877A, click the Browse...
button and select the zip file that contains the software update
(N4877A.x.x.x.x.zip, where x.x.x.x is the software version of the
update package).
- Click the Update button.
The update tool will now unpack
the required file automatically, transfer the data to the RAM of the
N4877A and then perform the flash memory update. After a successful
flash memory update, the N4877A will be rebooted automatically. The
update is finished after that reboot has been completely processed.
Note that the first reboot after a software update might take longer
than normal, because it might be required to reprogram some
programmable logic during the first startup.
Recovery Procedure
after a failed Software Update
In
case of a failed software update, there might be the problem that the
flash memory of the N4877A does no longer contain a valid firmware
image. In this case the N4877A will not boot after power-on and will
remain in an inoperable state.
You
will need a USB key as described in the Software Update Requirements
for recovering the N4877A!
To
recover the N4877A from an interrupted software update, you
need to do the following:
- Copy the
software update zip file (N4877A.x.x.x.x.zip) to the USB flash drives
root
directory.
- Extract the
content of the software update zip file to the root directory of the
USB flash drive. Remember to maintain the folder structure in the zip
file when doing this.
- Connect
the USB flash drive to the N4877A and switch the instrument on. Make
sure there is no other USB peripheral connected to the N4877A at this
point.
- The N4877A will now boot the recovery image
from the USB flash drive
and continue to update the instrument firmware. This might take up to
15 minutes.
If the recovery did not take
place, make sure that the USB flash drive meets the requirements and
follow the description below to ensure proper partitioning and
formatting of the USB flash drive.
The USB memory must stay
connected until the
instrument has finished the reboot and the updated instrument firmware
is
running
successfully.
If the update is getting
interrupted during the erase or write
of the flash memory, the instrument will boot the system recovery image
from
the USB memory key at the next power up. The system recovery update is
fully
automatic. It is using the already extracted files, but needs the
software update package for verification of the extracted files.
Preparing
a USB Flash Drive for usage with
the N4877A using Windows Vistaฎ or Windows 7ฎ
The following
description is intended to help you prepare an USB flash drive if it is
not being detected by the N4877A, or if the recovery mechanism of the
software update was not able to bring up the instrument after an
interrupted software update.
Notes:
- You need to have
administrative rights on your computer to execute the
following steps.
- The
steps mentioned below will erase all data from the USB flash drive.
- The
procedure does not work on computers that have Windows XP installed
on them, since the required partition tool does not support USB flash
drives on Windows XP.
- Click
on the Windows logo and type cmd.
- At
the command prompt type diskpart
and press enter (allow permissions and continue).
- When
you are at the diskpart>
prompt type list disk
and press enter.
- Insert the
USB flash drive into the Windows Vista PC.
- Wait
until Windows Vista has recognized the USB flash drive.
- At
the diskpart>
prompt type list disk
and press enter. Check which drive has been added to the list, usually
disk 1 depending on how many disk drives are installed.
- Type
select disk #
where # is
the disk number of the USB flash drive.
Continue
only if you are sure that the selected drive is the USB flash key
that you want to prepare. The following steps will erase all data from
the selected drive!
- Type
clean
and press enter.
- Type create partition primary
and press enter. This creates the partition on the flash drive.
- Type
active
and press enter.
- Type exit and press
enter. This exits the disk partition utility.
- Now
the flash drive needs to be formatted. Click on the Windows logo
and then click on Computer.
- Find the drive letter
of the removable disk drive that needs to be
formatted.
- In the command
prompt window type format
?: /fs:fat32 /q where ?
is the removable drive letter that needs to be formatted. Press enter.
- Enter
a volume label of your choice and press enter.
If
you need to recover the N4877A from an interrupted software update, you
need to do the following in addition:
- Copy
the software update zip file on the USB flash drives root
directory.
- Extract the
content of the software update zip file to the root directory of the
USB flash drive. Remember to maintain the folder structure in the zip
file when doing this.
- Connect
the USB flash drive to the N4877A and switch the instrument on.
- The
N4877A will now boot the recovery image from the USB flash drive
and continue to update the instrument firmware.
Windowsฎ
and Windows Vistaฎ are trademarks of Microsoft
Corporation.
On-Line
Information
For
latest Data Sheets, Product Notes, Application Information and Support
related information please refer to: http://www.agilent.com/find/N4877
Known
Problems
For
latest known bugs and workarounds
please refer to the information to be found in
the Support Area: http://www.agilent.com/find/N4877