Beta Updates

[LloydyH85]

Hi i was wondering if anyone could help me with a slight problem i have been having, my concept 2 utility prompted me to update the firmware on my pm5 and so i put the usb in and ran the update and its put on the beta version of the new software on it, I assumed it was the release version as it automatically puts it onto the usb! It has done this one time before and i reset it back to the release firmware but i cant seem to get it to work this time for some reason! when i put in the stick in it doesn't do anything but when i put in my bike erg it comes up with the update screen so it must be on the stick! Does anyone know how i can change it back and why the ultilty software keeps doing it? I cant see a option anyway that says i'm signed up for beta updates so don't get why it keeps doing it? Any help would be greatly appreciated, Cheers

[LloydyH85]

Problem solved

[fischmeister]

Same problem here. How did you solve it?

[eltomello]

I encountered the same problem.
After manually removing the folder Concept2/Firmware from the USB stick, the Concept2 utility (v7.08.04) prompted for which version to download (i.e. current or beta).
Anyhow, I was unable to downgrade the firmware of the PM5 using that USB stick, since the firmware on the PM was newer (version 164 build 1) than the one on the USB stick (version 163).
Apparently you need to connect your computer to the PM, in order to perform firmware downgrades using the Concept2 utility. That's what I did, and it worked.

[dmhayden]

Same problem here, only worse. I accidentally updated the firmware at my gym to a beta version (164.V3).

I've been rowing for years but I'm new to the PM5. I have no idea how I managed to get 1645.B3 on my USB drive. All I did was go to the gym, plug in the drive and it prompted me to do the upgrade. I figured "hey, I'll be nice and upgrade this machine to the newest release." So I said yes. When the upgrade was done, I discovered that it was a beta version.

C2, you really need to make it harder to install a beta version on a rower. It should warn you once when it copies the beta to the USB and again when you try to install it.

Also, it should be easier to remove a beta version. From what this thread says, it would take a computer to downgrade to the official software (currently 163).

[Citroen]

C2 do make it difficult. There's a switch that you need to set in the C2 Utility to allow it to download beta code.

Once you've run the upgrade it is removed.

If the upgrade is on your USB stick you have to take a deliberate action to install it on the PM

How many times do you need the software to ask "Are you sure?" before you click through a request.

[dmhayden]

There's a switch that you need to set in the C2 Utility to allow it to download beta code.

I don't recall ever seeing such a switch. In fact I don't recall asking it to put an upgrade on my USB stick at all. I did have it upgrade my PM3 at home but the USB wasn't plugged into the computer at the time, just the PM3.

Once you've run the upgrade it is removed.

Can you clarify? What is removed, the switch? The upgrade? Removed from where? The PM, the USB drive?

If the upgrade is on your USB stick you have to take a deliberate action to install it on the PM

I think it should indicate that the upgrade is a beta. It does not.
Personally, I think it should also be possible to revert to the latest released version via the USB stick.

How many times do you need the software to ask "Are you sure?" before you click through a request.

Once would be enough, where it says "are you sure you want to install a beta release.

I'll try fiddling around with it to see if I can reproduce what happened.

[Citroen]

Once you've run an upgrade from a USB stick the files to run the upgrade are removed from the USB stick.

If the PM asks if you want to run an upgrade the obvious answer is "No." unless you know what you're going to install. It's too long since I've done an upgrade that way to remember if that also removed the upgrade files.

Rule #1: know what's on your USB before you insert it into any PM.

[fischmeister]

I disagree. Concept2 states clearly on their service site that they "strongly recommend to run the latest firmware available". So I accepted the update, of course. How should I know that it was a beta version? I got no information about this before the update was finished.

[Citroen]

I disagree. Concept2 states clearly on their service site that they "strongly recommend to run the latest firmware available". So I accepted the update, of course. How should I know that it was a beta version? I got no information about this before the update was finished.

If I did that in my day job, I wouldn't be doing my day job for much longer. The rule for any upgrade is take it with extreme caution and know what you're installing.

[fischmeister]

Please don´t get personal. It doesn´t help telling people that they are stupid. However, you aroused my ambition.

I did a new installation of the latest Concept2 utility version. During the installation process I got no information or option concerning firmware updates. I opened the freshly installed software and searched for an option to disable beta updates. I searched REALLY thoroughly. I found absolutely no option, I also found no option to disable firmware downloads at all. In the settings tab there´s only two options: First select your language, second select whether you want to send diagnostics information to Concept2 or not.

I took a brand new USB stick and inserted it. Concept2 utility immediately and automatically started downloading a firmware update to the USB stick. No information about the version, no option to stop it. You could only click an "OK" button.

After the download was finished I would have had the ONLY chance to find out more about this firmware version by actively clicking the "firmware actualization" tab. By reading cryptic computer language in very small letters I might have found out that I just unintentionally downloaded a beta version.

I put the USB stick into my PM5. The PM5 asked if I wanted to perform a firmware update. No word about the version number, no word about the fact that it was a beta version. Okay, I knew better by then and chose "remove firmware from USB stick". The result: Error message 38-84.

It´s REALLY hard to avoid this beta version if you use a USB stick. Something needs to be done about this.

[Citroen]

You're clearly missing the words "Install Beta Firmware" which is straight in the middle of my screen and close to slapping me around the ears.

With a USB stick connected:


With a PM5 connected on a USB-A to USB-B printer cable:


If you don't want the beta, click the big muddy green INSTALL button on that screen.

[fischmeister]

Yes, I see the "Install Beta Firmware". I don´t want beta firmware so I don´t click it. But nevertheless I DO GET the beta version.

[Citroen]

Yes, I see the "Install Beta Firmware". I don´t want beta firmware so I don´t click it. But nevertheless I DO GET the beta version.

If you click the muddy green button and the USB stick gets a beta version that's a bug in your C2 Utility version. It doesn't work that way on V7.08.4 on Windows 10 for me.

[fischmeister]

Okay, I didn´t click that muddy green button either. Now you explain it I get an idea of the logic behind the software. However, if you don´t have this knowledge (which is not given in the help file of the app) you wouldn´t think that the app would automatically give you the beta version instead of the regular version if you don´t choose between the two. I repeat, Concept2 "strongly recommends to run the latest firmware" so the non-computer-nerd will be convinced that he is doing right when he accepts the update.

It also says in the help file that there is an option in the settings tab to disable firmware downloads. Please help me find it.