Can anyone help please.

[mjhall]

I have 2 24As as an update was available for them i decided to do the update,
I am running windows 7, 64bit and the software has always ran very well with little problem.
The update started and the LEDs flashed for around an hour, the laptop then seemed to hang on the first one (the ZX24 continued to flash LEDs). After a further hour i stopped the process as as the laptop was totally unresponsive.
I inserted the other 24A into the development board and started the update, i left this one over night.
Neither ZX now run or respond in any way to the laptop. Is there anything i can do to resurrect the ZXs.
Martin

[dkinzer]

The update started and the LEDs flashed for around an hour, [...]

The update process normally takes 5-10 minutes at most. I have never done a VM update using Win7 so I can't say for certain that it does work flawlessly. On the other hand, I don't know of any reason why it wouldn't work as well as it does on earlier Windows versions.

Neither ZX now run or respond in any way to the laptop. Is there anything i can do to resurrect the ZXs.

An incomplete update usually renders the ZX devices inoperable. For such circumstances, there is the "emergency update" described in the Firmware Updates section of the ZBasic Reference Manual. However, if there is an issue with Win7, this may prove equally fruitless. If you have access to a computer running XP it may be better to try it on that system.

Failing all else, if you send them back to us we can re-program them with the latest firmware and return them to you.

[mjhall]

I have tried again from an XP laptop. the units still do not respond. the port is open as if i plug in a BX24 chip it sends back text to the debug window. so i take it the problem is serious.
will get a price to send them back to you but if i have to pay postage, import duty and VAT on them again when they come back its not worth it. so i may just have to take it they are dead.

[dkinzer]

I have tried again from an XP laptop. the units still do not respond.

It is not clear from this reply whether you simply tried the "normal" update procedure or the "emergency" update procedure. Once the original normal update procedure fails any further attempts to update normally will almost certainly fail. The emergency update procedure is provided for just such circumstances.

The difference is that if you add the special jumpers described the ZX will immediately enter update mode and will wait for update instructions. If they won't update when wired for the emergency procedure and you invoke the emergency update then they are truly dead (but probably could be resurrected by factory re-programming them.

As regards the VAT and import duties, we would send them with the notation of "replacement for defective units" with a $1.00 value. That is the proper way to ship replacements internationally.

[mjhall]

Thanks for your help. now found problem. both laptops i was trying from were 64bit, tried from my wife's 32bit laptop both updated with emergency links in. also did the same to a 24P i had given up on and its alive again.
sat down last night and i have found i can see the output from all 3 chips on 64 bit machines (win7 or win XP). i can compile and send a program to all 3 chips. but i cant recompile a modified program as the compiler reports no go option. if i rename the file it will compile and send.
all works as it should on 32 bit machine.
Looks like my wife has lost her laptop
Again thanks would never have worked it out on my own.