After firmware update to 1.1.0 minifreak does not to boot correctly anymore

[dj_doughy]

Hello,
Hello.

I'm very sorry to hear that....

Manually rebooting the Hardware is what causes the bricking.
DON'T REBOOT THE UNIT MANUALLY !
Sorry to insist on that.

If the unit won't reboot after updating:
- Quit and relaunch MiniFreak V and try the update again
- If it's not working, reboot the computer but don't shut down the MiniFreak

Also, make sure you are using a cable directly connected to the computer.

This would have been good to know beforehand. Being technically sound, I feel dumb for not thinking of that.

And yes, i am on windows 11

[marturi.9.bacfree]

...
Manually rebooting the Hardware is what causes the bricking.
DON'T REBOOT THE UNIT MANUALLY !
Sorry to insist on that.
...
Also, make sure you are using a cable directly connected to the computer.
...
I have a feeling that the issue is happening on windows 11 only, do you confirm?
Know that we are currently working on a fix for MiniFreak V.
We will make sure to tackle this issue, give proper info on how to and what not to do.
If you have further recommendations for us or info on your setup, please share them as it might help us a lot.
...

Hi Matthieu,

my config for fw-update was:
MiniFreakV was the first you advertised on your website ( not the next version ...).

Linux running the MiniFreakV on Win11 in a VM (virtual-box).
USB direct connected to host PC.
As far as I can recall the update process took a while. MiniFreakV message was something like: "Update finished, wait for reboot..."
But the Minifreak did not reboot for 5 minutes. So I switched Minifreak (hardware device) off and did a restart.... started ok with the new firmware. No bricked device.

Maybe it helpes in finding that problem...


One question I have: If one must not reboot the device manually - what is one supposed to do when the device is not doing anything and a restart of MiniFreakV does not help - leave the device switched on for ever??

regards mario

[Pieter-Jan Kuyten]

dj_doughy, have you heard anything from After Sales support yet?

[dj_doughy]

dj_doughy, have you heard anything from After Sales support yet?

 Nope! I have replied back to the email saying they were going to send it to after-sale support, but still nothing after 2 weeks. Might just open a new ticket.

Been broken almost longer than it's been working... Really want to use it on my live sets but for now, it just looks pretty?

[Pieter-Jan Kuyten]

I also got the "Passed over to the After Sales support" mail on the 19th and haven't heard anything from this "After Sales support team". I saw your saga in this forum thread and was wondering if they always take that long. Seeing as you are now on day 20 of the first mention of having been referred to this seemingly mythical "After Sales support team", I have very little hope that this will be resolved soon via them.

I guess I'll have to contact my supplier again after Christmas to see if I can resolve this via them again.

I do know that I'll not update the third unit (if I manage to get one that is) anytime soon. Too risky right now!

[john_synth]

I had similar issues with the firmware update, here's what got me into a failed firmware update state:

• Started firmware update in MiniFreak V (not DAW) on Windows 10
• Firmware version was listed, clicked on button to start download and installation
• Walked away, came back to a flashing MiniFreak keyboard, with the dialog saying something like "waiting for reset"
• Manually reset MiniFreak **caused failed firmware state** (don't do this!)

This is how I recovered it, from reading this thread.

• Boot into bootload mode, press and hold shift + octave <
• MiniFreak boots to a blank screen with one light lit (think it was Assign 1)
• Open MiniFreak V software
• Go to Firmware Update
• No current firmware listed
• Click on button to begin firmware update
• MiniFreak flashing again after update complete, waiting for reset
• Observed no way to close the software, not responsive (can't X)
• Used task manager to kill the MiniFreak V software process
• Observed MiniFreak rebooted on its own after process killed, and is working fine
• Observed in MiniFreak V software that the current firmware matches latest
• All functions work so far as expected

I don't suggest to use this as a guide without consideration, but it is what worked for me and I believe helped me avoid a lengthy RMA process, so hope it helps others think through this and save their MiniFreaks. I love this instrument already, and so I was very worried when my update process failed.

If I were to do this from scratch, I would probably kill the MiniFreak V software once it reached the "waiting for reboot state" and see how that worked. That seems to be inline with what Arturia mentioned to do in this thread already, and at least for my recovery effort I did not have to retry the update, killing the software was good enough to reboot and the firmware update was complete.

[dj_doughy]

I had similar issues with the firmware update, here's what got me into a failed firmware update state:

• Started firmware update in MiniFreak V (not DAW) on Windows 10
• Firmware version was listed, clicked on button to start download and installation
• Walked away, came back to a flashing MiniFreak keyboard, with the dialog saying something like "waiting for reset"
• Manually reset MiniFreak **caused failed firmware state** (don't do this!)

This is how I recovered it, from reading this thread.

• Boot into bootload mode, press and hold shift + octave <
• MiniFreak boots to a blank screen with one light lit (think it was Assign 1)
• Open MiniFreak V software
• Go to Firmware Update
• No current firmware listed
• Click on button to begin firmware update
• MiniFreak flashing again after update complete, waiting for reset
• Observed no way to close the software, not responsive (can't X)
• Used task manager to kill the MiniFreak V software process
• Observed MiniFreak rebooted on its own after process killed, and is working fine
• Observed in MiniFreak V software that the current firmware matches latest
• All functions work so far as expected

I don't suggest to use this as a guide without consideration, but it is what worked for me and I believe helped me avoid a lengthy RMA process, so hope it helps others think through this and save their MiniFreaks. I love this instrument already, and so I was very worried when my update process failed.

If I were to do this from scratch, I would probably kill the MiniFreak V software once it reached the "waiting for reboot state" and see how that worked. That seems to be inline with what Arturia mentioned to do in this thread already, and at least for my recovery effort I did not have to retry the update, killing the software was good enough to reboot and the firmware update was complete.

Sounds like reasonable "workaround". Coming from a technical background, that isn't the first time I've seen something finish its work when a process is killed... Might try this if I don't hear back from my second ticket that I had opened and I just contact sweetwater and get a replacement.
Wish I had known that if you close the software, it won't fuck it up as bad as turning the unit off and trying again.

[Pieter-Jan Kuyten]

dj_doughy, you and me both!

[Pieter-Jan Kuyten]

I finally received my RMA information for shipping back the Minifreak to Arturia. Now to find enough packing material to safely ship it.

dj_doughy, I kept asking on my support ticket about a response from After Sales, so maybe you have to do the same if Sweetwater is not able to help you.

[dj_doughy]

I finally received my RMA information for shipping back the Minifreak to Arturia. Now to find enough packing material to safely ship it.

dj_doughy, I kept asking on my support ticket about a response from After Sales, so maybe you have to do the same if Sweetwater is not able to help you.

I got my RMA info as well and am trying to find a box to ship it in as well, haha! Looks like I'm gonna have to bust out my CAD skills (cardboard aided design)

[Pieter-Jan Kuyten]

I got my RMA info as well and am trying to find a box to ship it in as well, haha! Looks like I'm gonna have to bust out my CAD skills (cardboard aided design)

Luckily I still had the box that the supplier shipped the orginal Minifreak in, which was being used for collecting waste paper for recycling, as looking around the internet the only suppliers of boxes of sufficient size were selling them in minimum quantities of 10 pieces. I brought it to a UPS pickup point yesterday and it should be finding its way to Arturia in the south of France on Tuesday, 3rd of January.

Hopefully the turn around times for a repaired or replacement unit won't be too long. After a month I'd like to be able to play on the thing for more than 1 hour!

[dj_doughy]

... finding its way to Arturia in the south of France on Tuesday, 3rd of January....

Just got mine shipped out in a modified dell all in one box to California. Awaiting a return with bated breath

[Pieter-Jan Kuyten]

Just got mine shipped out in a modified dell all in one box to California. Awaiting a return with bated breath

UPS notified me that they received mine on Monday morning. I haven't heard anything since then.

[Pieter-Jan Kuyten]

Just got an automated e-mail stating that they'd received my Minifreak and are looking into the issue. They'll come back to me within 5 working days with more information.
I guess its busy at After Sales support as UPS told me they received it a week ago!

--- update ---

Just got a mail that my Minifreak will be shipped back to me today!

 

[ALIVX]

Same thing just happened to me. Windows 10, Ryzen 5600x. Minifreak V said "Update complete, wait for reboot...", and then changed to "Update complete.". But my Minifreak never rebooted. Waited 10 minutes and then risked it and cut the power, and now it will just show "Arturia minifreak" when starting up and then the screen goes black along with all LEDs.

Just got it today.... RIP