I have a Topcon MR-2 modular receiver that I recently updated the firmware on. Getting the firmware file was quite a process, as the serial number would not register on the Topcon website (My Topcon). After many emails to the Topcon people I was told that the serial number was for a prototype unit that would not register in their system ???? They then referred me to my local dealer.
?ÿ After even more e-mails to the dealer, (3 hours away) they finally sent me a firmware file for the receiver in question. The update process went smoothly and I received a "firmware has been successfully updated" message after only a few minutes. A quick check in TRU confirmed the firmware update, however, I also lost ALL the OAF options that had been activated on the receiver.
?ÿ The dealer now says that they can no longer help me remotely, I need to send the unit in. The minimum charge would be several hundred dollars to run "diagnostics". Obviously I am hesitant to rack up a labor bill on this, and then possibly be told that I would need to spend thousands to reactivate the OAFs. I would not spend that much on this receiver.
?ÿ According to the operator's manual, updating the firmware is a straightforward process and is intended to be able to be done by the end user. It also states that "the OAFs are stored in NAND memory and persist through firmware updates etc..." The dealer says they have never seen a firmware update erase OAFs.
?ÿ The MR-2 receiver has the Topcon B125 GNSS board. This board is also used in the Hiper VR and also in at least one model of Sokkia receiver. It is a current model and is still available through Topcon/Sokkia.
?ÿ I went from firmware version 5.1 to the current version of 5.5 in one step. Maybe this should have been done one version at a time. The dealer says they only have the file for the current version???
?ÿ So my questions today are: has this ever happed to anyone else and how did they remedy it?
?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿmight the OAFs still be on the receiver, and the firmware somehow?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿfailed to extract/find them?
?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿif so, is there a command that can be sent to the receiver to extract?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿthem?
?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿwould going back to firmware version 5.1 help, and does someone?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿhave the file?
?ÿ Thanks in advance to anyone for any advice?ÿ
?ÿ
?ÿ L4
The OAF and the firmware are completely different files. The OAF for a receiver authorizes which ones of the various optional capabilities of the receiver are enabled. Any Topcon dealer could request the OAF for your receiver, including your dealer. I could get it for you if you want to private message me.
This is my advice to everyone who came into possession of second-hand equipment from ebay or elsewhere and have problems of this type, I mean OAFs, recovery of the authorization keys, getting firmware—all problematic cases where you have no idea who to ask for help and you have a feeling inside that you are touching a delicate matter.
Avoid local dealers; in most cases, it will be a waste of your time if you do not purchase anything from them.
Local dealers support their customers most of all, for free or not—it depends. But this is an awkward situation for them as they have to spend their time for you (a stranger), sometimes it will be a significant amount of time, and at the same time they have no clear way to charge you. How do you charge for sending emails or making phone calls, right? That is why they always want you to send them your gear 'for inspection', even if there is no reason for it, like in this case. Simply, inspection can be chargeable if needed.
This is all perfectly fine, of course, and understandable because local dealers have their local tasks and, like all of us, they prefer to earn money rather than waste time non profit.
Back to the merits.
In cases like the one in above question, these local dealers have to ask the main support for help ANYWAY because they do not have access to manufacturers secrets, like key generators, option generators, and all the other classified things and files.
So skip them and reach a higher level yourself right away, go to global or continental support. Global support will try to push you down to a local dealer - this is what policy looks like; be prepared for this and don't let them.
All you have to say is that a local dealer is powerless in your case because it exceeds his role; you have nothing to do with him, but you have a brand X device in your hands, and that's the reason you reach out to central support for brand X. Politely but firmly justify your request. If the support guy will still try to blow you off, suggest that maybe his supervisor might be better of help.
PS
Don't get all of above wrong. Local dealers are not the worst here. They do the dirty work and in such cases are used as the first line of shields for manufacturers' failures.
@daikini Thanks for the advice. I did buy a complete Robotic setup from this dealer several years ago, and have had no problems getting service for it. It just seems to me that they are trying to push this one in a corner, and I have told them so.
@layout406 Sorry for the little bit off-topic answer, but your post touched on a broader issue, which is the attitude of manufacturers.
Since your receiver has reset the options, there is no way to recover OAF from the device.
But in your case, you have the undisputed right to get an OAF file from Topcon. If the device will not remember options when turned off, then it will be a sign of some kind of malfunction, and at that point you will have to service it.
I would like to admit that I've updated the firmware of the receivers hundreds of times and never experienced similar issue.
