EX2F firmware upgrade problems

StephenAush wrote:

EX2F firmware upgrade: iLauncher quits at 80% and pops up a message: An error occurred while unzipping and copying firmware. So I downloaded and unzipped the firmware package from Samsung's site; however, it did not include the Upgrade Guide that was supposed to be attached. Just a BIN file, a MAP file and an unidentified file that, when opened in wordpad, simply says: upgrade all keep. So I tried to contact Samsung via email, but the EX2F is not an option on their email help form. Any thoughts?

Don't worry about the small text file that says "upgrade all" and "keep". All that does (with upgrades for other Samsung cameras) is control whether or not the firmware files will be deleted from the memory card after the firmware upgrade finishes. From what I recall, if you remove the "keep" line, the firmware files will remain on the card. For most of the Samsung cameras I've seen, all you have to do to upgrade the firmware is copy the 2 or 3 files (I don't know if the "upgrade all", "keep" text file is necessary or not) to the root directory of the memory card. With some camera models you start the upgrade by going to one of the menu options. The EX1 model is simpler. You just put the memory card with the upgrade files into the camera, turn on the camera, and follow the instructions on the LCD, so I assume that the same procedure is used with the EX2F. If nothing happens when you turn the camera on, check the menu to see if it has a firmware upgrade option.

The EX1 came with a PDF upgrade instruction file but the EX2F doesn't, even though the documentation on Samsung's website says "please refer to the Upgrade guide attached.[ In this Firmware upgrade ]" If you don't have a fully charged battery in the camera, the firmware upgrade may not start. Most instructions for firmware upgrades tell you that it's necessary to copy the firmware files to a blank, formatted memory card. I rarely follow those instructions and almost always copy the upgrade files to the memory card already in the camera, and the firmware upgrade works and none of the photos on the memory card have ever been lost. The EX1 firmware update instructions don't give you this warning, and it actually says that you need an amount of free space on the memory card that's about the same size as the firmware files, so if the card doesn't have that much free space, just delete some files from the card that will free up enough space to allow the upgrade to start. If you're worried that you might lose some files from the memory card just copy them to your computer's hard drive for safety or use a different, formatted memory card.

brianj wrote:

Upgrade 'all keep' just tells it not to delete the firmware off the SD card when the upgrade is finished.

Have you tried it using Samsung's Intelli-Studio, I don't know if it will work there, because the EX1 never has.  The reason why I am saying to try this is because the original FW upgrades for the EX1 came with 5 files when unzipped that had to be put in the root directory of an SD card then switch on the camera and wait for onscreen instructions.  But the last FW that samsung supplied for the EX1 only had two files and can only be used with the Intelli-studio, only trouble is that intelli-studio doesn't recognise the EX1.  After a lot of feedback to samsung they said that the latest EX1 FW was only to be used if some unknown hardware had been changed in the camera. !!!

So I would say that unless you really need to upgrade yours it is not worth it until you can get the instructions.  Samsung's FW upgrades have been a minefield of errors and stuffups for the last couple of years.

This is really weird for several reasons. When I started to reply to the OP, there were no replies visible, and just before posting my reply I refreshed the OP's reply and there were still no replies to the OP. Then I posted my reply and immediately saw that yours appeared, showing that it had been posted 5 hours earlier.

For more of the weird, I recall the bit about Samsung saying that Intelli-Studio had to be used and was going to mention this, but when I checked my firmware upgrade folder on the hard drive, I found a PDF firmare upgrade document that didn't mention Intelli-Studio at all, and outlined the procedure that I always use, which is to copy the upgrade files to the root directory of the SD card. You're right about all of Samsung's "stuffups". That's a sad lot of firmware instructions and naming of files that they're responsible for. Particularly bad practice is that some newer upgrade files have older version numbers than the older files, which has led to many people ignoring the most recent firmware and installing the older version because it had a higher version number.

StephenAush wrote:

EX2F firmware upgrade: iLauncher quits at 80% and pops up a message: An error occurred while unzipping and copying firmware. So I downloaded and unzipped the firmware package from Samsung's site; however, it did not include the Upgrade Guide that was supposed to be attached. Just a BIN file, a MAP file and an unidentified file that, when opened in wordpad, simply says: upgrade all keep. So I tried to contact Samsung via email, but the EX2F is not an option on their email help form. Any thoughts?

Per conversation with Live Chat Help.

Visitor: my computer does not have a cd drive, so i cannot install the samsung supplied software cd for my EX2F

Visitor: i am attempting to apply the latest firmware update

Visitor: FAQ states to use intellistudio or iLauncher

Visitor: neither are found anywhere on samsungs website or online for download

Pete: I understand that you want to connect the camera with the PC. Is that correct?

Visitor: this is Mac computer

Visitor: running OSX 10.7

Visitor: so plugging in the camera does request install of Intellistudio

Visitor: also the camera does not have an update firmware option in the phone settings

Visitor: for canon camera's you can copy the files to the SD card and complete the update through phone settings

Pete: Thank you for confirming.

Pete: Would you mind holding a few minutes while I gather the required information for your request?

Visitor: k

Pete: Thank you.

Pete: Thank you for waiting.

Visitor: ok

Pete: What is the operating system installed on your computer?

Visitor: OSX 10.7

Pete: Are you referring to Mac OS?

Visitor: yes

Pete: Please follow the below steps:

Pete: 1. Turn off the camera.

Pete: 2. Connect your camera to a Macintosh computer with the USB cable.

Pete: You must plug the small end of the USB cable into your camera. If the cable is reversed, it may damage your files. The manufacturer is not responsible for any loss of data.

Pete: 3. Turn on the camera.

Pete: The computer recognizes the camera automatically and displays a removable disk icon.

Pete: 4. Double-click the removable disk icon.

Pete: 5. Drag or save files to your computer.

Visitor: or all folders? from camera to computer?

Pete: You can copy all pictures or folders to your computer.

Visitor: ok. will take a few minutes. after this then what do i do?

Pete: For firmware upgrade you need to unzip the firmware and copy to camera and unplug the camera from computer and turn on the camera.

Visitor: ok

Visitor: it wil then automatically begin update?

Pete: Yes, it will recognize the firmware and stated upgrading.

Copy the unzipped firmware files to the base directory of your camera SD Card.  Power on the camera and the upgrade process will automatically begin.  works great!

Make sure to remove these files from the SD Card once update is complete

Does anybody know where I could find the change log for firmware changes?

Same problem for me ! anyone found a solution ??

Thanks

Why did you try to upgrade? I've never upgraded a camera's firmware ever and all my cameras work fine, including my EX2F.

Crieff

I believe the firmware upgrade did improve correction for pronounced barrel distortion at wide angle which was picked up in reviews of the camera and my upgraded EX2f did seem to improve with the update. It is pretty common now for firms being more intent on meeting release deadlines and relying on finishing the firmware later. This can backfire when a bug turns out to be physical or the only reviews are done using the 1.0 software as with the EX2f and the camera goes down as having a poor lens as many reviewers are not really aware it is all done in software now.

Skipper494 wrote:

Why did you try to upgrade? I've never upgraded a camera's firmware ever and all my cameras work fine, including my EX2F.