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iso help firmware update Canon G9 (2007)

Started Jul 12, 2017 | Discussions
Boris Starosta
Boris Starosta Forum Member • Posts: 53
iso help firmware update Canon G9 (2007)

For reasons that are beyond the scope of this topic, I am trying to update the firmware on a Canon Powershot G9.  I understand that Canon has never issued an update to the firmware (in the USA, my location), but nevertheless I need to get it done and have obtained what I think are the necessary files.

I have a file entitled "PS_G9.FI2" along with a README.TXT enclosing the following directions:

Copy to root directory of the SD card to be used on the camera.

Make sure the battery is fully charge before starting the firmware upgrade - if the power fails during the upgrade process the camera will be rendered useless!

Insert the card in the camera and close battery box

Press the playback button the camera will power up

Press the menu button

Scroll down the menu until you see Firm Update

Press set the Firm update will display the same version as already on the camera

Select OK and the camera firmware will be upgraded

Upgrade will take approx 2 minutes and the camera will power down

I followed all the steps but am stumped at the step, "Scroll down the menu until you see Firm Update."

Where is this menu item "Firm Update?"  I cannot find it in any of the camera menus.

Thanks for any tips from Canon G9 users, who have actually done a firmware update on this camera!

 Boris Starosta's gear list:Boris Starosta's gear list
Canon PowerShot G9 Fujifilm FinePix Real 3D W3 Panasonic Lumix DMC-3D1 Sigma DP1 Merrill Sigma DP2 Merrill +5 more
Canon PowerShot G9
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reyalp Regular Member • Posts: 201
Re: iso help firmware update Canon G9 (2007)

Boris Starosta wrote:

Where is this menu item "Firm Update?" I cannot find it in any of the camera menus.

Thanks for any tips from Canon G9 users, who have actually done a firmware update on this camera!

I don't have a G9, but supporting CHDK I've seen most of the problems people have running firmware update files. The firmware update process on all canon P&S in the last 10 years works pretty much the same way.

The "Firm update" item is at the bottom of the leftmost tab of the playback menu.

Most common issues:

1) The camera needs to be started in playback mode (using the dedicated "play" button if the camera has it, or with the mode switch set to play). Starting in shooting mode and then switching to play will not work.

2) If you use a Mac to copy the files, it can some funky stuff on the card which can prevent the firmware from seeing the file. See: http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/FAQ/Mac#Still_Having_Trouble.3F

3) Keep scrolling down. the "Firm update" menu item is the last item in the menu, and is not visible when you initially press "menu".

Note if you happen to use CHDK, I would strongly recommend doing your Canon firmware update without it loaded.

Boris Starosta
OP Boris Starosta Forum Member • Posts: 53
Re: iso help firmware update Canon G9 (2007)

Wow!  This is such a great reply, because it is so relevant to my situation.  I am indeed using CHDK, and also I am using a Mac to put the firmware file on the SD card.  I will read the resources you have given and try again.

My backstory: I am using several G9's in a stereoscopic timelapse project.  I am trying to prepare some back up cameras, for when (note: I don't expect an "if") my original camera(s) fail.  They've already got close to a half million shutter actuations on them...

When I recently got a backup G9, I loaded the SD card with the CHDK on it, and the camera would not run properly.  My guess is that the firmware is not the same as with the original cameras, and not playing nice with CHDK.

THanks again!

Boris

 Boris Starosta's gear list:Boris Starosta's gear list
Canon PowerShot G9 Fujifilm FinePix Real 3D W3 Panasonic Lumix DMC-3D1 Sigma DP1 Merrill Sigma DP2 Merrill +5 more
reyalp Regular Member • Posts: 201
Re: iso help firmware update Canon G9 (2007)

Glad to help. I'd suspect it's the mac file attribute problem.

Do you know what Canon firmware version your "new" cameras have? I think most firmware versions of the G9 are supported, so it's possible you just need a different build from what you were using on your other cameras. According to http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/G9 the "ver.req" trick should work to find the firmware version. You can also try the Stick utility http://zenoshrdlu.com/stick/stick.html to identify the firmware and download the build.

Of course, you might find it more convenient to have all your cameras running the same Canon firmware.

Boris Starosta
OP Boris Starosta Forum Member • Posts: 53
Re: iso help firmware update Canon G9 (2007)

Yeah, that last sentence is the key.  I just want to be able to swap out the camera, particularly as I would most likely be in the field shooting when a camera fails.  THen I'd just move the memory card over and keep right on going.  Kind of like hot-swapping a drive;-)

 Boris Starosta's gear list:Boris Starosta's gear list
Canon PowerShot G9 Fujifilm FinePix Real 3D W3 Panasonic Lumix DMC-3D1 Sigma DP1 Merrill Sigma DP2 Merrill +5 more
Boris Starosta
OP Boris Starosta Forum Member • Posts: 53
Re: iso help firmware update Canon G9 (2007)

THank you again for the excellent tips.  I've succeeded in updating the G9 and now it plays nice with my CHDK/SDM SD cards.

To be sure, I downloaded the firmware file onto an older windows PC of mine, and put the file on the SD card using that PC (having first reformatted the card in the camera).

I followed the steps.  Now that the file was "visible" to the camera, the "firm update" menu option became available.  I selected that and got a short screen confirmation "updating from 1.0.0.0 to 1.0.0.0"   - or something like that.  It was odd that both version numbers were the same... but at that point the process was under way.

THereafter I tested the camera with my CHDK cards and it was working fine!

Another odd point...

When I first got this camera, booting using a standard SD card or no SD card at all, there was something wrong with the splash-screen that would come up when the camera booted up.  It would show the Canon logo, but also some odd distorted colors in the background.  This might have been some faulty aspect of the firmware?  The camera seemed to run fine with this firmware, just not if I wanted to boot off of my CHDK SD cards.

Now the camera STILL gives this odd startup screen (with a standard SD card), but plays fine with the CHDK SD cards booting it up.  So the problem I needed solved is fixed, but there's still a little bit of mystery with this camera.

 Boris Starosta's gear list:Boris Starosta's gear list
Canon PowerShot G9 Fujifilm FinePix Real 3D W3 Panasonic Lumix DMC-3D1 Sigma DP1 Merrill Sigma DP2 Merrill +5 more
reyalp Regular Member • Posts: 201
Re: iso help firmware update Canon G9 (2007)

Glad to hear you got it working.

Boris Starosta wrote:

 It would show the Canon logo, but also some odd distorted colors in the background. This might have been some faulty aspect of the firmware? The camera seemed to run fine with this firmware, just not if I wanted to boot off of my CHDK SD cards.

Now the camera STILL gives this odd startup screen (with a standard SD card), but plays fine with the CHDK SD cards booting it up. So the problem I needed solved is fixed, but there's still a little bit of mystery with this camera.

I don't recall seeing reports of anything like this before. The startup images on these cameras can be customized, so it's conceivable it got corrupted in flash, but in that case it should be the same if CHDK is running. According to the manual, you can reset it using Canon's software.

Another possibility might be a problem when the display first powers on. A 10 year old LCD being a little flaky wouldn't be a huge surprise, and maybe CHDK taking a bit longer to boot could make it less visible.

If you can get a picture of what it looks like that might help understand what's going on, but if the camera works maybe it's not worth worrying about.

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