dms tools 2.15 where to download from?

[nowback]

no more suggestions?
matt

[VorTechS]

I've never seen this before - and I can only think that it has somehow managed to get itself stuck in a flash loop, which I didn't think was meant to be possible.  Either that, or the rapid flashing is indicating there is a problem with commnication to the IDE disk.

Do you have more than one DMS cartridge?

[nowback]

i dont yet have another dms but i will soon i just got a complete system! the guy said for sure it works
with two dms drives all for only 30 off ebay:)
os one way or another i will get this figured out.
I have a feeling the player is nfg and the guy who sold it to me screwed me, hopefully
the next one is better.lol

[VorTechS]

Well, when you get the next system, it would be good to eliminate each piece of the hardware, and as you say it could well be a problem with the box.

[nowback]

well got another system checked the dms that came with it and everything looked good and
the music was even something i would listen to (for the most part)
plugged in the new player into the car both lites came on for a bit then went out
turned on the deck and wow worked rite away!
this new system came with two dms drives so now i have 3 of them
question is the one says GM on the label and looks like has never been used.
not that i need 3 but if i wanted to use the one i got with the first system how would
i make a image copy of the "working" drive and put it on the dms of the first system that i have
so the firmware doesn't update to what ever is on the first dms??

matt

[VorTechS]

Wow, that got me lost right there!

I think you are asking, 'How can I change this GM DMS to work with the phatbox I just  got working'.

In which case the answer is to use the DMS Tools' 'Update Firmware' option.  Just select your version of firmware in the dropdown, ensure the option 'Reflash box' is unchecked, and away you go!

If you are asking anything else, then I'm afraid you need to re-phrase your question

[nowback]

ya that sounds a little hard to understand even for me.lol
so what you are saying is it doesnt matter the firmware on the dms as long as
its not set to reflash the player its all good.
the dms that is working and has music on it when i look at it with the dms tools it doesnt say what
firmware is on it. guess it doesnt matter..
when does a person worry about updating the firmware on the player?
(i just dont want to do anything to screw up this working player.lol)
matt

[VorTechS]

The DMS tools uses the phrase 'firmware', when in general it actually means system files (except for when reflashing the box, when firmware really is updated then).

There are essentially 4 'components' to the DMS contents:

Firmware (a .pac file IIRC)
Headunit files (various files on PHTSYS)
System files (various files on PHTSYS)
Media (PHTDTA)

The key things that must match on the DMS once a box has it's firmware loaded, are the Headunit files.  These are the things that obviously simulate the CD changer protocols between the phatbox and your headunit, and it's these that must match.  Versions of the headunit files for a given 'firmware', it has been suggested, are largely irrelevant.

So in terms of the DMS Tools, 'Update firmware' really means 'Update all of the system files to this version', which includes everything required on PHTSYS, and it's the 'Reflash box' option that determines if the box firmware actually gets updated.  So it sounds like the one DMS you have, already has your headunit files on there, whether or not that is true of the GM DMS is another matter, but there is an easy way to find out.

If you fire up the DMS Tools with the GM DMS in the cradle, and select 'DMS Tools' mode - once your DMS is selected, the 'firmware' dropdown should auto-populate with the appropraite manufacturer/version of firmware detected on the DMS.

If the 'manufacturer' of the firmware matches yours (ie VW, Volvo, Kenwood), that DMS is probably good to go.  If the version (v1, v2, v3 etc) is different, you might want to consider 'Updating firmware' as I suggested before to get the versions the same.  If you don't, you _may_ experience intermittent odd behaviour.

Hope that all makes sense!

[nowback]

ok i put in the gm dms tools says it had kenwood 13.01 on it
i selected the vw 7.02 and a message comes up that
"
dms selected can only be used in a hacked phatbox / kenwood keg
"
i didnt do it for lack of understanding and not really wanting to hack the player unless
i really need to.

[VorTechS]

That will be because you had the 'Install non-hacked firmware' option unchecked.
This message just acts as a warning.  To be safe, ensure the option is checked.

[nowback]

ok i changed the gm dms to vw and put a back up of the working drive music to it
tried it in the player and it loaded disk one appeared to start to play then a voice said disk error.

[VorTechS]

A voice said disk error?  Hmmm!  Not come across that one before.

However the 'backup of working drive music' might be the cause.
Did you not use your normal Media Manager software to load the music?

[nowback]

I used the phatnoise media manager which has the back up thing in it.
I will play with it more and see what happens.lol

back to the problem player i have is there any way to hard reset / jumper clear
the firmware in the dead player i have and get it to restart and reflash?
or do i just junk it

[VorTechS]

Open it up, and check around inside.  There was quite a common issue where a cable could become unseated causing problemmatic behaviour.

It occured to me over the last few days, and was in the back of my mind when we started this whole things, was that it could actually be a cable issue and the flashing lights were an indication of an IDE communication issue.

(Just to rule that out)

[nowback]

so i got the gm dms working but for some reason everytime i turn on the stereo it comes up now with an error
and the tuner goes to fm, if i hit the cd button after its been on for a couple mins it will start to play again.
but it loses its place and starts back up about 3 mins earlier from where it was playing.
other wise it works fine.