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Can't update new Stern code (Spike)

Its not the USB stick its the stern machine... I had same issue with a Batman 66 took me 50 plus tries before it installed

Same stick next day on another machine bigger update worked first time
 
maybe try a reset to factory?

and make sure you leave the game off for a few minutes.
 
Keeps saying USB not found, when I try and do the update, I can see the USB, see the file, press update and it just doesn't advance like the USB has been unplugged. I don't even get to reboot territory.
 
Run diskpart in Windows and clean the usb stick. Format it then add the update file.
 
Keeps saying USB not found, when I try and do the update, I can see the USB, see the file, press update and it just doesn't advance like the USB has been unplugged. I don't even get to reboot territory.

so power off.
usb stick in
power on ?

then what happens?

also tried the other usb slot?
 
Full format the drive FAT32, copy the file across.
Before removing the USB pen from PC make sure you use the taskbar, to disconnect drive so it’s safe to remove drive from PC as this can sometimes cause an issue with the drive......then try.
Also, give your drive a name, actually rename your drive with an ASCII name for example PINBALL
 
Hey @Arv - haven't used Diskpart, but have formatted it as a completely new drive, even though it was a new USB.

@Neil McRae - yes I have tried both ports, checked all the LED's between boots and they are all off. Power off - USB in, recognises USB and the name of update file, press enter, says insert USB stick, shows file again and continue from there on loop, just won't install file.

Thanks @Sako-TRG - I have been ejecting but not given it a name.
 
how are you copying it onto the drive?

download zip
extract files.
copy files with drag and drop.
eject drive
 
copy files with a drag and drop - its only 1.9GB isn't zipped on download, just a .spk file

Download File (.SPK)
Open Downloads
Drag and Drop Into USB
Eject Drive

Game is currently running 1.3
 
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Try updating to 1.4 first, there was some node firmware updates in 1.5 and 1.6 I'm wondering if that's what's stopping it.
 
Changes from game to game. Sometimes the size of the penstick matters, doesn't matter if it's brand new or not or if it worked in a previous game or not. I do think it matters which operating system you use to down load the zip file and which operating system you use to unzip the file. You'll probably have most luck using a Mac instead of a windows computer...
 
The OS used to download and transfer the file won't matter as it is just copying a file from one file system (whose type is irrelevant) onto the target file system (which is the ky) - it's a binary operation defined by the target file system and any OS will cope with that.

However Mac/Windows/Linux machines are very good at seeing and mounting disks with all sorts of partitions out of necessity - they'll cope with pretty much any files system or layout.

This is likely to be issues with 'odd' partitions on the USB sticks. Many manufacturers include extra utilities (like encryption) on USB sticks - to do that they build multiple partitions, one of which is 'hidden' to store the utils on.

If you don't totally wipe the partition table and replace it with a single FAT32 parition (using Disk Utility on Mac, fdisk/diskpart on Windows or parted on Linux) then the Stern USB driver seems to get confused and not read things correctly. It seems that different boards have different USB chipsets which is why things differ.


Can you Dump the audits to the USB stick?
 
I do think it matters which operating system you use to down load the zip file and which operating system you use to unzip the file. You'll probably have most luck using a Mac instead of a windows computer...

:rofl:
 
You laugh but I've been updating Stern games for many, many years and I've seen several acceptances and rejections on various pensticks and operating systems. Just passing on my thoughts...
 
If that was the case there would be a disclaimer on the website saying please use OS (flavour here) and nothing else. If you clean the drive in diskpart (other partition applications are available) you shouldn't have any problems.
 
The OS used to download and transfer the file won't matter as it is just copying a file from one file system (whose type is irrelevant) onto the target file system (which is the ky) - it's a binary operation defined by the target file system and any OS will cope with that.

However Mac/Windows/Linux machines are very good at seeing and mounting disks with all sorts of partitions out of necessity - they'll cope with pretty much any files system or layout.

This is likely to be issues with 'odd' partitions on the USB sticks. Many manufacturers include extra utilities (like encryption) on USB sticks - to do that they build multiple partitions, one of which is 'hidden' to store the utils on.

If you don't totally wipe the partition table and replace it with a single FAT32 parition (using Disk Utility on Mac, fdisk/diskpart on Windows or parted on Linux) then the Stern USB driver seems to get confused and not read things correctly. It seems that different boards have different USB chipsets which is why things differ.


Can you Dump the audits to the USB stick?
This. Plus in many cases USB drives advertise themselves differently to the OS (e.g. as a flash drive, a hot-swappable hard drive, some other mass storage device, etc).

As said most OS handle this transparently and it's never an issue until you try and plug it into something that will only handle a very narrow (or single) USB device ID range.
 
Well did reformat on mac, redownload, rename, put update on and no joy.

Played the game for about 30 minutes. Restored factory settings, tried again and...

Boom.

7B4176E2-89AF-4012-AC64-C10A8CF8F4A7.jpeg

Thanks for all the suggestions. Not sure what finally did it, seems a bit of @Neil McRae saying factory reset and a bit of @Tilt_Birmingham try and try again.
 
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