How do I update Pixelblaze?

Ideas and Tips
1

If you have a recent version of Pixelblaze firmware (v2.18 or above, or any V3), you can update right from settings as long as your Pixelblaze is connected to the internet.

If you can’t connect your Pixelblaze to the internet or that isn’t working for some reason, you can upload a firmware update file directly.

More recent versions of V3 have a nice update tool at /recovery which can be used to update online or offline, and configure WiFi if necessary, and will provide status information during the update. For example if in AP mode, the full URL would be http://192.168.4.1/recovery

If that is unavailable, you can use a less fancy /update URL. For example if in AP mode, the full URL would be http://192.168.4.1/update Note that this tool can take a long time once you click upload with no intermediate status/feedback information, and you should not interrupt it until complete.

Modern update files can be found on the forum under the release tag:
https://forum.electromage.com/tag/release

There are different update files for the Standard and Pico models. Standard has pb32 in the file name, while pico has pico32 in the file name. Both use the file extension .stfu (which is an abbreviation for Signed Transfer Firmware Update).

If you need an update file for some other version or can’t find one on the forum, please contact support@electromage.com with information about your model (V2, V3 Standard, V3 Pico).

For older versions of V2 (v2.17 or older), keep reading.

WARNING: Instructions below are for V2 only, and only if you have firmware older than v2.18. DO NOT USE THIS WITH V3

To update Pixelblaze’s firmware older than v2.18, first download and unzip this file:

http://app.bhencke.com/pbupdates/latest.zip

To prevent drive-by firmware updates, Pixelblaze versions before v2.18 can only be updated in AP mode. You might need to put it in WIFI setup mode, give it an AP name+pass, then do the update. To put it in WiFi setup mode, hold the button (or connect one to GP0 and GND for older hardware) for 5 seconds after powering PB. Then configure it in AP mode (it won’t update in setup mode).

Connect to PB’s AP network. For macs & linux, open a terminal and cd to the unzipped directory. Then run the ./update.sh. For windows, run update.bat. Two files will be uploaded, and you should see some 200 OK output from curl.

If anything looks weird or you run in to trouble, try to capture the output and let me know and we’ll get it sorted out.

v2.18 and newer now supports secure online firmware update. Once you install this version, you can then use the update function in settings to check for and update to the latest version.

3 Likes
2

just a heads up tried the update for 2.17 and it worked great! Thanks!!!

1 Like
3

“v2.18 and above now supports secure online firmware update. Once you install this version, you can then use the update function in settings to check for and update to the latest version.”

Do you mean 2.17 ? Or should I wait for 2.18 so I only have to do it once

4

I need to rephrase the post!

The latest version as of this moment is v2.21. if you have v2.17 or older, then the update instructions above apply. If you follow them, you’ll have v2.21. Anything newer than v2.17 supports the easier method already.

If your Pixelblaze shipped in the last few weeks, you might have the version that supports the easier method.

1 Like
5

I had to do this again today with an old Pixelblaze (hardware v2.7) board I had in inventory - I’m a stickler for step by step documentation so perhaps this helps someone else get all the way to the latest firmware…

Start by downloading the .zip provided by @wizard above and save it on your laptop (or desktop with WiFi) you will need this file, but won’t have Internet access when your connected to the PB in AP mode, so get it now before starting these steps…

  1. hold down the little button for 5 seconds, then release (PB resets and reboots)
  2. connect to the Pixelblaze_XXXXX SSID
  3. visit http://192.168.4.1 in a browser (I used firefox)
  4. press the blue button “Configure AP” and give it a temporary SSID and password (I used: PBupdate with pass: 12345678)
  5. connect to the PBupdate SSID
  6. extract the .zip provided by @wizard above, and assuming you’re running Windows double-click on update.bat (do not run as admin)
  7. wait for the batch file to end with >pause
    Press any key to continue…

– at this point you’re at firmware v2.21, but that’s not the latest, the PB needs Internet by connecting to your WiFi before the Update option shows up under Settings –

  1. hold down the little button for 5 seconds, then release (PB resets and reboots)
  2. connect to the Pixelblaze_XXXXX SSID
  3. visit http://192.168.4.1 in a browser (I used firefox)
  4. click the blue button “Configure WiFi” and connect to your WiFi with working Internet
  5. BP reboots and get’s an IP from your router/DHCP server, look in your DHCP table to find the IP it got, or scan the entire network with software such as “Advanced IP Scanner” to find it
  6. visit http://your_pixelblaze_IP in a browser (I used firefox)
  7. go to Settings, at the bottom pick the green button “Check for Update” followed by “Perform Update and Restart”

– after a short while the browser should refresh to the same IP, at the time of this post, my PB gets firmware v2.23 –

4 Likes
6

I think i’ve had a failed online upgrade, the index page return an incomplete gzip document. I can get into setup mode, but can’t do any attempt to reflash from there.

I tried this manual update, but the download link is just timing out for me. Is there a newer one? I’m using a 2.7 board

7

Don’t worry, tried the new tab trick to download and that worked. Have now reflashed ok

2 Likes
8

I have v2.23 installed on my pixelblaze but I do not see a “Check for updates” button in the settings. Is v2.23 the latest version?

9

You must be connected in client mode, and the Pixelblaze must have internet access.

10

Maybe the update failed, the blue LED lights up. The orange LED remains dimly lit and does not work. Is it possible to install the firmware from a USB port, etc.?

11

I have a V2.7 board with 2.17 installed. When I run the Update.sh file, I get a reply in terminal

HTTP/1.1 200 OK
Content-Type: text/plain
Content-Length: 0
Connection: close

HTTP/1.1 200 OK
Content-Type: text/html
Content-Length: 42
Connection: close

Update error: ERROR[4]: Not Enough Space

HTTP/1.1 200 OK
Content-Type: text/plain
Content-Length: 0
Connection: close

HTTP/1.1 200 OK
Content-Type: text/html
Content-Length: 42
Connection: close
Update error: ERROR[4]: Not Enough Space

12

Hi @Rumpy ,
That’s an odd error on the second part. Try running each of the curl commands separately. Does the first one succeed?

13

help, I just put together a pb with the sensor board added. runs ok and says it is running version v3.25. When I go to update to the latest, there is no option to check for updates in the settings UI. How do I fix this?

no check for updates
no check for updates1591×400 8.01 KB

14

The update options should show up if your Pixelblaze is connected to the internet. It won’t work in AP mode since there’s no way for Pixelblaze to get out to the internet in that mode.

You can download update files and update them with the /update or /recovery.html tools in any mode. Update files can be found in release related posts.

15

It is in client mode. Seems connected to the internet. Can access from phone or pc on same network.

16

You might be hitting a bug if you’re using a 192.168.4*.* (like 192.168.42.123) address space. You could either manually update (and newer version should have that bug fixed), use the recovery tool,
or try running this in your browser console on the Pixelblaze to unhide the update controls:

$('.no-ap-mode').show();

You can access update tools using the /recovery.html tool (add that path to your Pixelblaze’s URL).

1 Like
17

That worked. Thanks for the help.

1 Like