GR-55 - 1.50 Firmware installation

Started by curteye, June 28, 2012, 06:55:41 PM

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Elantric

Which version of Windows are you using?

FWIW - both WinXP and Win7 can natively open and extract files from Zip volumes. I suggest avoid the third party "WinArchiver"

samandlyn

Quote from: Elantric on August 20, 2012, 10:42:52 AM
Which version of Windows are you using?

FWIW - both WinXP and Win7 can natively open and extract files from Zip volumes. I suggest avoid the third party "WinArchiver"

I am using Win7
Thanks for the tip Elantric.
I will uninstall Winarchiver tonight and try again.

tekrytor

Did you do a quick format or a full format of the USB drive?

I left my backup file on the drive that worked for me, so the update was not the only file on the drive, contrary to instructions. It was the second drive I tried, the first did not work. I can imagine that it's possible to have several not work before finding one that does, which would of course be frustrating. Fortunately you don't need a big one, and small ones are pretty cheap.
SY-300/BeatBuddy/VoiceLive 3/GR-55(v1.50)/33/1/50/700/VGA-7/V-Bass, Yam-G10, GPK-4, DIY X-Bee HighlyLiquidCPU "Cozy-Lil-Footie", FCB-1010, other MIDI stuff, Godin Freeway SA and various other GK equipped controllers, Sonar X1, Audacity, KXstudio, Misc devices

samandlyn

Hi Guys,

Thanks for your help.
As Elantric suspected, the problem was with the Winarchiver program. the GR55 would not accept it.
When I just unzipped the file using Windows 7 it worked like a charm.
I spent 2 hours frigging around with it last night, and then fixed it in 5 minutes today !

Thanks again

Elantric

#154
Glad to hear your success!

Elantric


Errol H Tout

#156
Greetings to all

I have tried to install the 1.51 operating system about 100 times now. Used the GR55.bin file. Bought a new cable, bought a new USB drive and an adaptor to connect it. I am holding down the 'V-link' and the 'User' buttons when I switch it on. The words 'completed' have yet to appear. I have installed the old driver and it works [is recognized] from Cubase 5. I loaded the Eric Johnson patches in the library. It plays them and keeps them. Yippee!

Anyone know how to get the 1.51 system loaded into the GR55?
Any help greatly appreciated

Dr Errol H Tout
Perth Western Australia
GR-55 - 1.50 Firmware installation
https://www.roland.com/us/support/by_product/gr-55/updates_drivers/c2667a0d-1c75-40f0-9c6a-5a25ba96ee8f/
Dr Errol H Tout
Architect
Musician
Senior Lecturer in Architecture

Kevin M

#157
Try here for some update tips:

https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=6423.msg44055#msg44055

Also, from where did you download a version 1.51 update?  I was only aware of 1.50 being the latest firmware version.

Kevin

Onyx Forge

Errol -

You mention that you bought a new cable / adapter to connect your USB drive to the GR55. Sounds like you may be connecting to the rear port instead of the pop out port on the left side of the unit. If so, that's your problem. If not, the USB drive may not be properly initialized.

I would also like to know where you obtained a 1.51 version of the .bin file.

Cheers,
Roy Bullis
Onyx Forge Custom Guitars LLC
www.onyxforgeguitars.com
GR-20  / GR-55

Onyx Forge Soloist - Graphtech MIDI

Onyx Forge LP Double Cut - GTech electronics, Baggs TOM Piezo bridge

Onyx Forge Koa Jag - Gtech saddles / electronics

Errol H Tout

It is 1.5 sorry folks
I got it from the Roland site

Use the side door? - why don't the instructions say that?
It worked first time and now I feel a little silly. You get that.....

Bless you all
On with some fine work now

Best wishes to all
Dr Errol H Tout
Dr Errol H Tout
Architect
Musician
Senior Lecturer in Architecture

gumtown

Not sure what sort of USB adapter one would need to plug a type A thumb drive into the back type B USB port, the one that is  labelled "computer".

Always best to thoroughly read the instructions before performing a firmware update, sometimes the results can be disasterous.

Free "GR-55 FloorBoard" editor software from https://sourceforge.net/projects/grfloorboard/

Toby Krebs

Everytime I think about updating my GR55 I read a few posts like this and lose my nerve....the Line 6 stuff I have had no problems updating(HD300 and M13). Besides a few factory patches I won't use not much in it for me. My unit is working perfectly. Love It!!!

Deus02

#162
Quote from: Errol H Tout on January 03, 2013, 04:26:39 PM
It is 1.5 sorry folks
I got it from the Roland site

Use the side door? - why don't the instructions say that?
It worked first time and now I feel a little silly. You get that.....

Bless you all
On with some fine work now

Best wishes to all
Dr Errol H Tout

With the download comes a "read me" file which provides instructions in how to do the download.  I don't know whether it happens in every case but with the updates and 90 additional patches added to the mix, I gather they thought downloading the new firmware on to a USB thumbdrive and then to the GR55 was a more stable way to do it as opposed to a direct download through the usb input.  Here again, it seems Line 6 has got a jump on them here since they can do pretty well any download through their Line 6 "Monkey" interface direct through the usb connection, hence, somewhat less complicated and time consuming. 

zuurg

#163
Any idea how long the update should take?   The screen on my GR-55 has been white for at least 5 minutes now.  The .bin file is sitting in the root of the freshly formatted memory stick.

Is it safe to power the unit down while the update is in progress?

gumtown

Has the GR-55 been able to previously read the USB stick?
because it is fussy on some brands/types.
If 10 minutes has passed, i would remove the USB stick and power off the GR-55,
then try a USB backup (as you should have done so or will lose all user data in the update process).
The firmware update screen should display some startup dialog and a progress meter should show during the update.
Free "GR-55 FloorBoard" editor software from https://sourceforge.net/projects/grfloorboard/

zuurg

I've actually never used a USB stick in the unit.  I tried some troubleshooting by copying a .wav file onto the stick and playing through the audio player and it said that there was no wav file present.

Bum stick?

gumtown

Ironically part of the firware updates load more types of USB drives to read.
Probably will be able to read that USB stick after the firmware update.
Just try another one/type/size/brand.
Free "GR-55 FloorBoard" editor software from https://sourceforge.net/projects/grfloorboard/

carydad

Had similar problems. First stick I used didnt show a wav at all. Then I could use one format of file, but not the other. Same thing with the upgrade. Just didnt see it with out. I'd suggest a lower capacity stick. The newer/faster/larger ones seem to be picky.

Elantric

When it works,
Continue holding V-Link and User Buttons during the Pure White Display which lasts nearly a minute before the Display changes , and then release the Buttons when you see the inverse Text Display with Completion Status Dots.

Follow all details here
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=6423.0

quickdraw

Quote from: Toby Krebs on July 04, 2012, 08:45:36 AM
Amen Gumtown! I never rely on just one setup either. Sage advice for all guitar players!!!

agreed,  if the hi tech fails, be prepared to plug your guitar into a combo and work with that!

Toby Krebs

I carry a little Boss ME25 with me for backup if I don't want to risk my second GR55. Cheap and works good.With a TRS cable you can blow it thru the PA and keep going in the event of a disaster. It's funny no one ever falls on,spills beer on or injures the Talk Box. Audience members regard it with almost a divine respect. The GR55 however draws the feet of every sloppy drunken dancer in the places I play LOL!!! They are right next to each other at my feet. Very strange indeed!

Toby Krebs

I have an older blue GR55 with the old firmware and an almost brand new black one and I can't tell any difference between them firmware or patch changing wise so I have not upgraded the older one to the newer firmware yet. I have swapped patches via usb stick back and forth between them multiple times and had no problems. Gigged both about the same amount of times.The new "black" one does go to the nicer venues with me as it is "prettier". I don't play piezo equipped guitars or trigger external modules with them so I still don't see any reason to do the upgrade. As far as the new patches in my black one I haven't bothered to listen to them as I almost always end up making my own for the gigging that I do. If anyone has a solid reason as to why I need to upgrade the older one I would like to know what it is as I may have missed something important in all the posts regarding this.

Thanks GR55ers',

T.K.

gumtown

i do recall something to do with the PCM synth on certain tones, like piano, glitchyness was improved, or that may have been an earlier update.

The biggest difference being with the extra preset patches, if using something like the editor (which is optimised for firmware 1.50), selecting preset patches past a certain point (Lead - 30:3), you will get different ones than expected, but I don't use any preset patches at all.
Free "GR-55 FloorBoard" editor software from https://sourceforge.net/projects/grfloorboard/

Elantric

#173
If you do not upgrade the GR-55 to Firmware Rev 1.50 - then you live with all these bugs
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=6423.msg44055#msg44055
[Firmware Rev 1.50 Bug Fixes]
The following bugs were fixed.

    A setting of ALT-TUNING did not affect to MIDI note messages outputted by GUITAR TO MIDI.
    The level meter for each string sens was displayed in less amplitude than it should be when the PU TYPE parameter in GK SETTING was PIEZO, PIEZO G or PIEZO R.
    * The Audio Input Level after updating is the same as before although the amplitude of the level meter changes.
    A noise mixed with USB Audio when a lot of voices sounded.
    PCM tones which TONE SW were set to OFF caused voice interruptions when a lot of voices sounded.
    Particular instruments in Drums category tones sounded at a wrong volume level.
    When using patches which the [PEDAL/GK CTL] > [CTL] or [EXP SW] parameter was set to each EFFECT SW, editing the EFFECT ON/OFF parameter was not linked with the status of each EFFECT SW.
    It caused GR-55 no sound that the GR-55 Librarian wrote a patch including a Drum Kit to the GR-55's user patch.

Toby Krebs

Okay after running to Costco for medication-wine and a rotisserie chicken I did the update to my old blue GR55. Really easy but I have a lot of experience interfacing all of my processors with a laptop. Went through some factory patches. The GR300 is bad a##! Love it.Captain Nylon or whatever it's called is beautiful if you turn off the PCM sounds they paired it with. And yes the piano is better tracking wise. I confirmed this by playing one of my home spun acoustic piano patches. Still not perfect but not horribly glitchy. Some of the brass section patches are good too. I actually may use some of these and will surely use the GR300 patch for jazz and fusion stuff.I think they addressed some other issues these GR55s' have without officially acknowledging any problems. That's fine with me. I am excited to see what other hidden changes they may have made. I have only used my new black GR55 a few times and that was under gigging-singing -talk box duress. It does seem like the whole thing is behaving a bit better to me.I have some time off the next few weeks for a bit of rest-travel and a couple of bass gigs so I will explore this firmware update in more detail and report any significant findings. Glad I did it. Thanks Elantric and Gumtown!