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Windows 10 Drivers for Hornby Elite

Tomaso60

By Tomaso60
in Hornby DCC

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Guest Chrissaf

Chrissaf

Posted
Posted

Just for the sake of clarity. The PC needs to be connected to the Internet for Windows to install the Elite driver. Windows 10 has to download the driver from the Microsoft driver server. Just plug the Elite into the PC and it should be detected via 'Plug 'n' Play'. However that said, the installation process is not 100% automatic. You will need to make the correct option choices in pop up menus and such like.

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For example:

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The installation of the Elite driver is a two stage process. The initial 'Plug 'n' Play' part should place the following "CDC RS232 Emulation Demo" entry in 'Windows Device Manager'.

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/media/tinymce_upload/2edc8d3eb92f85becede2f10df2aff2d.jpg

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Right click the "CDC RS232 Emulation Demo" entry and choose "Update Driver Software"

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/media/tinymce_upload/89b6e773c04aa527c118e20649d9b636.jpg

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Then in the next popup window choose "Search automatically for updated driver software".

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Follow any on screen prompts and the "CDC RS232 Emulation Demo" entry should disappear to be replaced by "USB Serial Port (Com x) where x is the assigned com port number in the device manager "Ports (COM & LPT)" section.

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You will need to make a note of this com port number for later, where you need to enter this number in the Elite firmware updater software and also in RailMaster. This number is recommended to be less than 5 (typically 3 or 4). Problems have been known to arise where the allocated com number is 5 or above.

 

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Guest Chrissaf

Chrissaf

Posted
Posted

PS - If you were previously running RailMaster with an eLink. Then you don't need to install an Elite driver. The Elite and the eLink drivers are the same. In Railmaster "System Settings" screen you just change the pull down box to show 'Controller A' as an Elite instead of an eLink. You may also need to change a couple of "railmaster.ini" settings to better suit the Elite - see the sticky "RailMaster Setting Up" post at the top of the forum RailMaster section for details. I would also add "Elite feedback=1" to the railmaster.ini file as well.

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To edit the railmaster.ini file, click the 'COG' icon located bottom left hand corner of the 'Help' window.

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  • 2 weeks later...
Guest Chrissaf

Chrissaf

Posted
Posted

I am trying to update my elite controller but in the device driver the entry does not appear - what am I doing wrong?

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dwright, welcome to the forum.

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I also wrote:

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"Follow any on screen prompts and the "CDC RS232 Emulation Demo" entry should disappear to be replaced by "USB Serial Port (Com x) where x is the assigned com port number in the device manager "Ports (COM & LPT)" section."

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Assuming you previously fully installed the driver and just want to update it. The reason you can't find the "CDC RS232 Emulation Demo" entry, is because it is no longer there in 'Device Manager' any more, it is not actually the driver. As I wrote, the actual driver REPLACES the CDC RS232 entry during the second driver installation stage. See image below.

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/media/tinymce_upload/6c9d14636239831931f1c7f28956044c.jpg

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Note however the following caveats:

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  • The number in the ( ) shown as COM4 in the above image may be (in your case) a different number, possibly COM3 but shouldn't be COM5 or above.
  • This information is only correct for Windows 7, 8.x & 10 where the MS driver has been used. In Win XP & Vista, the Hornby driver should be used and that will appear in 'other devices' as "R8214 Elite".
  • The "USB Serial Port (Comx)" driver in the image is downloaded from the MS driver repository, there is unlikely to be a later version to update to.

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You can try updating the driver by right clicking the indicated entry in the image and choosing 'Update Driver' and follow on screen prompts to let Windows search automatically, but I would expect it to generate a message that you have the latest one (you need to be connected to the Internet for this).

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You haven't stated WHY you want to update the driver. If you are having RM to Elite communication issues, it will be because of incorrect RM configurations not necessarily the driver. If you explain the issues you are experiencing like for example "you keep getting communication error messages reported in RM telling you to unplug and re-plug your USB lead" then explain what you see (in detail). There are other known fixes to this particular issue that have nothing to do with the driver being used.

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If you have a corrupted "USB Serial Port (COMx)" driver. Then 'update driver' will not replace it. You first have to 'delete' the driver and most importantly tick the 'delete file' box as well. If you don't delete the actual file, Windows will just reinstall the same corrupted one. It is only by deleting the underlying driver file from your PC that Windows will go back to the MS repository and download a fresh copy of it.

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96RAF Grand Master

96RAF

Posted
Posted

You say you are trying to update your Elite.

 

That has nothing to do with RM -  it is a completely separate exercise and should be possible without having to install drivers With the new v1.43 updater.

 

RM can and will update an eLink if necessary but not an Elite.

Rob

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dwright Rookie

dwright

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Posted

Thank you gentlemen for your help, as you have guessed I am trying to update the Firmware in my elite from a postion of zero knowledge ( I am afraid my children just laugh)

First question - should I do this or leave as it is? (version 1.3)

second question - why are the instructions that come with the download such nonsense?

thirdly - from the instructions on the forum what is RM PC?

Sorry for all this but you gentlemen seem to know what you are doing so I would be very grateful for help

David Wright

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Yelrow Grand Master

Yelrow

Posted
Posted

Dwight, hi, before all the boffins give you chapter and verse, i have for many months, happily used Elite on 1.3. There is no actual requirement to update it,  so if it aint broke, etc., Secondly RMpc, Railmaster personal computer.. Updating it, for some has been a problem , me included, but for others, a doddle. If the Elite is performing, as you wish, and you are nervious about messing with it, simply leave as is. A lot depends on the locos you have/ sound etc. Mine ran everything fine including sounds, at  1.3. john

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Guest Chrissaf

Chrissaf

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First question - should I do this or leave as it is? (version 1.3)

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Firmware 1.3 is old now and may potentially restrict flexibility for operating your layout with future loco models.

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After version 1.3 came version 1.4, but this had bugs and was quickly replaced by 1.41, then 1.42 and now 1.43. I have no personal experience of version 1.3, my first Elite was version 1.41, but I have seen comments on this forum saying that version 1.3 had bugs too, but have no idea what these bugs might be and who might be potentially affected by them.

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Bottom line, is Yes, I would definitely advise updating to version 1.43 if you can.

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Note this however. The Elite user interface changed dramatically between version 1.3 and version 1.41. There is a NEW Elite user manual for the 1.4x versions. This is referenced in my 'Firmware How To Upgrade' post. So do download the NEW updated Elite manual (see download link in the other post) as the revised user interface will confuse you (version 1.4x firmware uses the two control knobs in a different way to the 1.3 version).

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Second question - why are the instructions that come with the download such nonsense?

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Typical Hornby. Poor Hornby documentation is my pet gripe, hence why my posts are usually so detailed. Taking the Firmware instructions in particular, they are trying to be all things to all men and cover Windows from XP to Win 8. The Win 8 instructions are particularly poor and the instructions have not been updated for Win10. In my view, they need a complete re-write. Over the years as new Windows versions come out, the instructions have only been tinkered with. They are just about understandable by someone who is computer literate, but a novice has no chance.

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I think the main issue with the bulk of Hornby documentation is that it is either written by the 'Marketing Department' who have never operated the product in question, or by someone at the other end of the spectrum, who is so experienced with the product (in this case software) that they are incapable of writing the documentation through the eyes of Mr Joe Public. Anyway, gripe over on this comment.

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Thirdly - from the instructions on the forum what is RM PC?

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Just the abbreviation I used for RailMaster Personal Computer. The instructions I wrote for upgrading the Elite Firmware was basically saying that if you the 'user' already runs RailMaster software, that the driver needed to perform the Elite Firmware upgrade will already be on the RM PC.

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If you don't use RailMaster and assuming that your PC is Windows 7 or above. Then install the Elite driver onto your PC first using the 'Plug n Play' methodology described above in this particular thread. Once the Elite driver is loaded with the Elite attached via USB to the PC, then you can follow the instructions in my other post I gave a link to, for performing the Elite Firmware upgrade itself.

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Just for information and clarity: Some basic broad brush definitions.

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Driver - software that resides on a PC that provides a software control interface between a specific type of attached hardware and either the Windows Operating System software or a software Application residing on the PC (such as RailMaster for example, or the Firmware update software - see next definition).

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Firmware - software that is embedded into the hardware product itself. It typically (these days) resides in EPROM (Erasable PROgrammable Memory). The firmware is hard coded into the physical silicon chips on the device and tells the device how to function. Because it is hard coded into the IC chips it needs a special 'boot loader' program to update it. This is what the Elite 1.43 update software program file does, and why the Elite needs to be put into a special firmware update mode first using the button pressing process described in the other 1.43 upgrade post I wrote.

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Guest Chrissaf

Chrissaf

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Thank you for the EPROM correction Rog. Not that it changes the basic content (meaning) of the posted comment. But quite right, the post should be corrected for those that follow.

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Guest Chrissaf

Chrissaf

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Great news, glad it got sorted in the end. Thank you for coming back with the update.

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You would be amazed how many newbies use the information provided and disappear. We are then left wondering whether the issue has been resolved or not and what the solution was that worked.

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A pity about the confusion regarding 'Driver' vs 'Firmware' update as some time was lost identifying the actual correct issue to discuss.

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