GDG256 Posted March 11, 2018 Share Posted March 11, 2018 I have an Elite.While running a Duke of Gloucester 4-6-2 earlier this afternoon, I had a derailment at a point system causing a short circuit. This caused an "error" message / red LED to show there was a short circuit.I removed the loco and pulled the power plug out of the Elite (I appreciate entirely, this may be my problem). When I put the power back into the Elite, the LCD display darkens but the unit does not start up. Any suggestions?(Having read about other problems with the Duke of Gloucester, I may stop using the train - the front bogie seems to be a problem due to a lack of weight / spring to keep it pushed down on the track). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissaf Posted March 11, 2018 Share Posted March 11, 2018 By pulling the power, It is possible you may have confused the firmware in the Elite or caused some form of firmware corruption..For info, when the Elite shows the 'short circuit' error display. All you need to do, is remove the cause of the short circuit and press the 'Escape' button on the Elite. Pressing the 'Escape' button re-starts the Elite back into normal operating mode..If your Elite display remains completely blank, no matter what you do (try pressing the 'Escape' button), then it might be possible to recover the Elite display by reloading the Elite firmware and upgrading to version 1.44 if it was not already at that level. If that doesn't work, then you will have to send it back to Hornby for repair..Don't know how to install / update the Elite firmware, then see this previous post.https://www.hornby.com/uk-en/forum/updating-firmware-on-the-elite Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96RAF Posted March 11, 2018 Share Posted March 11, 2018 Try this trick.Press and hold the LOCO button as you plug in the power. Release LOCO when you see the Hornby screen. all the characters on the screen will light up and you will get a pass or fail message. At that stage unplug, wait a few moments and replug. It should reboot OK. If not then as Chris suggests contact Hornby.Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GDG256 Posted March 11, 2018 Author Share Posted March 11, 2018 Thanks both for your replies. I tried booting the Elite up using the loco button but that was unsuccessful. I also attempted to install new software. My computer could “see” the Elite but I could not get it to start up in the “updating” mode. When I tried to run the update software, I kept getting an error message saying “Error in Elite comm!”.A call to Hornby it is. Thanks again. Gareth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96RAF Posted March 12, 2018 Share Posted March 12, 2018 A com error is due either to picking the wrong com port or by not getting the sequence of operations timing right. If your pc is seeing the Elite it means the USB circuits are working, so you should be able to install the update. Give it a try again ensuring you press and hold the STOP button as you power up (useful to have three hands for this). Then wait 30 seconds between the next operations, release STOP/wait/insert USB/wait/start update exe. Select com port and PC type 2 for starters unless you have already found a type number that suits your PC. Update should take between 3-5 minutes. Any less and it will fail, any longer (up to an hour or more) and it usually works but your tea goes cold.Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishmanoz Posted March 12, 2018 Share Posted March 12, 2018 Kill 2 birds with one stone. If the Elite is still frying and the update taking a long time, leave your tea on top of it until you want to drink it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fireman_Ian Posted March 25, 2018 Share Posted March 25, 2018 "I also attempted to install new software. My computer could “see” the Elite but I could not get it to start up in the “updating” mode. When I tried to run the update software, I kept getting an error message saying “Error in Elite comm!”. Hi Gareth, My Elite has just done the same and wont accept the firmware, did you have any luck getting yours working? Ian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96RAF Posted March 25, 2018 Share Posted March 25, 2018 Ian Please humour me and try this again...To start the Elite in Update mode you press and hold the red STOP button whilst plugging in the power with the other two hands. The Elite screen will be blank. There is no other indication it is in update mode. Release the STOP button, wait 30seconds and then plug in the USB, wait again before running the update .exe file, which will start the installer. Select your Elite COM port as seen in Device Manager, then pick your PC type (try 2) and report back As to what the outcome is. If your Elite is inoperable then you know you were in update mode but the update failed. If it bombs out with a COMM error then you should be able to start it as normal at the old revision state.Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishmanoz Posted March 25, 2018 Share Posted March 25, 2018 We would certainly appreciate feedback from both Gareth and Ian in particular on this. Some time back, over 12 months, there was a case of an Elite which was working before a firmware update and not working after. My conclusion was that the update and the failure were coincidental, not causal (had something of a risk argument with Yelrow about it at the time, which argument was causal in his leaving the forums). Here we have another example of not working after update, but not yet tracked down to whether it is the update or the Elite itself now not working. So getting to the bottom of this is important for interest, for risks of future firmware updates and potentially for claims under warranty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fireman_Ian Posted March 26, 2018 Share Posted March 26, 2018 Hi, Just to clarify.. This happened out of the blue. I had updated my Elite firmware to the latest a few months back and it has been working a treat. On Sunday morning I switched it on and it looks like it in update mode. My computer sees the Elite on com3 as normal. I tried to install firmware a few times as per the tried and tested method but just get "Error in Elite Comm" Looks like its also fried ☹️ Ian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96RAF Posted March 26, 2018 Share Posted March 26, 2018 Is his the Elite that you repaired using bits from a dead donor unit Ian.Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fireman_Ian Posted March 26, 2018 Share Posted March 26, 2018 No Rob, that one is still working fine, this is the one I use on my other layout (I'm spoiled, I have two) an end to end shunting layout.I can get by with the one controller for both but would like to get the other Elite working if not too costly.Ian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pidder Posted March 26, 2018 Share Posted March 26, 2018 Ian, for a moment I was worried....to me upgrading does sound rather hazardous... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GDG256 Posted March 29, 2018 Author Share Posted March 29, 2018 Good morning all,Please forgive the slow reply.The issue I had was that the Elite stopped ”booting up” at all following a derailment and me taking out the power cable while the unit said there was an error. I subsequently tried to update the software in an attempt to get it working again but I could not even get the Elite to enter the “update mode”.I sent the unit back to Hornby who, without any hesitation, replaced it free of charge. Whatever the quibbles might be with the Elite (and having read the various posts at some lengths, I understand there are varying opinions), I am grateful for this excellent level of customer service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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