Automatic Update

[RDS]

@GarH

The latest version of RailMaster software is definitely 1.53.

I don't have E-link but I imagine it is this that is looking for v1.4

 

[GarH]

I don't know. It is RM that is doing the search and it also tells me that it can't find the DCC controller when the firmware error message comes up and suggests the wrong Port is being used but I haven't changed anything. When I reboot I know it is going

 

to work as the eLink powers off, I get an electronic sound on screen as the eLink powers off and another electronic sound as the eLink powers up again. If I don't get the electronic sound I know it is going to fail to load RM. The laptop for RM is left in

 

the loft with the layout etc so I think I need to wait until next time and then have a look at the forum on my laptop to connect to the links HRMS put out and see if that loads up any update and solves the issue. Otherwise everything works reasonably well

 

and the locos and point motors operate from screen. Probably just a wretched software glitch that needs sorting again by Hornby Techs?

[Fishmanoz]

Since the eLink release, RM updates now contain eLink firmware updates when required. And although I am not an eLink user, it is clear from HRMS posts that the eLink firmware version is now 1.4. I'm not sure how or whether RM now reports to you the eLink

 

installed firmware version, but clearly it would be useful if it did, just as it reports the RM version.

 

Now I can't tell whether your eLink has updated to the latest firmware or not. It may have and the reported failure to update notice is spurious.

 

Then again, it may not have and your system then decides to work with the earlier firmware version.

 

Irrespective, the people to solve this problem for you are RM Support. Don't be reticent to email them, do it now! They need to now about this sort

 

of problem so they can investigate and resolve it for everyone. They need to now that v1.53 has not resolved the Switchpilot programming problem for you so they can investigate that too.

 

And you can't give them too much information if they are going

 

to be able to help. Detail point by point what is happening for you and what error messages are being generated. And you might note that when you email from within RM Help, certain configuration information on your system is sent to them automatically to help

 

them resolve it for you.

 

Email them now.

[GarH]

Thanks Fishmanoz, will do when I am next up in the loft and turn the system on as everything is up there and it seems HRMS likes things to be done from the setup PC which is understandable if data is flowing back to them whilst looking at the problem.

[GarH]

Okay Fishmanoz I have emailed RM Support from within RM as suggested and now await the belittling response to show what a plonker I may have been in setting it all up in the first place - but lets wait and see what they say as even their instructions in

 

the Drivers Guide for Windows 8 doesn't match what comes up on my Windows charms. I had to get to Device Manager for example by pressing the windows key + x to open the start menu and then select Device Manager and what I get in my Device manager is not what

 

their guide says I should get. But, I have established beyond doubt that the eLink is connected through COM PORT 3 even if RM tells me I might not be when first initialising each time I use the software. The other matter of the ESU Switchpilot I've touched

 

on and wait to see if they will give some advice on this too.

[GarH]

Hi Fishmanoz. This is the reply I got from RM Support today

 

"If there are problems updating the firmware the first thing you should check is to ensure RailMaster is installed with full admin rights. Just right click on the icon you use to run the

 

program, select "Properties", click on the Compatibility tab and ensure "Run as administrator" is checked." (It is definitely set up with admin rights)

 

"You should then ensure that RailMaster has definitely been added as an exception to both your antivirus

 

and firewall software, including the Windows firewall, if it is running." (Frankly I am not too sure on how to go about sorting this one out and will have to do a bit more research on my Norton Antivirus and Firewall but pretty sure it doesn't prevent any

 

updating)

 

"Windows 8 uses its own generic serial port driver for the eLink so you don't need to worry about using the Hornby supplied one." (Frankly not sure what this means but the eLink is shown as a Device it is on COM PORT 3 and am pretty sure when

 

I clicked on Properties yesterday it showed it had the right BAUD? settings?) "More details are in the RailMaster PDF guide. Just make sure the com port is set to 19200 BAUD in Windows Device Manager." (It doesn't help that my Windows 8 processes don't seem

 

to match up with the ones suggested in the PDF but I will have another go and see if it improves.

 

At least RM Support is very quick getting back but I am not a computer nerd so some of the info leaves me a bit wary and means I will have to do a bit

 

more googling before I have to get back to Hornby if I can't get rid of the annoying dialogue box and messages when opening up every time I use RM

 

[Pete172]

Maybe Hornby should consider marketing their own brand of PC/tablet, pre loaded & working with Railmaster. That would solve all the issues !!

 

P.

[GarH]

I doubt it would frankly

[Fishmanoz]

Gar, RM Support always gets you to check those things.

 

If you can see eLink on com port 3 in Device Manager, then that is OK.

 

Simplest way to make sure Norton is not giving you a problem is to turn it off temporarily and see how you go.

 

But if it doesn't want to let RM access the internet, it should give you a warning about it with an option to ignore or allow Rm am to do its thing.

 

On the Windows Firewall, go into Control Panel, then Windows Security and you should be able to find

 

the Firewall and make sure it is turned off. You don't need it, Norton has its own and you only need one running.

 

If you've done all of that and you still have an update problem, reply to RM saying you've done all of that and what the problem is you

 

now have RM reporting to you.

[GarH]

Hi Fishmanoz, start up now sorted, confirmed administrator rights and devices confirmed that I had the most up to date driver and I downloaded the update files from Hornby but did nothing with them as far as I know and when I reconnected eLink I didn't

 

get the error message. Funnily enough though I got an error message when I tried to close down that RM had lost connection with DCC Controller twice but seemed to clear itself when I went back in again and ran a loco and closed it down with no error message

 

- wierd or what. Also the first time I closed down I got a dialogue box asking me if RM had worked properly to which I obviously replied in the affirmative - this was before I had the two closing error messages though and presume in my naivety that it was

 

reporting back to Hornby because of my actions in trying to update - but I don't really believe that. Thanks for help anyway, Now need to monitor future use of RM and have another go at the ESU program in the other thread