Keithley Model 6487 Firmware Upgrade Notice vA06 free download

File name Model 6487 Firmware Upgrade Notice vA06.txt

Firmware Upgrade Procedure for Instruments with Flashable Program Memory Introduction Firmware upgrades may be needed to correct bugs, implement enhancements, or for compatibility with instrument drivers or accessory programs like ExceLINX. Consult the documentation for your product to see what firmware version is required for the functions/modules you intend to use, then follow the steps below to upgrade if desired. Step 1. Determine the firmware revision of your instrument The firmware revision is briefly displayed during the power-on sequence of the instrument. When the instrument's power is turned on, all display annunciators will be illuminated for a short period. Then the firmware revision is displayed briefly as follows: mmmm: yyy (zzz) where: mmmm is the product model number yyy is the firmware revision (e.g. A01) of the product zzz, if present, represents display processor firmware To determine the firmware revision via remote control, use the *IDN? query command. After sending the *IDN? command and addressing the instrument to talk, the following response is sent to the computer: KEITHLEY INSTRUMENTS INC., MODEL mmmm, xxxxxxx, yyy/zzz Where: mmmm is the product model number, xxxxxxx is the serial number, yyy is the firmware revision, and zzz is the display firmware revision. Step 2. Determine next action Based on the firmware revision of your Model mmmm, choose the appropriate course of action: Review the product documentation or special firmware file ("FW_27xx.txt" for 2700/2701/2750/2790, "FW_64xx.txt" for 6485/6487/6514) to determine the firmware level required to use the Instrument Driver, ExceLINX software or (in case of 27xx) the switch modules being used. Compare the required firmware version to the version presently in the instrument (as determined by step one.) If the installed firmware revision is the same as required or higher*, no update is needed. Otherwise, proceed to step 3 to perform the upgrade. * What is a higher firmware? Keithley's firmware numbering convention is a letter followed by two numbers, eg A03. The letter represents a major revision, typically due to a hardware change. Within each letter, releases are numbered sequentially, so A06 is higher than A05. However, the numbering restarts at 01 if a letter change occurs, so B01 is higher than A02 If the new firmware has a different letter than the currently installed firmware, the new file is probably not compatible with your instrument's hardware. DO NOT attempt to install the new firmware -- call a Keithley applications engineer to discuss possibilities for upgrading your unit. Step 3. Upgrade firmware Please read first: - Have only one instrument attached at the time of flashing. The PC will scan to find the address of the unit to program, but having additional instruments